OPEN PIPING ENTRY AVAILABLE ONLINE BY USING THIS LINK:

2025 LIGONIER HIGHLAND GAMES
FRIDAY NIGHT OPEN/PROFESSIONAL PIPING COMPETITION

Friday, September 12th at 6:00 PM
At Holy Trinity Church
342 West Main Street
Ligonier, PA  15658

OUR 2024 JUDGE Mr. ROBERT WORRALL

OUR 2024 COMPETITORS:
DAN LYDEN

HUGH DOWELL

LIZ CHERRY

SEAN PATRICK REGAN

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAN LYDEN
2024 WINNER OF
PIOBAIREACHD
STRATHSPEY & REEL
HORNPIPE & JIG

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

ST. ANDREWS SOCIETY OF PITTSBURGH
​CLAN STEWART SOCIETY IN AMERICA
DAVID MacDONALD OF KINGSBURGH
​CLAN DONALD EDUCATIONAL AND CHARITABLE TRUST

OPEN PIPING COMPETITION

On Friday evening at 6:00 PM, the open piping competition will feature pipers of the highest skill levels.  Several of the competitors will be serving as judges at the Ligonier Highland Games the following morning and this is your opportunity to see some of the most talented pipers performing in one or all of three categories.

​Admission is free and we invite everyone to come and watch these truly world class pipers.  Parking is available in the church parking lots and the entrance will be marked.

Pipers will be competing in three categories, Piobaireachd; March, Strathspey & Reel; Hornpipe & Jig.

Piobaireachd (pronounced pea-brook).
Piobaireachd literally means piping or pipe music, but now is used to describe the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe.  Another name for it is "Ceol Mor" meaning the big music, which separates piobaireachd from all other forms of bagpipe music which are referred to as "Ceol Beag" or little music.  Piobaireachd generally has a theme, with variations, and is slow and paced, played as the piper carefully walks.  There is nothing resembling piobaireachd in other musical cultures and it is only satisfactorily played on the Great Highland Bagpipe.

March, Strathspey & Reel
Starting with a marches at about 120 beats per minute in 4/4 time, the piper will transition to a Strathspey, also in 4/4 time, a traditional dance tune originally intended for the fiddle, followed by a Reel (also traditional dance music) in 2/2 time.

​Hornpipe & Jig
​The Hornpipe derives from traditional dance music that originated on Royal Navy ships in the 17th century.  Usually in 4/4 time, it can be of fast or slow tempo depending on the tune and can vary in the course of the dance.  The Jig is also derived from English folk dance music of the 16th century and is lively with a compound meter, usually 6/8 but can also vary during the tune.

Become a sponsor of the Ligonier Highland Games and help us continue the tradition of preserving and promoting Scottish arts and heritage. Your donation will be recognized on our website and in the souvenir program book.  Other benefits can include V.I.P. seating, hotel accommodation and becoming an honorary chieftain.  Click link above to find out more.

SPONSOR A MEDAL/TROPHY SET FOR AN EVENT

THE COSTS OF RUNNING THE HIGHLAND GAMES INCREASE EACH YEAR AND OUR FULLY VOLUNTEER STAFF WORKS HARD TO KEEP COSTS DOWN AND GENEROUSLY SUPPORTS THE GAMES TOO.  YOU CAN HELP BY SPONSORING A MEDAL SET FOR AN EVENT FOR $40 OR A TROPHY/PLAQUE SET FOR $80.  SPONSORS WILL RECEIVE A FREE TICKET AND  BE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE AND IN THE PROGRAM BOOK.

SPONSOR A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A MUSICIAN OR DANCER

SCHOLARSHIP  SPONSORS WILL RECEIVE TWO FREE TICKETS AND  BE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE AND IN THE PROGRAM BOOK.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SEAN PATRICK REGAN
2023 PROFESSIONAL PIPER OF THE DAY

2019 COMPETITION RESULTS

OPEN/PROFESSIONAL PIPING EVENT
PIOBAIREACHD COMPETITION
1st Place: ALASTAIR MURRAY
2nd Place: DAN LYDEN
3rd Place: SEAN PATRICK REGAN
4th Place: LAUREANO THOMAS-SANCHEZ

MARCH, STRATHSPEY & REEL COMPETITION
1st Place: DAN LYDEN
2nd Place: SEAN PATRICK REGAN
3rd Place: LAUREANO THOMAS-SANCHEZ
4th Place: ALASTAIR MURRAY

HORNPIPE & JIG COMPETITION
1st Place: DAN LYDEN
2nd Place: SEAN PATRICK REGAN
3rd Place: LAUREANO THOMAS-SANCHEZ
4th Place: ALASTAIR MURRAY

2018 COMPETITION RESULTS

OPEN/PROFESSIONAL PIPING EVENT
PIOBAIREACHD COMPETITION
1st Place: ANDREW CARLISLE
2nd Place: NICK HUDSON
3rd Place: ALASTAIR MURRAY
4th Place: DEREK MIDGLEY

MARCH, STRATHSPEY & REEL COMPETITION
1st Place: NICK HUDSON
2nd Place: ANDREW CARLISLE
3rd Place: DYLAN WHITTEMORE
4th Place: DEREK MIDGLEY

HORNPIPE & JIG COMPETITION
1st Place: ANDREW CARLISLE
2nd Place: NICK HUDSON
3rd Place: DYLAN WHITTEMORE
4th Place: ALASTAIR MURRAY

2017 COMPETITION RESULTS

OPEN/PROFESSIONAL PIPING EVENT
PIOBAIREACHD COMPETITION
1st Place: ANDREW CARLISLE
2nd Place: ALASTAIR MURRAY
3rd Place: DAN LYDEN
MARCH, STRATHSPEY & REEL COMPETITION
1st Place: NICK HUDSON
2nd Place: ANDREW CARLISLE
3rd Place: DAN LYDEN
HORNPIPE & JIG COMPETITION
1st Place: ANDREW CARLISLE
2nd Place: NICK HUDSON
3rd Place: DAN LYDEN

2016 COMPETITION WINNERS

                            OPEN/PROFESSIONAL PIPING COMPETITION
PIOBAIREACHD WINNER​   Dan Lyden
MARCH, STRATHSPEY & REEL WINNER​   Sean Patrick Regan
HORNPIPE & JIG WINNER​   Dan Lyden

2015 COMPETITION WINNERS

                            OPEN/PROFESSIONAL PIPING COMPETITION
PIOBAIREACHD WINNER​   Andrew Carlisle
MARCH, STRATHSPEY & REEL WINNER​   Nick Hudson
HORNPIPE & JIG WINNER​   Nick Hudson

EASTERN UNITED STATES PIPE BAND ASSOCIATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COMPETITION AND RULES CLICK LINK ABOVE