Beckford Wins Three-Round Piobaireachd Marathon at Delco

The Robert Gilchrist Challenge was held during the Delco Mid-Atlantic Branch Workshop this past weekend. This contest is held for pipers under the age of 22, and the winner receives airfare to compete at the MacGregor Memorial in Oban, Scotland.

Here’s how the contest works: Each competitor must submit 4 piobaireachd. Each competitor plays one piobaireachd in the morning session. The top 6 play a second time in the afternoon – although, from what I understand, there were only five to compete this year. The winner is determined by the aggregate score of the two competitions.

This year, after two rounds, the top 2 players were tied, and so they held a THIRD round, where the two players battled it out. According to Donald Lindsay, one of the judges, this was a gruling day, and all of the pipers played their guts out.

Here is the Final Result:

1st – Ursa Beckford, playing the Lament for Patrick Og
2nd – Kirk Brunson, playing Andrew MacNeill of Colonsay
Tied for 3rd: Geordie Hall and Andrew Donlon

Ursa Beckford, Winner of the '11 Gilchrist Challenge