Queen Mary Highland Games 2011

[OC Richard]

I spent the day yesterday listening to solo piping competition in the morning and pipe band competition in the afternoon.

These pictures are deceptive as to the weather! Yes it was lovely and sunny at times. But in the afternoon, while the Camerons of San Diego were playing in the competition circle, it suddenly began pouring rain. They were in shirtsleeves. They received a huge ovation when they finished! The crowd appreciated their dogged response to the conditions.

Soon after they were finished and had marched off we got hail! All of us were huddled under the Beer Tent canopy for a while.

Then it cleared up again. Alas it was only that one band who got hit by the weather while competing. Other bands got hit by the rain and hail as they were doing their final tuneup before competing.

Here are some photos (alas nary a photo of the Camerons playing in the downpour).

First some Grade Four bands:

City of Sacramento:



Here you can see their lovely Holyrood kilts and the nice pleating:



The Irish Pipers of San Francisco (California's oldest pipe band, I think)



University of California Riverside, in their bespoke tartan:





Glendora High School (this is the sort of band which would compete in "juvenile" in Scotland, but we have no such grade here)



In Grade Three we had the Nicholsons:



and the nicely turned out Pasadena Scots. Their PM is also their kiltmaker! Wearing the California tartan.

[OC Richard]

And last but not least the Grade One bands!

The LA Scots in their muted Drummond of Perth kilts:





And travelling all the way from Canada, Alberta Caledonian (AlCal)





Note the ginger-haired lad in the foreground wearing a World Pipe Band Championships 2004 cap:



Here's judge Richard Parkes, Pipe Major of the several-time World Champion pipe band Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland), and an Orthodox Priest

[English Bloke]

Thanks for posting those. I'll bet that was a crackin' day out.

[Spartan Tartan]

Lots of great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

[Jack Daw]

Ah, great-looking bands. (I see that only two were wearing the white hose.) I remember getting blown away by the Alberta Caledonian Pipes at the SFO games a few years ago. They were practicing outside of my hotel room.

[Pour1Malt]

been there mysel' in years gain' by.... cheers fur they pics!

[Mike_Oettle]

Wonderful pictures, Richard. Well done!
Regards,
Mike

[sydnie7]

Glad to hear the rain didn't disrupt things too badly, it bucketed here in SD. Thanks for the photos and ID work.

[MacAngus]

Great pics richard thanks for sharing

[cessna152towser]

Fabulous pictures. I especially liked the ones with the ship's funnels in the background.
Did you get to meet xmarks members KellyCunningham and LAScotswoman on the Clan Cunningham tent?