Highland musicians excel at competition

Cadets from 1st Battalion the Highlanders recently travelled to Edinburgh to take part in the Cadet Force Piping & Drumming Competitions. 

The day-long competition, held at the Army School of Bagpipe Music & Highland Drumming, is the culmination of the week-long October Piping & Drumming Course at Redford Barracks. The course attracts pipers and drummers of all levels and abilities from all of the cadet services across the UK, where they gather together for an intense week of practice and tuition.

It was a busy day for everyone to compete both individually and in group competitions, however, everyone performed expertly. The competition ended with the prizegiving in the evening which saw the cadets receive many awards and trophies, including Top Band and Best Drum Corp.

The Battalion Pipes & Drums (pictured above) returned home with fifteen individual trophies and medals.

The week-long course was not all teaching, with the cadets having some down time.

Cpl Stone and Sgt Cooper with their Tri-Service Sports Medals after winning the volleyball.

On the Wednesday half-day off the cadets visited the local sports centre, and representing their various units and cadet services, decided to hold a Tri-Service Volleyball Tournament.

Sgt Jordan Cooper (17), from Culloden Pipes & Drums Detachment, and Cpl Innes Stone (16), from Elgin Detachment, were selected to represent the battalion. As well as being excellent musicians they proved they are excellent sportsmen too by winning the competition and being awarded prestigious Tri-Service Sports of Scotland medals.

Results:

Cadet Calum MacMillan with his 1st place trophies in the Novice Piobaireachd and Intermediate Piping categories.