General Rules

1. Completed Entry Forms and Entry Fee must be lodged with the Secretary not later than Thursday, 31st May 2025. No late entries will be accepted.

2. Alterations to Tune Lists must be submitted in writing and will not be accepted after 31st May 2025.

3. All competitors must compete in highland dress or uniform. Bonnet/Glengarry and jacket must be worn. Shirt sleeve order is not permitted while competing.

4. The order of play for each competition will be determined by ballot drawn by the committee after 30th June 2025. The Order of Play will then be available to view on the Northern Meeting website. Although the published order of playing will be adhered to as far as possible, the Committee reserves the right to alter the order of play if in its opinion circumstances require this.

5. Lapel discs showing your name must be worn. The discs will be issued when competitors register with the Stewards on the day of the competition.

6. Competitors must be in attendance for all competitions not less than 30 minutes before their expected competing time. In the event of withdrawals or breakdowns, all competitors must be prepared to perform with appropriate notice. Competitors are reminded they must be ready to compete in accordance with the published order of playing. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

7. Tuning time will be as follows:

If a competitor fails to commence playing before or immediately after the expiry of the tuning times he/she will be liable to disqualification.   The implementation of this rule is the responsibility of the Northern Meeting Piping Committee.

8. The Judges are empowered to stop any competitor while playing, if, in their opinion, his/her playing does not reach the standard expected of the competition. Judges may also withhold all or any of the prizes offered if, they are unanimously agreed, the standard of merit achieved by the competitors is inadequate.

9.  It is anticipated that the BBC will record, on sound only, certain Senior Competitions. The BBC will undertake that no record or tape incorporating these recordings will be published or sold.  No individual fees will be paid, however, a donation will be made by the BBC to the Northern Meeting Piping Funds. The agreement of each competitor to this arrangement is a condition of entry to the Competition.

10. Any piper who has entered and been accepted for any competition at the Northern Meeting who fails to attend without having given the committee prior notice of their absence may have their application to compete the following year rejected.

11. All competitors must agree to be bound by these rules and entry constitutes acceptance thereof.

12. Please note that the date for withdrawals to allow a reserve to take their place is 18th August. No reserves will be admitted after that date.

13. In all cases, the decisions of the Judges and the Northern Meeting Piping Committee are final.