Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band
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| Established | 1972
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| Location | West Lothian, Scotland
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| Grade | 1
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| Pipe Major | Ross Walker
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| Drum Sergeant | Gordon Brown
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| Tartan | Ancient Hunting Fraser
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| Notable Honours | 2nd place, World Pipe Band Championships: 1982, 1983, 1994; Winner, European Championships: 1989, 2003; Winner, Cowal Championships: 1994, 2000; Winner, Scottish Championships: 1986, 1987; Winner, British Championships: 1983, 1986;
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| Website | www.boghallandbathgate.com |
The Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band has been a force in pipe band competition, becoming a contender in major grade one competitions since it was promoted to that level in 1980. The band was founded in 1972. Throughout its competitive history, the band has never won the World Pipe Band Championships, though it has been runner up three times.
[edit] History
In 1972, a few townspeople of Boghall, West Lothian decided that they would try to form a pipe band. An advertisement was put in the local newspaper for young people wanting to learn the pipes or drums, and a group of primarily young players began practicing at a Bathgate school. As with many youth bands, numerous adults and committee members from the community were necessary to keep the band running during its early years.
The band rose quickly through the lower grades and a Novice grade band was created in 1977 to handle additional youth who were joining the band. By 1978, the original band had won the Champion of Champions title in Grade Two while the Novice band was upgraded to Juvenile. Both bands were extremely young.
The senior band was promoted to Grade One in 1980, and throughout the subsequent decade its drum corps won every single major drumming prize. The band as a whole proceeded to win the Scottish, British and European Championships during that decade. While continuing to win major prizes to this day, the band is striving to win a World Championship title. In 2006, the band placed 5th in the final World Championship tables, the highest of any band that has never actually won.
[edit] Previous Pipe Majors
| 1973 - 1986 | P/M Robert Martin |
| 1986 - 1995 | P/M Craig Walker |
| 1996 - present | P/M Ross Walker |
