The McCallum Bagpipe and Midwest Pipe Band Association United States Silver Medal Piobaireachd Competition (USSM) Rules and Regulations.

This contest is for Competitors who are graded Professional or Open by their Pipe Band Association. The Competitor must be a member of their association in good standing the day of the competition or risk disqualification.

Those eligible to compete, or applying to compete, in the Gold Medal (or above) at Oban or Inverness shall not be eligible to compete in the Silver Medal Piobaireachd. Past USSM Champions shall not be eligible to compete, regardless of eligibility for Oban or Inverness.

The competition is open to the first twenty-five eligible applicants. First, second and third prizes will be determined by the adjudicator ranking.

All entry forms and fees must be received by MHAF no later than December 1, 2022

There must be more competitors than prizes or part of the prizes may be withdrawn. No first prize may be awarded unless there are at least two competitors. A second prize will be awarded should four or more contestants compete and a third prize if eight or more compete.

It is recommended for each competitor to check-in at the MHAF registration table at The Marriott-Country Club Plaza the evening prior to the contest, by no later than 9:00 p.m. At this check in, each competitor will receive details of the locations within the hotel complex of practice rooms, the final tuning/warm-up area and competition area, and tentative contest times and order of play.

The order of play will be posted the morning prior to the contest at the final tuning/warm up area. Times will be posted for the first six competitors, the remaining competitors will have appropriate time estimates associated with their name. To eliminate large gaps in the contest due to players being disqualified or unable to attend, competitor order of play is subject to change at the discretion of the stewards. It is the responsibility of each competitor to inquire with the stewards as to updates or changes throughout the day of the contest. All competitors must be ready to compete when called, otherwise they may be disqualified.

Competitors must submit four (4) tunes of their own choice, one of which they will be asked to play. Competitors will be notified of the selected tune prior to entering the final tuning-room (approximately 20 minutes prior to performance time).

Any changes in tune submissions must be made in writing, and received by MHAF no later than December 1, 2022. E-Mail Roger McCrummen. roger@mhaf.org. 

The order of play will be decided by ballot shortly after the closing date for entries. Competitors will be advised of the order of play as soon as possible after this date.

All Competitors must appear and compete in Highland Dress or uniform and are expected to remain so attired throughout the day until after the presentation of prizes.

Individual competition times will be posted for the first three Competitors; the remaining Competitors will be subject to an order of play, as designated by the Stewards. All Competitors will be individually responsible for reporting to the Stewards at least one hour prior to their competition time.

In order to eliminate large gaps in the contest due to players being disqualified or unable to attend, Competitor order of play is subject to change at the discretion of the Stewards. All Competitors must be ready to compete when called; otherwise they may be disqualified.

After a Competitor has been called to play, four minutes maximum is allowed for tuning. A light panel will signal elapsed time to the Competitor and Judges: Green light = 4 minutes remaining; Yellow Light = 1 minute remaining; red light = begin play. Upon illumination of the red light, the Competitor must immediately commence the tune or risk disqualification by the Judges.

Warm-up in a non-designated, public area of the host hotel is disruptive to other Competitors and guests; therefore, such behavior will result in immediate disqualification.

Any Competitor acting contrary to the rules of the competition, or the orders of the Judges and Stewards, may be excluded or disqualified from the competition or prize list.

All decisions made by the Judges and Stewards will be final.

Entry in the competition is consent for recording sound and image, and distribution on any/all media, which shall become property of Midwest Highland Arts Fund.

Directors of MHAF, USSM contest sponsors, MHAF judges, and MHAF instructors are ineligible for entry to the contest.

By applying to the McCallum Bagpipe and Midwest Pipe Band Association US Silver Medal, I agree to be bound by these rules.