Hardies Year in Review 2025!
2025 was a whirlwind year for Hardies, packed with exciting product launches, unforgettable events, and plenty of great music along the way. From celebrating major successes with the world’s top pipers and bands, to unveiling bold new designs and reconnecting with friends across the globe. It was a year full of pride, passion, and progress.
Let’s rewind and revisit the highlights of our Hardies 2025 Year in Review!
Competition Sponsorships!
We kicked off the year by sponsoring the Victorian Pipers Association Online Competition, adjudicated by R.G. Hardie & Co. champions Callum Beaumont and Connor Sinclair.
We then continued our support with sponsorship of Winter Storm, where Andrew Donlon claimed the Gold Medal. Andrew was awarded a Hardie Infinity Blackwood Pipe Chanter , along with a set of our Pipe Band Plugs hearing protection.
Pictured: Andrew Donlon receiving his prizes at Winter Storm
Unboxing – Jori Chisolm
Check out this fantastic unboxing video from Jori Chisolm, featuring a full review of our RGH02AB Bagpipes
New Navy Piper Deluxe Case!
February also saw the launch of our new Navy Deluxe Pipe Case featuring a sleek silver trim that replaces the previous design. Not only does it look fantastic, but it’s also incredibly spacious and comfortable to carry, making it the perfect case for transporting and protecting your bagpipes.
Enjoy Your Piping!
We were also delighted to welcome Gary West back for another visit, where we caught up on all the latest from his piping podcast, Enjoy Your Piping–with Gary West. As always, the evening was filled with great conversation, plenty of laughs, and true to tradition, finished off with a delicious curry.
Pictured: Director Alastair Dunn, Gary West and Sales Manager Isla Jane Stout.
Scottish Schools Competition
We had a fantastic day working at the Scottish Schools Competition in Kilmarnock on 9th March. It was inspiring to hear the bands perform and to see such an incredible amount of young talent coming through the pipe band scene.
Coloured Twist-Trap Practice Chanter Launch!
On International Bagpipe Day, we launched our brand-new coloured Twist-Trap Practice Chanters! Available in both standard and long sizes, they feature a choice of red, green, or blue ferrule and sole-and you can even mix and match to create awesome colour combinations.
Ipswich Piping Society Recital
In April, we were delighted to once again sponsor the annual Ipswich Piping Society Recital. These recitals give audiences the opportunity to hear top pipers perform a selection of their favourite tunes-and this year was no exception, with an outstanding performance from Ben Duncan, Pipe Sergeant of Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, and a frequent prize winner on the solo circuit.
Sarah Muir – Video
Sarah has enjoyed playing and competing in solo piping competitions with the Peter Henderson chanter for the past 11 years and is playing the latest 2024 version in this video.
Check out this brilliant video of Sarah Muir playing our Peter Henderson Blackwood Pipe Chanter. It’s always a pleasure to hear top pipers like Sarah performing on our pipe chanters.
Peter Henderson Bagpipes Reimagined!
Connor Sinclair – Video
Check out this amazing video of R.G. Hardie & Co. champion, Connor Sinclair, playing the reimagined Peter Henderson Bagpipes!
Piping Hot Summer Drummer!
Jori Chisolm – Video
Jori from BagpipeLessons.com recently took delivery of our new PH01 Peter Henderson Bagpipes.
We were delighted that he captured and shared the unboxing experience for pipers around the world-be sure to check it out!
Unboxing – Matt Willis
Matt Willis unboxes and play-tests the new RGH01AB R.G. Hardie Bagpipes in this fantastic video-complete with a whisky tasting segment (please enjoy responsibly!).
In the video, Matt compares the Hardie and Henderson bagpipes, highlighting both their similarities and key differences. He also showcases the new 2025 projecting mount and explains the serial and quality control numbers engraved on the pipes. One of the standout moments is the 360-degree view and demonstration, beautifully capturing the rich drone sound of the bagpipes.
Scottish Pipe Band Champions – Field Marshal Montgomery!
July ended on a sensational high as the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band were crowned Scottish Champions!
We’ve been proud sponsors of FMMPB since 2006, and to see them secure this title in the first year under an entirely new leadership team is an incredible achievement. Huge congratulations to Matt, Ben, Willie, and everyone in the band on a fantastic result at Dumbarton.
Click on the picture below to listen to the band tuning up, with Connor Sinclair playing the new Peter Henderson Bagpipes with Renaissance engraving.
New RGH Bucket Hats!
Following FMMPB’s win at Dumbarton, we launched our brand-new Hardies Bucket Hats! And who better to model our latest merch than the 2025 Scottish Champions, Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band!
Wear it to a competition, festival, or even just a trip to the shops. Be the coolest piper out there!
So… who wears it best?!?
Heritage Viking Bagpipe Launch!
In August, after months of research and design, we are delighted to finally launch our one-of-a-kind, Heritage VIKING Set!!
Crafted with exceptional attention to detail, this distinctive set of Heritage Bagpipes features laser-engraved Viking nickel and finely detailed woodwork inspired by Viking artistry.
The engraving includes a Vegvisir (Viking Compass), seamlessly integrated with Viking patterns and a custom-designed dragon motif, symbolising the bow of a Viking longship. Runic inscriptions for “Peter Henderson”, “Heritage,” and “Viking” are also featured, along with hidden bind runes symbolising Courage, Protection, Music, Friendship, and Good Luck.
Silver Chanter Success!
Sandy Cameron enjoyed an impressive week on Isle of Skye, winning both the Silver Chanter and the Colonel Jock MacDonald Clasp-a fantastic achievement. We were delighted to see Sandy performing on our Peter Henderson Blackwood Pipe Chanter.
Sandy is a former pupil of Dollar Academy, and it was especially pleasing to see his former school band crowned winners of the Juvenile European Championships. Congratulations to everyone involved-we’re proud that the band plays our pipe chanters.
Pictured: Sandy Cameron receiving the Silver Chanter in Skye
R. G. Hardie Masters Competition
The R.G. Hardie & Co. Masters was won by Alan Bevan for the second consecutive year, following a fiercely contested event that saw no fewer than ten different prize winners across the two competitions.
We were also delighted to see our champions Callum Beaumont and Connor Sinclair each claim third prize in both the Piobaireachd and the March, Strathspey & Reel events.
The overall winner receives an invitation to compete at the prestigious Glenfiddich Piping Championship in October. We are proud to sponsor this elite event, showcasing the very finest pipers from around the world.
Pictured: Alan Bevan receiving his trophy from Anne Beveridge
Callum Beaumont – Video
R.G. Hardie Bagpipes now feature a newly redesigned projecting mount profile-a distinctive hybrid inspired by the classic styling of both Hardie and Henderson bagpipes.
Listen to champion piper Callum Beaumont playing the RGH02 set.
Bagpipes Reimagined with Alastair, Callum and Connor
As we mentioned, June marked the launch of our newly reimagined bagpipes. In this video, Alastair, Callum Beaumont, and Connor Sinclair sit down to chat about what’s new, what’s been improved, and what makes these pipes truly special. Be sure to stick around until the end to hear some superb playing from our champions.
We’re also often asked which drone reeds work best for solo and band playing, and Callum and Connor share their go-to choices in the video as well.
Give it a watch and let us know what you think!
St. Kilda France
During Worlds Week, we had the pleasure of finally meeting Ladislas and Valèrie from St Kilda France at the World Pipe Band Championships. They were in Scotland playing with The 35 Club Pipe Band, Bretagne.
Since Ladislas and Valèrie took over St. Kilda France in 2024, following the retirement of our dear friend Bruno Le Rouzic, we’ve been in close contact-often speaking almost daily and working very closely together. Despite this, we hadn’t yet had the opportunity to meet in person, so it was truly special to finally make it happen.
Ladislas and Valèrie brought us some delicious Saucisson and red wine from their home, St Malo. We look forward to showing them around Hardies on their next visit!
Pictured: Alastair, Ladislas, Valèrie and Isla
Northern Meetings
Silver Star, Gold Medal and Silver Medal! At the Northern Meeting in September, we were thrilled to see several top prizes go to pipers performing on the Peter Henderson Blackwood Pipe Chanter.
Silver Star March, Strathspey & Reel – Callum Beaumont
Gold Medal – Brodie Watson-Massey
Gold Medal Runner-Up – Darach Urquhart
Silver Medal – Callum Wynd
B-Grade MSR – Callum Wynd
We’re truly honoured that our instruments can play a small part in their incredible success-congratulations to all who competed!
Pictured: Prize Winners Brodie Watson-Massey and Callum Beaumont
Jori Chisolm – Video
Earlier in the year, we were delighted to welcome Jori Chisholm and his family to our workshop for a closer look at our latest Peter Henderson and R.G. Hardie bagpipes.
In this video, Jori takes an in-depth look at the PH01 and PH02 models, highlighting the differences between the two and sharing what makes our bagpipes truly special.
Captain John A. MacLellan MBE Memorial Competition
Congratulations to Callum Beaumont for winning the Captain John A. MacLellan MBE Memorial Competition! Callum performed on the PH2HT Heritage Bagpipes, paired with a Peter Henderson Pipe Chanter.
Sandy Cameron also enjoyed a highly successful day, winning both the A-grade Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey & Reel events. Sandy was playing the Peter Henderson Chanter.
Pictured: Callum Beaumont
25 Years of Kilts and More!
In October, we enjoyed a brilliant weekend in Germany celebrating 25 years of Kilts and More!
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Donald from the very beginning, so it was fantastic to mark Kilts and More’s 25th anniversary alongside so many other outstanding suppliers from across the industry in Germany.
The weekend was topped off perfectly with an unforgettable evening of musical entertainment from the one and only Fred Morrison-wow!
Pictured: Alastair Dunn and Isla Jane Stout
Glenfiddich Piping Championship
Callum Beaumont enjoyed another outstanding day at the Glenfiddich Piping Championships, winning the March, Strathspey & Reel, placing 4th in the Piobaireachd, and securing 2nd place overall.
Congratulations from everyone at R.G. Hardie & Co.. It’s a pleasure to work with Callum and to support him in his continued success.
Pictured: Callum Beaumont
George Sherriff Memorial Amateur Invitational
In November, Abby Long captured first place at the George Sherriff Memorial Amateur Invitational with outstanding results-winning the piobaireachd and earning runner-up positions in the March, Strathspey & Reel, and 6/8 March events.
We’re thrilled that she took home our long blackwood practice chanter with Renaissance engraving. Abby kindly reached out with this message:
“Thank you for donating the R.G. Hardie Blackwood practice chanter at the George Sherriff. I actually play an R.G. Hardie Infinity chanter already, and I have always been extremely happy with both the tone and the quality. I have no doubt that the practice chanter will be the same.”
Congratulations to all competitors on what we hear was an event of very high calibre.
Pictured: Abby Long receiving her prize at the George Sheriff Memorial Competition
Hardies Wrapped!
November brings Spotify Wrapped… no-Hardies Wrapped!
These were our top bagpipe sets and products of the year, and we can’t thank you enough for your continued support. Your enthusiasm means the world to us-here’s to another great year ahead!
That brings our Hardies 2025 Year in Review to a close-and what a remarkable year it’s been.
We would like to make a special thank you to our talented staff that make everything possible for the success of the business. We’re immensely proud to have supported such a fantastic community of pipe bands and pipers, and we look forward with excitement to all that 2026 will bring.
Wishing everyone every success, along with a safe, happy, and prosperous year ahead. Happy Piping!
