Members of the Manawatu Scottish Society Pipe Band start heading away to Scotland next week to begin their 2009 campaign to the World Pipe Band Championships.

According to their website, “The Band has a very busy itinerary lined up, including contests at North Berwick and Perth prior to the Worlds, along with performances at the Glasgow Pipinglive! Festival. The Band will be based at Stirling University from Sunday 2nd August until Sunday 9th August, and then will move to Queen Margaret’s Halls in Glasgow for ‘Worlds Week’.”

The Band’s itinerary is as follows:

• Arrive Stirling Sunday 2nd August
• Practice Stirling Monday 3rd August – Friday 7th August
• North Berwick Highland Games Saturday 8th August
• Perth Highland Games Sunday 9th August
• International Quartet Challenge, Pipinglive! Tuesday 11th August
• Performances at George Square and Piping Centre Street Café, Pipinglive! Wednesday 12th August
• Concert at the Oran Mor, Thursday 13th August
• Rehearsal Glasgow Green, Friday 14th August
• World Championships Glasgow Green, Saturday 15th August”

“The Band is very pleased to announce its return to the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, this coming August”  their website said.  “It will be the Band’s sixth trip to Scotland and follows the extremely successful 2007 trip when the Band placed 9th overall at the World Championships, after winning the Grade 1 Qualifier event in the morning. The Band is pleased to report a very strong team of 22 pipers, 6 bass section and 8 side drummers are confirmed for this year’s campaign, comprising players from New Zealand, Australia and the UK.”

The Band qualified first in 2003 and finished 13. In 2005 the band returned and finished 10th.

The Band will play 12th in a 15-band qualifer event, which sees the 78th Fraser Highlanders having to qualify due to their 7th place in 2008

We wish Manawatu every success at their campaign and look forward to regular updates from the team.