A few major highlights from this year’s WUSPBA AGM in Park City, Utah:

1) The following WUSPBA bands have been upgraded for 2017:

Las Vegas Pipe Band – upgraded to Grade 4
Prince Charles Pipe Band 5 – upgraded to Grade 4
Phoenix Pipe Band – upgraded to Grade 3
Cameron Highlanders 3 – upgraded to Grade 2

2) The Southern Branch has been split into two branches: the Southern California Branch and the Desert Branch, a new branch that encompasses all of Arizona and the Las Vegas area of Nevada.

3) Drum Major competitions are now organized into three (3) grades: Adult Open, Adult Intermediate, and Juvenile.

4) Solo Tenor drumming is now organized into three (3) grades: Open, Intermediate, and Novice.

Summary of the voting outcomes on all of the Bylaw and Contest Rule proposals*:

Bylaws Proposals

Branch Financial Support – FAILED
Reciprocity Limits – PASSED
Pacific Coast Branch – WITHDRAWN
Creation of New Branch – PASSED (as amended)

Contest Rule Proposals

Add Third Drum Major Class – PASSED (as amended)
Aggregate Drum Major Points – PASSED
Massed Bands Minimum Representation – WITHDRAWN
Massed Bands Time Limit – tabled
Massed Bands Tunes and L/D Designation – PASSED (as amended)
Additional Clarifying Wording on MMSR – PASSED
Band Performance and Formations – PASSED
Calculation of Solo Aggregate Points – PASSED (as amended)
Changes to Band Order of Play – PASSED (as amended)
Band Contests and Order of Play – PASSED in part; FAILED in part
Solo Bass Drumming Terminology – PASSED
Solo Tenor Drumming Back to Three Grades – PASSED
Late to the Line Clarifying Wording – WITHDRAWN
Solo Grading Process Change – FAILED

*This is an unofficial report. The final language of each proposal and the official vote outcomes will be posted on the WUSPBA website.