Pipers aim to be on top of world
HAWICK Pipe Band travel to Glasgow Green on Saturday for the annual World Pipe Band Championships hoping for a repeat of their prize-winning performance at the British Championships earlier this year.
Bands from 16 different nations, including Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan will travel to Scotland this year to compete in the event, bringing together 200 bands and 8,000 pipers and drummers.
And Hawick secretary Roderick Short is confident they can put on a good show.
He said: "The standard of piping through all grades is extremely high these days. The winning band will need to pull out a faultless performance.
"We are playing really well right now and achieving a great tone. The only down side is the lack of pipers in the ranks. Playing with minimum numbers means that we will all have to be at our very best to progress to the final."
Drawn in grade 4a heat 3 along with hot favourites Black Bottle Isle of Islay Pipe Band, Hawick have their work cut out to qualify for the final of the most prestigious event on the piping calendar.
Meanwhile, Hawick will be further represented in the competition in the shape of 31-year-old Scott Walsh, who is a snare drummer in the House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band.
The former high school pupil, pictured, now living in Dalgetty Bay, started off at the age of 12 with the Hawick Pipe Band under the guidance of Derrick McGeorge and Ian Dalgleish, before working his way up through the grades playing with Lothian and Borders Police, Newtongrange and latterly Clan Gregor.
The Drums and Fifes was also one of Scott's favourite bands and he was well known for his drum fanfare performed at many a smoker and Cornet's room during the annual festivities.
And he admitted he couldn't wait to step up to the line tomorrow.
"It's a great honour to play with them," said Scott. "This will be my first World Championships with them, but they've won the title three times in the last eight years so I think we've got a good chance."
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Weather for Hawick
Thursday 17 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
