|
|
 News about the Hamilton Police Pipe Bands HAMILTON - Some 8,000 people attending the Hamilton 2003 World Cycling Festival were entertained by the Hamilton Police Pipe Band during the opening ceremonies.
The band opened the evening and also played for some 40 highland
dancers. The massed band was followed by a variety of acts, including
Ryan Malcolm, the winner of the Canadian Idol contest, Tom Cochrane,
Sass Jordan and the Jeff Healey Band, as well as many top local
performers.
MILTON, ON - Five members of Hamilton's pipe band organization have been confirmed as the 2003 winners of the PPBSO's Champion Supreme competition, which represents the top point-getters from the highland games season in Ontario.
Greg Robertson (Grade 2) and Mitch Taylor (Grade 3) won for Light Music
(piping). Claire Haynes and Amy Borysko won Grade 3 and Grade 5 solo
drumming. Arran Mills won both the Professional Flourishing Tenor and
Professional Rhythm Tenor titles.
TORONTO - The teenaged members of the Grade Four have taped a segment for an off-the-wall new CBC youth program called The X. The show is scheduled to air Sept. 2nd at 4 pm on the CBC national network. ALMONTE - Hamilton Police Grade Four band piper Mitch Taylor wrapped up a successfull solo season with a pair of golds and a silver at the Almonte highland games near Ottawa on Aug. 23rd. Taylor won the March and S/R and was second in the Junior Amateur Piobaireachd at what was the last PPBSO-sanctioned games of the season.
Taylor is one of several Grade Four band members expected to be
confirmed as Champion Supreme winners, based on cumulative points
through the games season. The winners will be recognized at a ball in
Windsor this fall.
SARNIA - Hamilton Police bands all finished in the medals at the final major highland games event on the PPBSO calendar - the Sarnia Games on August 16th. The Grade 2 band won its class, while the Grade 4 band finished second to a very strong Guelph band. The Grade 5 band, meanwhile, also finished second, in just its second competition as a band. Several pipers and drummers picked up medals at the competition, closing what was for many a very strong season that should see them move up in grade. Mitch Taylor, Scott Haynes and Claire Smith were 1,2,3 in the Grade S/R. They flipped the order around in the Grade 3 March. Haynes also finished second in the Novice Piobaireachd and Taylor and Smith were silver and bronze in the Junior Amateur Piobaireachd (won by Grade 2 piper Greg Robertson). Stuart Aumonier also won a bronze in his Grade 3 March. Nathaniel Trotter picked up a bronze in the Grade 4 March. In Grade 2, Robertson was gold in March and silver in S/R, while in Grade 1, Malcolm Cox was second in the Jig and March and 3rd in S/R. Grade 4 Pipe Major Peter Aumonier won the professional S/R and was third in the March and Jig, as well as second in his Piobaireachd. Garry Hall won the Professional Over 50 MSR. On the drums, Claire Haynes won the Grade 3 drumming, while Matthew Hall won Grade 5. Cameron Trotter won the amateur bass.
Tenor drummer Arran Mills was first in professional rhythm and second
in flourishing, while Jennifer Borysko was second in the amateur
flourishing tenor contest.
FERGUS - Greg Robertson of the Grade 2 Band had a strong day at the Fergus Scottish Festival, one of the largest highland games events on the continent. Robertson won gold medals for his solo march and S/R work and also won bronze for Junior Amateur Piobaireachd. Other Hamilton pipers also continued their medal hauls in the Aug. 9th solo events. Claire Smith won her Grade 3 S/R contest and was second in march, while Scott Haynes picked up bronze medals in both of those events, as well as Novice Piobaireachd. Nathaniel Trotter was third in Grade 4 march, while his pipe major, Peter Aumonier, was third in the Professional Piobaireachd. Gary Hall won the gold for professional solo piping over 50, while his son was second in Grade 5 drumming. In drumming, Claire Haynes was first in Grade 3 solos, while on the tenor side, Arran Mills was first in professional rhythm tenor and second in flourishing tenor.
In band competition, the Grade 2 band was third while the Grade 4 and 5
bands finished just out of the medals.
MAXVILLE - Mitch Taylor, Claire Smith and Amy and Jennifer Borysko all came away from the massive Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, Ontario with North American champion titles. Held Aug. 1-2 in a small town outside Ottawa, the games are the largest in North America and among the largest in the world. Taylor won a Grade 3 S/R contest (Stuart Aumonier was third) and was also third in Junior Amateur Piobaireachd. Smith won a March contest. Borysko, meanwhile, continued her winning ways in Grade 5 drumming, while mother Jennifer won Amateur Flourishing Tenor. Claire Haynes and Jamie Watson were 2nd and 3rd in Grade 3 drumming. Garry Hall was second in Over 50 piping while Lorne Scanlan picked up a third in Grade 5 March piping. In Grade 2 piping, Greg Robertson picked up a second and Emma Watson a third. Both bands finished outside the top 5 in what were talent-packed contests.
Several band members also picked up medals the following day on the
humid, baked grounds of the Montreal Highland Games.
CAMBRIDGE - Mitch Taylor, Greg Robertson and Malcolm Cox were among Hamilton pipers having strong days at the games in Cambridge on July 19th. Taylor won the Grade 3 March (Stuart Aumonier was third) and the Junior Amateur Piobaireachd. Greg Robertson was second in the Piobaireachd and also picked up medals in two Grade 2 contests. Cox was 3rd in Grade 1 March and 3rd in Senior Amateur Piobaireachd.Lorne Scanlan picked up second in Grade 5 March piping while Shona Borysko was 3rd in Novice Piobaireachd.
The Grade 5 drumming title was won by Amy Borysko.
CHATHAM - Pipers and drummers from Hamilton's bands picked up several medals and treasured Champion Supreme points at the Tartan Sertoma Games in Chatham on July 12th. In Grade 4 piping, Lauren MacPhail won one of the contests while Shona Borysko won the other. Nathaniel Trotter picked up the bronze medal for his novice Piobaireachd work. In Grade 3 piping, Mitchell Taylor won March and Srathspey-Reel contests, while Claire Smith took a Junior Amateur Piobaireachd silver and a March bronze. Lorne Scanlan was second in Grade 5 March piping. The Grades 3 and 5 drumming titles were also won by Hamilton drummers, with Claire Haynes first in Grade 3 and Amy Borysko tops in Grade 5. Cameron Trotter won silver in bass drumming. Meanwhile, Jennifer Borysko was second in the amateur flourishing tenor drumming contest. Arran Mills, also of the Grade 2 band, was first in rhythm tenor and second in professional flourishing tenor.
Both bands finished 5th in their groups.
KINCARDINE - Members of both the Grades Four and Two bands had a strong day along Ontario's west coast, at the Kincardine Scottish Festival on July 5th. Individuals in the Grades 2, 4 and 5 bands won medals in several solo contests. In Grade 3 piping, Claire Smith won the March while Mitchell Taylor took the Srathspey-Reel, with Scott Haynes third. Haynes also took second in novice Piobaireachd. Smith was also third in Junior Amateur Piobaireachd. Lorne Scanlan was second in Grade 5 March piping. The Grades 3 and 5 drumming titles were also won by Hamilton drummers Jamie Watson and Amy Borysko. Claire Haynes was second in Grade 3 while Matt Hall was second in Grade 5. Shona Borysko was second in a Grade Four piping contest and her mom, Jennifer, was third in the amateur flourishing tenor drumming contest. Arran Mills, also of the Grade 2 band, won the professional flourishing tenor title. Grade Two's Gary Hall won the senior level piping, and Greg Robertson (Grade 2) was second in the Grade 2 march piping.
Malcolm Cox, meanwhile, was 2nd in Senior Amateur Piobaireachd.
FORT ERIE - Members of both the Grades Four and Two bands had a terrific day at the Loch Sloy Highland Games in Fort Erie on June 21, 2003. The Grade Four band bested 14 high-quality bands to win its group and become national champions. The Grade Two band took fourth place in a very tough, talented field. Individuals in the band also had a tremendous day. Five of the six Grade Three piping contests were won by Hamilton pipers, three by Mitchell Taylor and one each by Scott Haynes and Stuart Aumonier. The Grades Three and Five drumming titles were also won by Hamilton drummers Claire Haynes and Amy Borysko. Jamie Watson was second in Grade Three drumming while Matt Hall was second in Grade Five. Shona Borysko won a Grade Four piping contest and her mom, Jennifer, won the amateur flourishing tenor drumming title after competing with the Grade Two band. Arran Mills, also of the Grade Two band, won the professional flourishing tenor title and was third in the rhythm tenor contest. Grade Two's Gary Hall won the senior level piping, and Greg Robertson (Grade 2) won the Grade Two jig piping. Malcolm Cox, meanwhile, was 3rd in Senior Amateur Piobaireachd, and Nathaniel Trotter and Matt MacPhail won medals in Grade Four piping. Claire Smith took a Grade Three 4th place. Some 45 bands were at Loch Sloy, the second biggest event of its kind in North America.
 |
