Myself and a couple ex-bandmates travelled up to Pleasanton over the weekend to attend the 145th annual Highland Games. (The first was held on Thanksgiving Day 1866.)
Here are some photos- sorry for the bad exposure on many of them; I was often shooting into the glaring sunlight.
Here is Wasatch & District, from Salt Lake City Utah. (Wasatch is the mountain range.) They wear the red Thompson tartan.
They're warming up before competition. Note the sneakers and odd hats.
Here's the City of Sacramento Pipe Band in their Holyrood kilts, marching "up to the line".
Kevin Blandford Memorial Pipe Band, in their Roxburgh District kilts, going "into the circle".
Kevin Blandford had been Pipe Major of this band from the age of 15 up to his untimely death at the age of 40 from cancer. He was a great piper and singer, and President of the Western United States Pipe Band Association. He made his living teaching and performing on the pipes and as a church choir director. He combined great musicianship with consumate "people skills".
Here's Edmonton & District who travelled all the way from Alberta Canada in the circle:
Here the judges are already busy writing comments as a band marches out of the circle:
Here's judge Bob Worral wearing a lovely Spirit Of Scotland kilt in Ancient Colours. It's the first time I've seen that tartan made up into a kilt. (I've seen many in Modern Colours but not Ancient before this.)
Bob is the guy who has provided the voiceover commentary for the worldwide live internet streaming of the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow the last two years.
Here's the Drum Major contest. The guy in the centre is Jason Paguio, in the white and blue kilt, the reigning World Champion Drum Major (having won in Glasgow earlier this year).
Here the judges are examining the kit of the first Drum Major contestant.
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