MILTON - The Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario officially notified the Grade Three band in early November that it has been upgraded to Grade Two status, effective immediately

The upgrade was expected but still celebrated by the membership as reflecting the fruits of very hard work. The band will compete both on the Ontario circuit and in Northern Ireland and Scotland in 2007.

"Although this comes as no surprise, when I received this, I was somewhat overwhelmed," said Pipe-Major Peter Aumonier of the PPBSO's notice letter, which said the band was unanimously voted up. "The emphatic strength of this endorsement, and the personal manner in which it is stated, left me rather speechless."

The band won piping and ensemble and was judged second in drumming. Windsor Police and Durham Regional Police were second and third in the contest.

The band won every PPBSO contest it entered in 2006, and also won the pre-season Hanover indoor contest. The streak actually extends back to June 2005, making for nine PPBSO contest wins in succession.

Pipe Major Peter Aumonier and lead drummer John Gaudet thanked the membership for their extraordinary level of commitment and hard work. The band expects to be upgraded to Grade 2 for 2007. Says Aumonier: "You ain't seen nothing yet!"

The Grade Five Band competed the next day and finished third, in a contest won by Windsor Police.

Members of both bands also had a strong outing in solos, with several members leaving the event with medals in their sporrans.

MAXVILLE - The Grade Three Band won the North American Pipe Band Championship at its level at the famed Glengarry Highland Games at Maxville, on August 5th. The win is the second in three years for most of the young group of pipers and drummers, and caps a very special season for the band.

The last time time the band played at Maxville, two years earlier, they had to compete in drenching rain and survive a morning qualifier before playing and winning the Grade Four pipe band title. This time, it was blue skies and perfect weather when the band played.

Most of the band members are high school and college-aged students who have played together since their novice years. Since 2003, this nucleus has won four straight Canadian titles, two North American titles, and a world championship for the drummers.

In solos, Garth Sinclair won the Novice Amateur Piobaireachd. Stuart Aumonier was second in Grade One march and second in Senior Amateur Piobaireachd. Mitch Taylor and Kelsey Symington also picked up top three placings in their Piobaireachd categories. Scott Haynes picked up two thirds and a fourth in Grade Two solos. Nathaniel Trotter was fourth in a Grade Three march. Tenor drummer Matt Bellia won Amateur  Flourishing Tenor and was second in Rhythm.

The final contest of the year is at Fergus, but the band has already mathematically clinched the season-long Champion Supreme title for Grade Three.

CAMBRIDGE - Congratulations to the Grade Five band for another good showing on the games circuit. The band finished second to Georgetown Pipe Band at the Cambridge Highland Games on July 15th. The Windsor Police Pipe Band was third.

The Grade Three band did not compete at these games.

In solos, a limited number of members chased medals and champion supreme points. Stuart Aumonier was second in Senior Amateur Piobaireachd while Mitch Taylor was second in Intermediate Amateur Piobaireachd.

View some images of the Grade Five band rehearsing and competing.
 

CHATHAM - The Grade Three band continued its run of wins at the highland games in Chatham on July 8th, topping what will likely be the largest Grade Three field in North America this year -- outside of Maxville.

The band squeaked out top placing ahead of a very good City of Chicago band, as well as 12 other bands from Canada and the U.S. The contest attracted Grade Three bands from as far away as Minneapolis-St. Paul and Kansas City.

The drummers were judged first while the pipers took second place marks from both judges, the top marks going to that strong group of pipers from Chicago.

Windsor Police was third in the contest.

In solos, Grade Five band piper Andrew Sandison won the Novice Amateur Piobaireachd for the second straight contest. Bandmate Jonathan Bellia picked up a medal in the Grade Five march.

Among the Grade Three band pipers, Mitch Taylor won the Intermediate Amateur Piobaireachd and Stuart Aumonier won the Senior Amateur Piobaireachd. The two also picked up thirds in Grade One solo contests. Scott Haynes was second in Grade Two march.

In drumming, Claire Haynes was second in the Grade One MSR and Kevin Shortt was in the medals in Grade Two drumming. Amy Borysko was third in Grade Three drumming.

Matt Bellia won the Amateur Flourishing Tenor and was second in the Rhythm category.

KINCARDINE - Both the Grade Five and Grade Three bands had a successful Canada Day at the Kincardine Scottish Festival, with the Grade Three band making it four for four in 2006, winning the MSR contest.

The band won top marks on piping and ensemble and were judged second in drumming. Windsor Police was second. The band's mid-section, bass and four tenors, was awarded best bass in the Grade Three contest, as well as the Grade Two medley the band "challenged up" in, finishing fourth overall.

In drumming, Jamie Watson was third in the two Grade One contests. Matt Bellia won the Amateur Flourishing Tenor.

HAMILTON - Long-time members of the Hamilton Police Grade Three band won a fourth straight Canadian Pipe Band Championship on June 24 at the Ancaster Fairgrounds, on the outskirts of the band's hometown.

The band's medley performance won the piping, drumming and bass drum marks from judges, finishing ahead of Toronto's 400 Squadron and Windsor Police.

Many of the teenaged members of the band have played together since 2000, and they won their first Canadian title in Fort Erie in 2003, as a Grade Four unit. The band repeated in 2004, and then last year won again in the band's first year in Grade Three.

The Grade Five band (right) fielded a large outfit, with several of the youngsters playing in a competition circle for the first time. The band finished outside the medals in a contest won by Windsor Police.

In solos, several band members walked away with competition medals, most notably Stuart Aumonier, who finished clear of many of the region's top amateur pipers in winning the Senior Amateur Piobaireachd.

Kelsey Symington was second in the Junior Amateur Piobaireachd while Garth Sinclair was third in the novice. Matt MacPhail was second in the Grade 2 solo jig, while Scott Haynes was second in the march.

Some of the organization's youngest pipers also did well. Alec Rogers was second in the Grade 4 march, while Andrew Sandison was 4th and Zach Lindeman 6th in very large groups. Andrew was also 5th of 16 in the novice piobaireachd.

Jamie Watson won the Grade 1 hornpipe/jig in solo drumming, while drum corps mate Claire Haynes was third in the Grade 1 MSR. Kevin Shortt was second in both of the Grade Two drumming contests. Tenor drummer Matt Bellia won the Amateur Flourishing Tenor contest and was third in the rhythm, while Jennifer Borysko was second in the Professional Fluorishing Tenor.

HAMILTON - About 400 people turned out June 16th for the band's annual pub night, and that turnout made for a very successful fundraising evening.

When all is tallied, organizers expect the night will show a profit of about $10,000 - money that will be used to offset the costs of sending all band members to Scotland next summer for the World Pipe Band Championships. Airfare, housing and buses cost approximately $50,000 last year, when just one of the bands went over.

The silent auction had a huge selection of items and there was so much raffle loot to give away the announcements were getting a little tiring for those onlookers who chose not to purchases tickets.

Congratulations to the parents -- particularly Avril, Linda and Tina -- for seeing their efforts pay off! Thank you, as well, to all of those who bought tickets, drinks and auction items in support of this organization.

Finally, thanks to the many individuals and companies who graciously donated items and services.

GEORGETOWN - The Grade Three band started the 2006 highland games season on a winning note, taking top marks in piping and drumming in winning the June 10th contest at the Georgetown Highland Games, outside Toronto.

HANOVER - The Grade Three band opened the 2006 competition season with a win at the Hanover Indoor Games, about two hours west of Toronto, on April 29th.

It was the first public test of the band's new medley and Pipe Major Peter Aumonier was happy with the results. The Strathroy Legion PB was the runner-up band. Grand Celtic won Grade Five and Strathnaver, a new band from Cambridge, won Grade Four.

The Grade Five band -- some of its members playing their first competition (seen to the right) -- also played, but were not in the medals.

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