MORE than 40,000 people turned out to watch 219 bands from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Canada, England, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Switzerland, Argentina, the Netherlands and Scotland. The bands brought more than 8,000 pipers and drummers to compete for the title of World Champions in their respective grade.
In the premier grade one event, it took Friday and Saturday, two MSR performances, two medley performances and 16 adjudicators to crown Inveraray and District the 2017 world champions. The band received 12 first places, taking a clean sweep in the Friday qualifier. Under leading drummer Steven McWhirter, they also won the overall drumming, placing first in the MSR and second in the medley events.
Field Marshal Montgomery from Northern Ireland; St Laurence O’Toole, Eire; Scottish Power; Simon Fraser University of Canada; and Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia completed the grade one prize list.