Establishment of a New Professional Piobaireachd Grade
In recent years the number of professional piobairechd players has become too large to be adjudicated in a morning. Last year, for example, 22 entered at Georgetown. The PPBSO has decided to divide the professional piobaireachd into two grades called A and B. Players can qualify permanently for the A grade by having won certain contests such as the Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal at Maxville, the Maxville Professional Piobaireachd or a Gold or Silver Medal at either Oban or Inverness. Also one can qualify for the A grade by having a Competing Pipers Association (CPA) grading of B for that year. As Bob Worrall and Bill Livingstone, senior adjudicators well familiar with Ontario players, are on the CPA grading committee one does not have to have competed in Scotland to get a B grading. Because of the timing of this announcement, players may use their 2013 CPA grading to qualify for 2014. Beginning professionals and those without a CPA grading of B will compete in the B grade. The top two in the Champion Supreme for the B grade will be allowed to compete in the A grade for the next year, irrespective of their CPA grading. On days where the entry does not warrant two contests, players will compete in the same contest and receive Champion Supreme points for whichever grade they are in.
Geoff Neigh, Chairman, PPBSO Music Committee