Well, as promised, the link for the Results is here.
Looking at Grade 1, the first gratifying thing to note is that, in the Qualifiers, Ballycoan were top of the pile - and Cullybackey looked none too shabby in Fourth. The 78th lost out to the clatter of "joint fourths" and I have been told by an early riser that they had a considerably "flatter" sound than the other bands playing, which might well have proved to be their downfall.
In the Final, to see the Australia Highlanders and Dowco Triumph Street at the bottom of the pile only serves to reinforce my notion that they were questionable for their spots. Australia Highlanders have not impressed me at all on the two occasions when I have seem them this year and Dowco (from afar) didn't seem too special either. I'm all for overseas bands qualifying - I would just be happier if I felt content that it was entirely justified.
As expected FMMPB lost out due to the disparity between their piping and drumming scores (counting the Ensemble judge as another piping man). In the days before the "placings" system, I suspect that we woudl have been celebrating local winners once again. It is perhaps interesting to note in passing that the judge tasked with looking at the "whole band" (in MSR) rated FM number one - although the other adjudicators thought they were neither the best pipers nor drummers. A case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts perhaps?
The only other point to leap out (at the moment!) is the disparity in piping scores for Strathclyde (in MSR). At this level, one judge saying 8 and another saying 4 does make you wonder. It's always entirely possible that one man heard a mistake while the other fella was at the opposite side of the band but it's a big gap to justify. If they had got a solid "4", they still wouldn't have challenged SLOT, so I suppose it's a case of "no harm, no foul".
I'll return to the subject of the Worlds again, but would really like to hear from anyone else who was there and who has an opinion to put....
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