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The Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band is a Grade 1 competitive and concert

In 2007, the experienced trio of Pipe Major David Hilder, Lead Drummer Andre Tessier and Pipe Sergeant Shaunna Hilder were asked to lead a new edition of the Triumph Street Pipe Band. Drawing on an infusion of talent from the 2006 Grade 2 World Champion Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band, with its members holding a total of 47 Juvenile, Grade 2 and Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championship titles between them, the newly emerged Triumph Street Pipe Band hopes to re-establish itself as a strong competitive band in B.C.^[1][2]

The new outfit scored its first success as it won the Grade 2 mini-band competition at the BCPA Annual Gathering, including the Best Drum Corps and Best Bass section, then went on to win the Grade 2 contests in Bellingham Highland Games, Sons of Scotland Highland Games, BC Highland Games, Skagit Valley Highland Games, Portland Highland Games, Seattle Highland Games - and ultimately, the 2007 BC Pipers Association Grade 2 Band Grand Aggregate Award.^[3]

The band rounded out the 2007 season with an Eastern Canada tour, where the band won the 2007 Grade 2 North American Championships at the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville Ontario.^[4]

In September 2007, the band announced a sponsorship agreement with Dowco. The band is proud to include the company in their name, and will be known competitively as the Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band.

On December 30, 2007, the BCPA board approved the recommendations from a panel of experts (both within the BCPA, PPBSO and the RSPBA) with a unanimous vote to promote the Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band to Grade One.^[5]

The band is also sponsored, in part, by Odlum Brown Limited.

2008

The Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band made their Grade One outdoor competition debut at the USS Highland Gathering and Scottish Festival in Costa Mesa, California, on May 24–25, 2008. The band placed first against the LA Scots Pipe Band in the MSR competition, and came second to the LA Scots Pipe Band in the Medley competition. The drum corps came first in both the Medley and MSR competition.

2009

The Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band was the only Grade 1 Pipe Band from North America to make it through the qualifying round at the World Pipe Band Championships, placing third of 15 bands. They finished 13th overall in the final.^[6]

2010

For the second year in a row, Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band made it through the qualifying round, placing sixth of 18 Grade 1 bands in the qualifier, and improving their final result in the World Pipe Band Championships by one, ending up 12th overall. The band also competed at the USS Highland Gathering and Scottish Festival in Costa Mesa, California and won the overall result, placing 2nd in the Medley competition Saturday and 1st in the MSR on Sunday, ahead of LA Scots Pipe Band in 2nd and Alberta Caledonia Pipe Band in 3rd.^[7]

In 2010, Dowco Triumph Street also acted as the Official Pipe Band of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Curling Events.^[8] Members of the band performed 57 times inside the Vancouver Olympic Centre over the course of the events.

2011

Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band won the qualifying round at the World Pipe Band Championships placing 1st of 13 bands. Their third trip to the worlds in the new edition of the band, they placed 6th in the Medley competition, and their overall result at the World Championships was up three spots from 2010, ninth place overall. The final result was the best overall placing of any band competing in the qualifier round.^[9] While in Scotland, the band performed at Piping in the Square hosted by Piping Live!^[10] and three of the band's young pipers were featured in the Pipe Idol competitions; Joseph Stewart, Aaron Stone, and Scott Wood.

The 2011 season saw veteran drummers Michael Hunter and Alan Savage added to the Dowco Triumph Street drum corps, joining Eli Fugate - formerly of

Shortly before the World Championships, the band announced a change to their drumming sound, moving to Premier snare drums and new tenor drums as well as a retrofit Hosbilt Bass.^[12]

2012

The band is invited to perform with eight time World Championship winners

At the World Pipe Band Championships, Dowco Triumph Street won the qualifier round for the second year in a row making it four consecutive years advancing through to the final. In the final they received all "single digit" placings from the judges in their March, Strathspey and Reel competition for the first time at the World's, placing 8th with one 3rd place in piping. The band placed 9th in the Medley contest and finished the day ranked 8th in the world, one up from 2011^[15]

The band's Qualifier March, Strathspey & Reel and other performances were filmed by the BBC and are available at this link

2013

World Pipe Band Championships: 5th in MSR qualifier, 4th in Medley Qualifier, 9th in MSR Final, 10th in Medley Final, for 10th overall. ^[16]

2014

Drum Sergeant Andre Tessier steps down to spend more time with his young family, and Peter Hendrickson steps in as Drum Sergeant.

First band to win a North American event against Simon Fraser University Pipe Band since 1995 when the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band beat them at Vail, Colorado, winning MSR Saturday and Medley on Sunday at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games July 26th and 27th. ^[17]

External links

• Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band

References