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season review 2006

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winter 2005

After the events of the winter of 2004, when the band heard they were downgraded to Grade 3B, the winter months of 2005-06 were fairly uneventful.  There were some changes in personnel, however.  Ashley Grant left the drum corps at the end of the season, with Jamie Cochrane coming in to take her place.  In the pipe corps, Richard Lupton returned to the band following a season with the Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary.

Following months of practice and preparation, the objective for the coming year would be to capitalise on a strong 2005 season and gain promotion to Grade 3A for the 2007 season.

The Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band got the season off to a fantastic start with a clean sweep in the Adult Trio Contest at the Dumfries Music Festival, held in Locharbriggs Primary School.  The band entered four trios in the Adult section.  The band had also completed a clean sweep at the 2005 Dumfries Music Festival.

In the Adult section, the trio of P/M David McCracken, Garry Hawkins & Kevin Bell claimed first place, with P/S Chris Shearer, Grant Schoolar & Tim Schoolar in second and the trio of Chris Shearer, Irvine Torbett & Ian Nicholson in third.  David McCracken, Donald Robson & Lee Maxwell comprised the fourth trio and finished in fifth place.

In 2005, the Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band finished in second place following an impressive performance at Dunbar, however they opened their 2006 RSPBA Season with a slightly disappointing fifth placing at a sunny Winterfield Park.  Despite a strong performance, the band just missed out on the prizelist in Grade 3.

Grade 3 was won by Coalburn IOR, with Linlithgow & District in second, Denny & Dunipace in third and Pitlochry & Blair Atholl rounding out the prizelists in fourth.  Linlithgow & District took the drumming prize.

The band would need to improve if they were to make an impact at the upcoming Scottish Championships.

The first major contest of the 2006 season was the Scottish Championships, held at Levengrove Park in Dumbarton.  Despite a shaky start, the band were pleased with the overall performance, taking third place with the pipe corps placing 1st and 2nd.  An excellent start to the year in major championships, this result put the band into the top three in the Champion of Champions table also.

In Grade 3B, the Scottish Championship went to Dunoon Argyll, with Williamwood in second place.  The Clan Pipers - Frankfurt & District were placed fourth, Gortaclare fifth and Beeston & District in sixth.  Dunoon Argyll also won the Drumming Prize.

The band played at the Bathgate Highland Games for the first time on Saturday 27th May on a cold and wet day in Bathgate.  Despite the band's satisfaction with the performance, there would not be a place in the prize list this time around.  George Watson's College Juvenile went on to win the Grade 3 contest.  A disappointing day for the band as they hoped to capitalise on their placing at the Scottish Championships, however normal business would soon be resumed.

The Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway Branch Championships in Girvan took place the weekend after Bathgate.  The band played fairly well and came away with a haul of trophies, winning Grade 3 and the Drumming Prize, placing third in Grade 2 and winning the Branch Championships in Grade 3.  A successful day all round and the best way to bounce back from the disappointment of Bathgate.

On Saturday 17th June, the band travelled to Innerleithen for the first time and continued their winning ways, taking the top prize in Grade 3 and placing 2nd in Grade 2, beating several Grade 3A bands in the process.  Confidence was high going into the British Championships in Pitlochry, where the band hoped to replicate their Championship win at Tain in 2005 and get a jump on their rivals in the Champion of Champions table.

Despite the good run of results throughout June, the band failed to repeat their success at the British Championships in Pitlochry on Saturday 26th June.  The band had won the British Championships in 2005 in Tain.

A disappointing performance saw the band finish eighth in Grade 3B.  Beeston & District won the grade, as well as the Drumming prize, with Wallacestone & District in second.  Dunoon Argyll were third, Pitlochry & Blair Atholl were fourth, Turriff & District placed fifth and Rothesay & District completed to prize list in sixth place.  Because of some new faces in the prize list, the band were still in the hunt for promotion, but they would need to improve for the next major championship.

The Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band had a fantastic day on home turf at Annan Riding of the Marches on Saturday 1st July by winning three trophies, including a first place in Grade 3, which was particularly satisfying as this was the band's first win at Annan since forming in 2004.

Following a remarkably easy build-up, the band took first place in Grade 3 with Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue in second place, Tyne & Wear in third place and Dunoon Argyll in fourth.  The Drum Corps completed the sweep in Grade 3 by winning Best Drum Corps.

In Grade 2, the band placed third behind The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards & Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary, who placed first and second respectively.  Tyne & Wear rounded out the prize list in fourth.

The band prepared for the upcoming World Championships by taking home two trophies at the Dundonald Highland Games.

The band had to be satisfied with second place in Grade 3, behind an impressive GSPC Milngavie, with Ayr Pipe Band Society in third and Heather Pipes & Drums of Copenhagen in fourth.  The Royal Burgh of Annan Drum Corps placed first although there was no drumming prize.

In Grade 2, the band placed fourth behind winners 52nd Lowland Regiment, Lomond & Clyde and Strathclyde Fire Service who placed 1st, 2nd & 3rd respectively.

In one of the biggest let-downs of the season, the band failed to make the prize lists after a disappointing showing at the 60th World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green on Saturday 12th August.

In Grade 3B, the World Championship went to Aughintober, with Cottown in second place.  Beeston & District were placed third, Cullen place fourth, Dunoon Argyll kept their impressive season going by placing fifth and Pitlochry & Blair Atholl finished sixth.  Aughintober also won the Drumming Prize.

With just the Cowal Highland Gathering left, the band were under pressure to deliver and place as high as they could in order to gain promotion.  A better performance would be required to pull it off.

Recovering from the disappointing showing at the World Championships, the band placed second in Grade 3 at the Melrose Pipe Band Championships on Saturday 20th August, thus boosting confidence for the Cowal Games the following week.

Grade 3 was won by 3A World Champions Denny & Dunipace with George Watson's College Juvenile in third and Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia rounding out the prizelist in fourth.  The band also played in Grade 2, but a poor performance saw them miss out on the prizelists.  Grade 2 was won by the Highlanders.

The Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band completed their 2006 competition season by taking home two trophies at the Cowal Highland Gathering on Saturday 26th August in rainy Dunoon.  The band placed third in Grade 3B whilst the Drum Corps also took home a trophy by placing second in drumming.

In Grade 3B, the Cowal Championship went to GSPC Milngavie, with Beeston & District in second place.  Hometown favorites Dunoon Argyll placed fourth, Williamwood took fifth place and Cumnock & District finished sixth.  Beeston & District also won the Drumming Prize.

Thanks to this result, the Royal Burgh of Annan finished in joint third place with Williamwood in the Grade 3B Champion of Champions table, which was won by Beeston & District.  The season had been open and competitive with several bands fighting it out for the top prizes and time will now tell which bands will be promoted to Grade 3A for the 2007 season.

So a rollercoaster season comes to an end and the Royal Burgh of Annan wait to see if the RSPBA Grading Committee consider them for promotion to Grade 3A.  Either way, the band will have to find a greater level of consistency for the 2007 season in order to improve their chances of moving up the grades.

royal burgh of annan pipe band