One of the policies of the Piobaireachd Society, which sets the tunes for the principal piobaireachd competitions is to keep the well-known tunes current and, at the same time, to encourage pipers to learn and play some of the less well-known tunes. Those set for the three principal competitions this year included a number of old favourites, but a greater number of tunes that are seldom if ever heard.

The Gold Medal list included The Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay, Lord Lovat's Lament, and Rory MacLoude's Lament, all of which are well-known.

The less well-known tunes had been in the lists, but not for quite some years. The Prince's Salute was the composition of John MacIntyre, to greet King James VIII on his arrival in 1715, at the beginning of that Jacobite rising. Lady Margaret MacDonald's Salute is thought to be the composition of Charles MacArthur, piper to Lord MacDonald and a pupil of Patrick Og MacCrimmon. Lady Margaret gave assistance to Prince Charles Edward and Flora MacDonald after the 'Forty-five, when they were in Skye. The Battle of Waternish commemorates a very bloody engagement in Skye betgween the MacDonalds and MacLeods at which the MacDonalds sought to avenge the massacre by the MacLeods in Eigg. The MacDonalds were defeated, but with heavy losses on both sides. The tune is said to be a MacCrimmon composition.

Lachlan MacNeill Campbell of Kintarbert's Fancy is to be heard from time to time, though it is not often in the lists, It is a very lyrical and ruminative tune. Nothing is known of its origin, or even of its proper name; only that it was said to have been a favourite of and often played by Lachlan MacNeill Campbell of Kintarbert, who was a renowned piobaireachd player in the early 19th Century.

MacNeill of Barra's March is also rarely heard. It is a very attractive, rather jolly tune, which may well be intended to be played rather faster than is usual. Only its existence and title are known.

The Gold Medal was won by Richard Hawke, from New Zealand, who played Rory MacLoude's Lament.

This is a very old tune, probably a MacCrimmon composition, thought there is no certainty.

Niall Stewart took second prize with Lachlan MacNeill Campbell of Kintarebert's Fancy.

In third place, Marion Horsburgh, also from New Zealand, played The Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay. This is a tune by Donald Mor MacCrimmon, composed on the death in 1649 or Donald Duaghal MacKay, the first Lord Reay. Incidentally, "Duaghal" is not a Gaelic form of Dougall, as is often mistakenly thought. It is not a name at all; it is an adjective, from the noun duagh, meaning cross, affliction, frustration, or fatigue. Angus MacKay, in his note to this tune in his book (published in 1838), explains the nickname thus:

"...throughout his life he seems to have suffered from too liberal and unsuspecting a disposition, which exposed him to the arts of insidious neighbours, and by heedless conduct involved himself in difficulties from which he seems justly to have received the appellation of 'Duaghal': a man of troubles."

Finlay Johnstone also played Rory MacLoude's Lament for fourth prize. In fifth place Douglas Murray played Lady Margaret MacDonald's Salute.

The judges for the Gold Medal were John Wilson, John MacDougall and Ronald Clarke.