SPRING BANK
A TROPHY in memory of one of Campbeltown’s most well-known and much-loved piping personalities has been introduced to this year’s Springbank Invitational Competition. The Willie McCallum Memorial Trophy for the year’s champion piper will be awarded to one of eight of the world’s best pipers, including Willie’s own son, also Willie McCallum. At the Kintyre Piping Society (KPS)’s 19th event, from 10am, tomorrow (Saturday) in the Seafield Hotel, the pipers will perform for the competition’s three judges and a Bean-an-Tighe described as second-to-none. This year, there will be a new bench of judges, with PM Iain Morrison and Iain McFadyen unable to attend, and PM Ian Duncan and Murray Henderson, joining John Wilson, invited in their places. The Bean-an-Tighe will be Rhona Lightfoot. The pipers will compete, once again, for the McFadyens Transport Limited trophy for 6/8 Mach by local composers. KPS’ president, John Lang Brown, said: ‘We are delighted with the continuing involvement of Springbank Distillery as our main sponsor, and are highly indebted to them and their managing director Hedley Wright. ‘Thanks also for the help we receive from all our other sponsors and supporters.’ McFadyen Transport’s Heather McFadyen and Springbank’s director of sales and marketing, Ranald Watson, will present the prizes at the end of the competition. Entry to the competition is at the discretion of the KPS committee and each competitor submits six tunes for Piobaireachd, four tunes of their own choice for March, Strathspey and Reel, and two tunes for Hornpipe and Jig and 6/8 March for local composers.