Contesting

The City of Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band is one of New Zealands leading bands, competing strongly and with innovation in both music and marching events. In its continual drive for excellence the band has developed and invested in a comprehensive upskilling and contesting programme.

The band attends around 8 contests a year.

These include provincial contests throughout the south island as well as the New Zealand Championships. The NZ nationals are held annually in March and alternate between the north and south islands.

Contests outside New Zealand are also attended from time to time.

Events include MSR, Medley, Street March & Marching Display

A BRIEF HISTORICAL CONTESTING OUTLINE

The band attended it's first contest on February 14th, 1907 in Christchurch where under Pipe Major George Anderson, it won the Quickstep event. New Zealand's first contest was held just one month earlier at the same grounds.

1950 saw the Invercargill drum corp under Drum Sergeant Ernie Clark, declared New Zealand Champions. But bigger things were to come and in 1952, under Pipe Major JA McGee and Drum Major Harry Pay the band won the grade one New Zealand championship for the first time. Taking over the top job in 1958 Pipe Major Lang Morton was destined to lead the band for 16 straight years. In that time the band continued to be one of the top three bands in the country.

Arriving in 1974, Pipe Major Lewis Turrell lead the band to victory in both 1979 and 1980. Thereafter followed an invitation to compete in the Pacific Coast Pipe Band championships. At Long Beach, California, USA, in 1980, the band was victorious over local rivals LA Police Pipe Band.

Pipe Major Trevor Morton's band competed with distintion while in Australia in 1990. It's marching display at Grafton, NSW received first place and a rare standing ovation.

Following a general regrade in 1996 the band moved to grade two.

Six months later and on Invercargill's Homestead Stadium, the band lead by Pipe Major David Pickett and Drum Major Neale Smith took out it's first national grade two title. Invercargill 1997 was repeated again at Rotorua in 1998, Dunedin in 1999 and in Taupo in 2004.

The band also competed in Scotland while attending the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1998 and 2004. It played at the North Berwick and World Pipe Band Championships.

Throughout the years the City of Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band has won numerous New Zealand provincial titles and continues to be a top player on the contesting circuit.