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 Oakville Christmas Parade, Nov. 27, 2004 
KINGSTON - The Hamilton Police Pipe Band wrapped up a very successful competition season Nov. 6th in Kingston by receiving more than a quarter of the solo competition prizes available at the PPBSO's annual Highland Ball.Of 29 Champion Supreme awards available, band members won eight. In piping, Mitch Taylor won the Grade 2 light music title. Claire Smith, Scott Haynes and Kelsey Symington were all winners in their classification in Piobaireachd. In drumming, Jamie Watson won the season-long Grade 2 snare solo title, with another member of the 2004 Grade Four drum line, Claire Haynes, winning second place honours. Jacob Pritchett celebrated his first year on the drums by winning the Grade Five title. And Jennifer Borysko won both amateur tenor drum titles. Both the Grade Four and Five bands received plaques for winning the season-long Champion Supreme titles, and both performed for the packed Highland Ball crowd, along with Grade 2 and 3 winners, Braemer and Niagara Police.
HAMILTON - The Hamilton Police Pipe Band held a successful open house information night on Oct. 27th at the Hamilton Police Service's central station in downtown Hamilton. Several prospective band members attended the event and expressed interesting in taking up the pipes or drums. The band is expanding its ranks and particularly focusing on bringing on young students. Band Pipe Major Don Forgan has developed and leads a Saturday morning piping program for novices, and drum instruction is also available from the band's senior drummers. Along with recruiting novices, the band is looking for experienced pipers and drummers interested in joining one of the top pipes and drum organizations in the country. at the Grade Three, Four or Five levels.
The plans, announced at the band's Sept. 22 annual general meeting, involve moving the North American champion Grade Four band up to Grade Three, and the Canadian champion Grade Five band up to Grade Four. A new Grade Five band is in development, consisting of novice players and led by Pipe Major Don Forgan. The band executive also enlisted a parent committee to begin fundraising initiatives to send the Grade Three band to compete at the 2005 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Grade 4 band finished the season as the North American and Canadian champions and won seven successive contests. When the points are all added up, several of its members will also be confirmed as winners of solo Champion Supreme titles. The Grade 5 band finished the season as Canadian champions, as well as the winners of the huge Fergus Scottish Festival. Congratulations to everyone involved in the bands, and particularly to its musical directors -- Pipe Majors Don Forgan, Peter Aumonier and Mike O'Shea, lead drummer John Gaudet and drum instructor Ian Madeiros. Thanks as well to the parents and other family members who have supported the bands and made the year so successful and enjoyable. Also, thank you to the many private piping and drumming instructors who have helped bring out the potential in so many young musicians, as well as the "older" musicians in the bands who have served as terrific mentors.
Click to view photos from the day ...
Both piper Shona Borysko and drummer Amy Borysko were major trophy winners at the event, held at a provincial park and marking the 200th anniversary of a large group of Scottish highlanders who came to Canada by ship and settled in the area.
The band survived a qualifying round played during a steady, heavy downpour on a field already soaked by rains that started Friday evening and did not ease until midday Saturday. After dismantling all the pipes and attempting to dry them in available cars and vans, the band put its intruments back together and competed, in yet more rain, in the Grade 4 finals against nine other bands from Canada and the United States. Just as the clouds were finally starting to break early Saturday evening, the band - comprised primarily of area teenagers - was announced as the winner. 8th Wing Trenton, the 2003 champions, was second and Windsor Police third. The games also proved successful for solo players, with two members winning North American titles. Scott Haynes won the Junior Amateur Piobaireachd and his sister Claire won the Grade 2 hornpipe-jig drumming title. Jacob Pritchett and Jamie Watson also won medals in the drumming competitions, while Claire Smith, Lauren MacPhail and Shona Borysko all had top three performances in solo piping. The Grade Five band did not compete at Maxville. News of the band's accomplishments generated coverage by local broadcasters and the Hamilton Spectator. Click to read the Spec story. Click to view photos from the day ...
Claire Smith won two of three Grade 2 piping contests, as well as a piobaireachd contest. Emma Watson was a medalist on two Grade 2 contests, and Stuart Aumonier was a medalist in a piobaireachd contest. Claire Haynes won both of the Grade 2 drumming competitions. Jacob Pritchett picked up a medal in the Grade 5 drumming solos. There were no band contests at Cambridge.
Gord retired from the Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Police in 1990 at the rank of Staff Superintendent, completing a distinguished career with both the Police Service and the Pipe Band. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gord's wife, Joyce, as well as his daughters Susan, Nancy and Laura. Funeral services will be held at Cresmount Funeral Home, 322 Fennell Avenue East, Hamilton on Friday at 1:00 p.m.
The band finished ahead of Kingston, Ontario's Rob Roy and Springfield, Ill.'s St. Andrew's.
In solos, drummers Claire Haynes and Jamie Watson traded off 1-2 finishes in the Grade 2 contests. Jennifer Borysko won the Amateur Flourishing Tenor. In piping, Scott Haynes and Claire Smith won their piobaireachd contests, while Mitch Taylor also medalled in Grade 2 piping. In Grade 3, Shona Borysko took gold in the S/R while Nathaniel Trotter also medalled. There was no Grade Five band competition at Chatham. Click to view photos from the day ...
The Grade 4 made it four wins in succession this year, receiving top marks in all categories and finishing ahead of the hometown Penetangore band and Windsor Police. The Grade Five band won for the third time in a row, finishing ahead of Guelph and Grand Celtic. In solos, drummers Claire Haynes and Jamie Watson finished 1-2 in the Grade 2 contests. Jacob Pritchett was 2nd in Grade five drumming and band instructor Ian Madeiros was second in the Open MSR. Jennifer Borysko won the Amateur Flourishing Tenor. In piping, Scott Haynes won the Junior Amateur Piobaireachd contest. In Grade 2 piping, Mitch Taylor picked up a silver, and both Claire Smith and Emma Watson picked up bronze medals.
Drummers Claire Haynes and Jamie Watson finished 1-2 in the Grade 2 contests, while Amy Borysko won the Grade 4 drum solo contest. In piping, Mitch Taylor and Scott Haynes both won solo Grade 2 contests while Haynes also won a piobaireachd contest. Claire Smith also won medals in the solo contests. Neither band competed as bands at Embro. The bulk of the members of the Grade four and five bands made what has become an annual appearance at the Canada Day parade in Caledonia, near Hamilton.
The Grade Four band successfully defended its 2003 title, won at Fort Erie, topping a field of 12 bands. The Grade Five band topped six other bands to win its contest.
In drum solo competitions, Claire Haynes won both Grade 2 contests, while another snare line member, Jamie Watson, finished a close second in each. Another drum line member, Amy Borysko, was second in Grade 4. Jacob Pritchett was third in Grade 5 drumming. Jennifer Borysko won the Amateur Flourishing Tenor. Many pipers struggled with the early morning chill and winds, but a few managed to get their fingers working and pulled off wins or medals. Scott Haynes and Mitch Taylor won their piobaireachd contests, while Taylor also picked up gold in the Grade 2 jig. Claire Smith was 3rd in both the jig and march. Shona Borysko won the Grade 3 march and was 3rd in the S/R. Lauren MacPhail was second in the S/R.
Combined band photo with trophies
In solo competitions, drummers Jamie Watson and Claire Haynes each won Grade 2 contests. Claire Smith won a Grade 2 solo piping gold while Nathaniel Trotter took the novice piobaireachd and Claire Smith the intermediate. Meanwhile, members of the Grade four and five bands also performed in Hamilton at the annual International Tattoo.
The event, featuring "mini-bands" with a maximum eight pipers, was the first of the new year for Ontario bands. Pipers Claire Smith and Mitch Taylor were 1 and 2 in the Grade 2 piping solos, while Amy Borysko placed second in Grade 4 solo drumming. 2003 News Archive
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ELDON,
PEI - A couple of sisters from Hamilton's Grade Four band took a break from
their summer vacation to compete at the 