Washington Pipers’ Association

4 $250.00 Scholarships were drawn at the last event of the season.

Mackenzie Webster     alternate:  Elliot Thompson

Amber Stone                 alternate:  Paul Vegors

Cleda Thompson         alternate:  Bryce Kreger

Aaron Stone                  alternate:  Matt Alger

Recipients were asked to tell WPA of their choices by the end of June 2009, so if they are unable to attend the alternates will have an opportunity to use the scholarship this year.

WPA used a simple point system this year, 6 points for first place, 5 for 2nd, 4 for 3rd, 3 for 2nd, and 1 for 6th. BCPA uses a much more complicated system, which we will consider using next year due to unexpected results this year.

Congratulations to all competitors who showed up and played. It takes focus and determination to play for an audience, and we had many great performances this year.

To be eligible this year, competitors needed to attend 4 of 5 events, register by the first event, and indicate they wished to be included in the drawing on their membership form.

Chanter: Peter North
Grade 5 Piping: Megan McCrea
Adult Piping: Cleda Thompson
Grade 4 Piping: Saul Goodwin
Grade 3 Piping: Aaron Stone
Grade 2 Piping: Alexander Schiele

Grade 5 Drumming: Robert Graham
Grade 4 Drumming: Bryce Kreger
Grade 3 Drumming: Amber Stone

Tenor Drumming: MacKenzie Webster

Note: After the awards were given, Alexander Schiele asked if he could give the award to MacKenzie. The results were announced with Alexander as the winner, but because MacKenzie (who comes down from BC to compete) missed one event, she had fewer points, but placed 1st at 4 of 5 events. Alexander placed 2nd at 4 events and 1st at one event and had more points due to the simplified points system used.  The BCPA system would have had MacKenzie in 1st place.  MacKenzie has received the aggregate plaque.

Congratulations to all of the competitors who competed at WPA mini-gatherings this year, it takes a lot of preparation and courage.  Thanks to our judges Hal Senyk and David Bowman.  Special thanks to the dedicated volunteers Rochelle Wheeler and Julie Alger at registration & cleanup after events, Doug Stone, Joe Alger, Steve Wheeler and Bruce Graham for stewarding and introducing drummers and pipers when needed.  Karen Gayle and Kathy Bowie-Vegors for setting up snack tables, getting judges lunches, and clean-up.  Thanks to Kelli and Scott DeVight for coordinating with Grace Fellowship, setting up and cleaning up for every event.  Diane Axworthy for all of the treasurer duties, and showing up to make sure judges and other expenses got paid when she wasn’t feeling well, and maintaining and encouraging active board participation.  There are many others who have helped out when asked, stayed after events to help clean up, and it’s all of you who help keep the events running smoothly and providing a great opportunity for bagpipe and drum competitors to gather, perform, and learn from some of the top soloists and judges in the Northwest and British Columbia.

Chanter, Any March, 2 competitors

1. Peter North, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. Morgan Schiele, Northwest Junior Pipe Band

Grade 5 Piping, Any March, 5 competitors

1. Marcus DeVight, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. Russell Prewitt
3. Megan McCrea, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
4. Karl Stahlfeld
5. Katrina Jones, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

Adult Piping, 2/4 March, 4 competitors

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Stewart Nevling
3. Kenneth Robinson
4. Todd Schiele

Adult Piping, Slow Air, 3 competitors

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Stewart Nevling
3. Kenneth Robinson

Grade 4 Piping, Strathspey & Reel, 3 competitors

1. Saul Goodwin, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. David Pollock
3. Matthew Alger, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

Grade 4 Piping, 6/8 March, 5 competitors

1. Paul Vegors, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. Saul Goodwin, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
3. Devon Mercurio, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
4. Matthew Alger, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
5. David Pollock

Grade 2 Piping, Hornpipe & Jig, 2 competitors

1. Alexander Schiele, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. Aaron Stone (challenged up), Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

Grade 2 Piping, March, Strathspey & Reel, 3 competitors

1. Alex MacLeod, Washington Scottish Pipe Band
2. Aaron Stone (challenged up), Washington Scottish Pipe Band
3. Alexander Schiele, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

Grade 5 Side Drumming, Any March, 2 competitors

1. Robert Graham, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. Jackson DeVight, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

Grade 4 Side Drumming, Any March, 2 competitors

1. Bryce Kreger, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
2. Steven Wheeler, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

Grade 3 Side Drumming, March, Strathspey & Reel, 3 competitors

1. Fiona Senyk, White Spot Pipe Band
2. Amber Stone, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
3. Alec Robertson, Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band

Tenor Drumming, Any Tune, 3 competitors 

1. MacKenzie Webster, White Spot Pipe Band
2. Alexander Schiele, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 
3. Ali North, Northwest Junior Pipe Band 

The last event of the season is upon us.  Thanks to our award winning and “BCPA certified” adjudicators for coming down from British Columbia this weekend!   I will post more about these adjudicators with the results, but David Bowman was the runner up in the 2009 BCPA Drumming Knockout events, an award winning solo drummer who plays with the 2008 World Pipe Band Champion and World Drum Corps champions, Simon Fraser University Pipe Band.   Hal Senyk will be judging piping.  Hal is also a certified adjudicator, award winning soloist, Pipe Major and volunteer Director with BC Pipers’ Association.

Please review the Aggregate scores so far and make sure we’re not missing any events and double check we’ve got the events correct.  6 points were awarded to first, 5 to 2nd and so on down to 1 point for 6th place finishes. Link:  2009 WPA Aggregate Standings, April 2009.  A reminder for aggregate awards; attendance at 4 of 5 WPA events is a requirement to be eligible for the award.   Aggregate plaques are similar to last years’ awards.

The WPA Board met Wednesday and clarified the Scholarship process, as well as took steps to ensure that alternates will be more likely to get the benefit of a scholarship award by adding a deadline on acceptance of the award for the first – drawn recipient.

Scholarship drawings are available to:

• Competitors who checked the “Scholarship box” on the registration form
• Competitors who pre-registered (or registered this year by the first event of the season)
• Competitors who competed at 4 of 5 monthly events.
• Competitors who did NOT receive a scholarship award from WPA during the 2008 season.

Scholarship drawings will be drawn first for the primary, then for the alternate for that award.  FOUR $250.00 Scholarships will be drawn.   Scholarship recipients must notify WPA at info@washingtonpipers.org of their intended use of the scholarship by the end of June, 2009.  Scholarship awards must be used within one year (ie, payment to the Scottish piping or drumming school must be requested to be sent by May 3, 2010).  Scholarship payment is sent directly to the Scottish Piping or Drumming school at the request of the recipient, once they have registered or informed the school of intent to register. 

See you Saturday!