The prestigious Lochnell Intermediate championship for solo pipers aged under 22 was held on October 10th, at Lochnell Castle, Benderloch, Argyll, courtesy the Earl of Dundonald.
The overall champion at the 5th annual competition was Magnus Stone, 17 years old from Massachusetts, USA. He became the first overseas winner of the coveted title.
Magnus received the Lochnell Championship Cup and the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society Bronze Medal. He also received the Jimmy McIntosh Memorial Piobaireachd Trophy presented by Mrs Joyce McIntosh.
Douglas Baird from Torphichen, also 17, won the March, Strathspey and Reel. Douglas received the William McCallum Snr. Memorial Chanter trophy presented by McCallum Bagpipes in memory of the man who did so much for piping in his native Kintyre and wider Argyll.
The full results were as follows:
Piobaireachd
1 Magnus Stone, £120, Rory MacLeod’s Lament
2 Kyle Cameron, £80, MacNeill of Barra’s March
3 Ealla Niamh McIlhinney, £60, Battle of the Pass of Crieff
4 Bobby Allen, £40, Glengarry’s March
MSR
1 Douglas Baird, £120, Young MacGregor, Bob o’ Fettercairn, Cecily Ross
2 Andrew Pattison, £80, David Ross, Rosehall, Arniston Castle, Alick C MacGregor
3 Bobby Allen, £60, Dr EG MacKinnon, Highland Harry, Willie Murray
4 Magnus Stone, £40, Mrs Duncan MacFadyen, Islay Ball, Cockerel in the Creel
Magnus Stone (left) and Douglas Baird (right), 2025 Lochnell Championship winners (image courtesy Piping Press)Judges for both events were J Forrester, R Wallace and J Wilson. Sponsors were Dungallon Country House (main sponsor) plus the Piobaireachd Society and McCallum Bagpipes. Special thanks to our host Lord Cochrane and his father the Earl of Dundonald.
