Best of Scottish luck to the New Zealand Police Pipe Band, which is in action this weekend at the Pipe Band World Championships in Glasgow.
Wearing their new McLeod Centenary tartan – in honour of slain New Zealand police officer Constable Neil McLeod – band members have been warmly welcomed in Scotland and have been making headlines in the local media.
On the way they stopped in Northern Ireland for the All Ulster Pipe Band Championships in Rostrevor – and it was a proud homecoming for our Pipe Major Emmett Conway, who was leading an international grade one band in his home town for the first time. They finished third overall in the grade one competition.
In Glasgow they were asked to open the prestigious week-long Piping Live festival, which attracted an estimated 40,000 to the city ahead of the world championships.
In this weekend’s competition they will perform twice - a ‘march, Strathspey and reel’ (MSR) set, comprising three pre-arranged tunes, followed by a medley.
You can follow the band’s progress and leave messages of support on its Facebook page, which includes dozens of pictures from its travels, news and links to other media.
There is also a link to a livestream of the championships. For the very keen, the NZ Police Pipe band is due to perform its MSR at 10.40pm on Saturday NZ time (11.40am UK time), and its medley at 2.10am on Sunday (3.10pm UK time).
Also in action in Scotland is the Auckland Police Pipe Band, which is performing with the massed pipes and drums at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Waimarie pai and guid luck to both bands!