Silver Medal Piobaireachd
Rules and Regulations
The 2010 McCallum & MidWest
Pipe Band Association United States Silver Medal Piobaireachd
Competition (USSM) Rules and Regulations.
USSM Rules are based on regulations for the Northern Meeting and
Competing Pipers Association - sanctioned competitions. CPA membership
is not required, but encouraged. The Competing Pipers Association
1. Open to Competitors who are graded Professional or
Open by their Pipe Band
Association; the Competitor
must be a member of his/her
association in good standing the day of the competition or risk
disqualification.
2. Open to Competitors who are eligible to apply to compete for the Silver
Medal competitions at Oban or Inverness, but not those eligible to compete, or
applying to compete, in the Gold Medal or above at the same competitions. Past
USSM Champions shall not be eligible to compete, regardless of eligibility for
Oban or Inverness.
3. The competition is open to the first thirty-five eligible applicants. In the
event more than thirty-five eligible Competitors apply, alternates will be designated
and notified accordingly.
4. There must be more Competitors than prizes or part of the prizes may be withdrawn.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 fourth
prize will be awarded should ten or more Contestants compete and a fifth prize
if fifteen or more compete.
5. All entry forms and fees must be received by MHAF no later than December
12, 2009.
6. Competitors must submit FIVE 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). Competitors must provide FOUR copies of their selected tune, including
any editorial notes to the judging panel upon entry to the competition venue.
8. Any changes in tune selections must be made in writing, and received by MHAF
no later than December 31, 2009.
9. 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.
10. 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. Appropriate headdress must be worn when competing. Bagpipes must have
an appropriate bag cover surrounding the bag. Jackets are optional.
11. Individual competition times will be posted for the first six 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. The Judges are empowered to stop any Competitor while playing if, in their
opinion, the play is such to bar him/her from any chance of winning a prize.
15. Warming-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.
16. 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.
17. All decisions made by the Judges will be final.
18. 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.
19. Directors of MHAF, contest sponsors, MHAF judges, and MHAF instructors are
ineligible for entry to the contest.
By applying to the McCallum & MWPBA US Silver Medal, I
agree to be bound by these
rules.
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