Campbeltown dancers and pipers strike gold at Oban festival

Korri McMillan was crowned overall winner of the 12 to 16 years age group in the Scottish Area Finals and also won both the Highland and National sections in the open 14 years category.

In the Highland Dancing competition restricted to Argyll and the Isles, Cara McKinven won the 11 years and under Highland title, while Maia Malai took the 11 years and under National title, and Christina McMillan secured both the Highland and National titles in the 12 and 13 years category.

The school also enjoyed success in the Scottish Choreography Challenge, with its ‘Scarecrow Barn Dance’ winning the 12 to 16 years section.

Campbeltown dancers also placed third in the 11 years and under and 16 years and over categories, and second in the mixed age group section.

They were also part of the Argyll and Bute team which lifted the Scottish Area Finals title for 2026 – the only Highland dancing team competition in the world in which the top six dancers from 17 areas across Scotland compete to determine the country’s leading area team.

In junior piping, 16-year-old Campbeltown piper Arran Brown enjoyed an excellent weekend, winning both the March and the Hornpipe and Jig competitions in the 15 to 18 years age group, and also placing third in the Piobaireachd.

He received both the Bill Crowe Trophy from the Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival and the Ryan MacPhail Memorial Trophy from the Netherlorn Piping Society.

Campbeltown was also well represented in the senior piping events. Sarah Muir, originally from Campbeltown and now living in East Kilbride, won the prestigious P/A Grade March, Strathspey and Reel competition, while Ross Conner finished runner-up in the same event.