Kirsty Macnicol
The Southland Times
March 13, 2000

THE City of Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band lost its grade two crown at the weekend to its southernmost rival.
The band, which has held the New Zealand championship title for the past three consecutive years, finished second in the street march, third in the display (first in music), fourth in the set, and sixth in the medley at the national championships in Masterton.
The overall grade two championship was won by Temuka, with second place going to City of Dunedin.
New drum major Maurice Lindsay, at his first national contest, scored an impressive 11th equal out of a field of 44.
The grade one championship was snatched from the incumbent New Zealand Police by Dalewool Auckland and Districts by a mere one point.
Invercargill pipe major David Pickett said the band was disappointed with its final results, but pleased with the way it performed.
"We're not going to dwell on it. We don't have time to look back, there are too many exciting things on the horizon.
"This result is just a minor glitch that we'll deal to next year." The past week had been exciting but tiring, he said, with rehearsals and
performances for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Wellington combined with the contest build-up.
The band's involvement in the tattoo had been particularly rewarding, Mr Pickett said. It had also given members the chance to catch up with friends made in the British military bands when they toured Scotland in 1998.
The band had plenty of other projects on the boil, the first being
performing at the Little River Band concert at Homestead Stadium this
weekend.
"Not many pipe bands could lay claim to being the opening act for a big international band like that," Mr Pickett said.
Afterwards it would be full swing into rehearsals for this year's Pipin '
Hot show scheduled to be staged in Invercargill in July.