The well known Dunoon born actor, who now resides in London, was delighted to accept the invitation to what is Scotland’s biggest highland games on Saturday 28th August. The event, which hosts a string of family entertainment, attracts up to 23,000 spectators and over 3500 competitors from all corners of the globe. More than 500 highland dancers and 3000 pipers from across the world compete to win championship titles, including the World Highland Dancing Championship Final and the Cowal Pipe Band Championships.

The role of the Chieftain is very much a ceremonial one where his main duties include presenting prizes to the winners of the Cowal Pipe Band Championships & the World Highland Dancing Championship. An emotional three days for both competitors and visitors comes to a spine tingling climax on the Saturday evening, normally around 6pm, when the Chieftain takes salute during the pipe band ‘march past’. The massed bands, which make up 3000 pipers & drummers, form and play the “salute to the Chieftain”.

Since his legendary role as the seventh carnation of Doctor in Dr Who between 1987 and 1989, Sylvester McCoy, 67, later revived the role in a 1993 charity special ‘Dimensions in Time’ and again in 1996, appearing in the Doctor Who television movie with Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor.

Since playing The Doctor Sylvester has appeared in many TV and Theatre roles as well as TV presenting and recording Audio Books. Presenting credits include the classic shows. Tiswas, Vision On and Jigsaw.

Sylvester McCoy said: “”I am absolutely delighted to be attending Cowal Highland Gathering at the end of August especially considering that as a child I grew up for 18 years watching the pipers marching up Argyll Street. I so look forward to revisiting the location and the happy memories. I am thrilled and honoured to have been asked.”

Malcolm Barclay, Event Manager for Cowal Highland Gathering said: “I would like to thank Mr McCoy for accepting our invitation to be our honorary Chieftain at this year’s event. It is a privilege and honour to welcome Mr McCoy into this role and both myself and the team at Cowal Highland Gathering look forward to bringing him home to Dunoon this year.”

The following judges have been selected:

Kathleen O’Donnell               Scotland

Cecilia Orr                                Scotland

Leigh-Ann Plenderleith      Scotland

Susan Robertson                   Scotland

Victor Wesley                       Scotland

Jeannette Shearer              Scotland

Marion Clow                         Scotland

Mary Munro                        Canada

Michele Young                   Canada

Sharon Farrar                     USA

Cheryl Kirby                        USA

Fiona Borcherds                Australia

The Board of Directors at Cowal would like to thank the UKA, BATD, SDTA, ScotDance Canada, FUSTA, ABHD, OBHD(SA), and SDNZ for their input to the selection process.

We would further like to confirm that the draw has now taken place for the championships to be help at Cowal this year. We would like to thank The Chairman of the SOBHD, Miss Christine Lacey, who was in attendance when the draw was made.

Cowal Gathering openly welcomes feedback on all aspects of the Highland Dancing Competition. A recent example, raised by judges and competitors a few years ago, was to investigate what could be done to split the large Junior and Senior heats into smaller sizes.

In 2007 we split the heats into 2 sections, A and B. The dancers that made up each heat were randomly selected. Unfortunately, this randomness can result in one heat being of a slightly higher standard than the other one, meaning that it may be more difficult to qualify for some dancers depending on their heat selection.

Following feedback and in an effort to ensure fairness we have changed the heat selection process as follows:
All dancers in Junior and Senior qualifying events have been sorted according their competitive championship record in the last 12 months. Heats A and B have been created based on this scoring ensuring that both heats contain an equal quality and quantity of dancers. The dancer order within the heats was then randomised.

To ensure the process is fair and not subjective this exercise has been completed based purely on the result data held at the SOBHD without individual preference.

We would like to thank the SOBHD for their input into the process.

Competitor numbers for the highland dancers will be sent out in late July along with their passes.

Draw lists and competitor passes will also be sent to all solo piping competitors at the end of July.

Thank you for entering and good luck in your chosen events.

Entries close tonight and absolutely no late entries will be accepted for any reason.

Visit www.cowalgathering.com to enter now!

Regards

This race is for experienced runners and fun runners alike and, as the entire course is along the banks of the Clyde, offers stunning views for those taking part.

Registration starts at 6.15pm at the Queens Hall and the race itself begins at 7.15pm.

There is a trophy for the 1st runner home and for the 1st local runner home and medals for all finishers.

Visit our website www.cowalgathering.com for an entry form or turn up and enter on the night.

Regards

Malcolm

The last date for entries is the 1st July 2010 and absolutely no entries will be accepted after this date. Please make sure you enter is plenty of time and do not risk forgetting and missing the deadline by leaving it to the last minute.

For those of you who have already entered you should have received an email confirming your entry has been processed. If you have not had a confirmation e-mail please contact the office.

Thanks

Malcolm

I am pleased to confirm that the entry forms for this year’s solo piping competitions will be available on www.cowalgathering.com from 12 noon (BST) on Monday 26th April.

I can also confirm that the C grade competition, which was successfully introduced in 2009, will once again be part of the 2010 Gathering.

The closing date for entries has been set for the 1st July and absolutely no entries will be accepted after this date.

We look forward to receiving your entries and seeing at Cowal in August.

regards

Malcolm

Visit www.cowalgathering.com to enter.

Entry forms for the solo piping competitions will live later this month. I will confirm the exact date shortly.

Kind regards

Malcolm

We apologise for the delay which was outwith our control and appreciate your patience.

I am also delighted to confirm that we will not be using the “first to enter last to dance principle” again this year. The dancing order for all events on all days will be decided by a random, automated draw which will take place after the closing date in July.

If you require any more information please visit the website or contact the Gathering offie on 01369 703206

Unfortunately we have experienced a serious technical problem which is going to take some time to rectify before we can launch the dancing forms.

We are currently doing everything in our power to resolve the issue and hope to have the forms online before Wednesday 31st March 2010.

I am sorry for any inconveniance this may have caused and i will issue an update as soon as we have the problem fixed.

Kind regards

Malcolm