Award-winning Annan pipe band opts not to appear in Riding of the Marches parade
The Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band has blamed a change in the piping competition calendar for the move
Annan's award-winning pipe band will not appear in this year's Riding of the Marches parade.
The Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band has blamed a change in the piping competition calendar for the move, which has attracted criticism on social media.
But the band say they still plan to take part in the pipe band competition at Annan Academy on Riding of the Marches Day on July 5.
A statement posted on the band's Facebook page read: 'Unfortunately, we need to announce to you that this year we will have limited participation in the Annan ROM festivities.
'Due to a change in the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association's competition calendar, we have made the incredibly tough decision not to play in the ROM parade or the massed bands at night this year.
'We believe the ROM organisers are looking to make alternative arrangements so that you can still enjoy the sounds of the pipes at the close of the day.
'This is not a decision we have taken lightly as we love nothing more than seeing the townspeople enjoy the spectacle, but competing remains our number one priority.
'The following week we will be competing in our first major championship of the year at Edinburgh, so we need to do everything in our power to protect the instruments for this so that we can show up in top form to show the world what Annan can do.
'It is not all bad news for our fans though, you will still be able to see us at the playing fields on the day of ROM competing in the grade two contest. Watch this space for when the order of play is announced so you know exactly when to see us.
'We hope you all understand and hopefully next year the calendar realigns, and we can go back to entertaining you all.'
The announcement was slammed, with one person replying: 'Supporting your own gala day is more important as far as I'm concerned. Poor decision making.'
Another added: 'This is very disappointing news. The grand finale won't be the same if it's not the Annan band playing. Whether there is only a handful of local members or not, they play in the Royal Burgh Of Annan Band surely the clue is in the name.
'To let us know you'll be competing at the field on the day but not on the high street is a bit of a kick in the teeth to the town.
'Very disappointed to read this, it's one of the very few times we get to see the Annan band play.'
Some also questioned why the band would be taking part in the competition but not the parade and massed bands performance at night.
Pipe Major Jamie Smith responded: 'We agree that this may be a disappointment to the local people as it is very much a disappointment to us. 'Our participation is very much weather dependent.
'If it is raining this would cause substantial damage to our drum skins and reeds in the pipes. Usually this wouldn't be an issue as there is a three week gap until our next competition.
'This then gives us time to reset and replace any damages that occur during the bad weather.
'Unfortunately, this years calendar has made us rethink what we do. As the major is the following week, we would only have two practices to turn things around which is no where near enough time for us to be at our optimum level for competing.
'We relayed that information to the ROM organisers and expressed our concerns. As neither of us can predetermine the weather we felt it would be best if another band was sourced on this occasion to guarantee that the spectacle would still go ahead.
'With the change in dates this year, our hands have been tied unfortunately.
'We are hoping the dates go back to normal next year so we can go back to doing what we have done in the past number of years.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Love him or not, Rishabh Pant is the most watchable cricketer on the planet, writes LAWRENCE BOOTH... after India star's electric performance at Headingley
Rishabh Pant brought up his century with a one-handed mow off Shoaib Bashir into the Western Terrace, and celebrated with a somersault. Somehow it felt like a normal few seconds in the life of the world's most watchable cricketer. There was more to come as India threatened mayhem on the second morning of the first Test. Two balls later, he deposited Bashir for a straight six. Not long after that, he slog-swept him for six more. Next ball, on 124, he charged at Bashir, and should have been stumped by Jamie Smith. It was like watching a highlights package, in real time. The only surprise came after a message arrived in the middle from India's 12th man. Pant went into his shell, and was finally leg-before to Josh Tongue for 134 playing a shot few knew existed in his repertoire: the shouldering of arms. Had he been advised to rein it in? If so, England were delighted. Still, a bright morning in Leeds had been further illuminated by Pant's brilliance, thrilling a capacity 18,000 crowd who were cheering mainly for England but couldn't help but be enchanted by India's wicketkeeper. And the tourists' subsequent collapse, with seven falling for 41, only reinforced the value of his knock. Pant arrived in England needing no introduction, his reputation as an innovator and an imp preceding him. And on the first evening here, when others might have defended in the day's last over against the second new ball, he danced at Chris Woakes and smeared him for six. It was the shot of a player at ease with himself — and with the potential consequences of his actions. This is a man who nearly died in a car crash two and a half years ago. What does cricket matter? The Indian debate around Pant can feel like a microcosm of the English debate around Bazball: when he comes off, he's loved; when he doesn't, he's loathed. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid,' roared Sunil Gavaskar after one harebrained dismissal in Australia over the winter. No one felt inclined to disagree. But you'd have to be especially po-faced not to enjoy Pant, who now has more Test hundreds — seven — than any other Indian wicketkeeper, including MS Dhoni. Throw in seven dismissals in the nineties, and there is a strong case for handing Pant the gloves in a World XI. Three of his hundreds have now come in England, two more than any other visiting wicketkeeper. His innings, meanwhile, contained six sixes, a record for any tourist in this country, gloves or not. Pant, still only 27, was made vice-captain for this trip, part of India's reset following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, yet there was no expectation that the step up in office would be accompanied by greater responsibility. Whether falling over while sweeping Bashir over his shoulder, or advancing at the quicks as if they were medium-pacers, Pant does things his way. Cricket fans on both sides are in for quite a summer.
Reuters
05-06-2025
- Reuters
Smith replaces Salt in England squad for West Indies T20s
LONDON, June 5 (Reuters) - England have called up Jamie Smith to their squad for the three-match Twenty20 series against West Indies as a replacement for Phil Salt, who has left the team on paternity leave, the country's cricket board (ECB) said on Thursday. England completed a 3-0 sweep of West Indies in their one-day international series on Tuesday, with Smith scoring a rapid half century in their victory in the final match. "Salt, who is taking time away on paternity leave following the birth of his child earlier this week, will now spend time at home. He has been replaced in the squad by Surrey batter Jamie Smith," the ECB said in a statement. The first T20 match takes place at the Riverside Ground in Durham on Friday.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- BBC News
Salt to miss West Indies T20s on paternity leave
England opener Phil Salt will miss the T20 series against West Indies on paternity a dramatic week, Salt, 28, returned home from the Indian Premier League for the birth of his child and then returned to India to play a part in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's win in Tuesday's has now been granted permission to spend the week at has been replaced in the squad by fellow wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who impressed in his new role opening the batting during England's 3-0 win in the one-day international is unlikely to play in the first of three T20s at Chester-le-Street on Friday, leaving Somerset's Tom Banton or Surrey's Will Jacks as the most likely partner for Ben Duckett at the top of the Jacob Bethell is also in the squad and opened for RCB in the series opener is followed by matches in Bristol and Southampton on Sunday and Tuesday respectively.
