General Rules - 2011

1. A competitor who enters for and plays in any piping event should realise that by doing so he/she indicates that he/she is prepared to abide by Scottish Piping Society of London rules and accept the decisions of the adjudicators whatever the result. Competitors should make themselves familiar with, and abide by, the rules of the competition, which may vary from year to year. The SPSL Secretary should be consulted in cases of doubt.
2. Competitors should report on arrival and receive their numbered badge. All Competitors must be ready to compete when called, otherwise they may be disqualified.
3. Competitors should not enter and then fail to turn up without notifying the organiser in advance. Failure to turn up without advance warning or reasonable explanation may result in a temporary suspension from the following year’s competition.
4. Competitors should be prepared to play in the order selected by the draw, and appear at their event at the correct time, informing the steward that they are present. If difficulties can be foreseen because of a simultaneous event, competitors must inform the appropriate steward immediately so that the problem can be resolved at the discretion of the Stewards.
5. Competitors should expect any of their submitted tunes to be selected by the judges, and should be prepared to play them to a professional standard. The tunes submitted for competition may not be altered. A competitor who withdraws when given his tune must expect some further action to be taken as a result.
6. After a Competitor has been called on to play, tuning of pipes must be kept to a minimum. Tuning time is currently a maximum of four minutes and will be indicated by tuning lights.
7. Competitors will at all times be expected to behave in a courteous and professional manner. Rude or aggressive behaviour towards the stewards and other officials will not be tolerated, and will result in disqualification, and offenders may be removed from the competition halls.
8. In all cases, the decisions of the Stewards will be final, and they may alter the timing of particular events, or the order in which Competitors compete, all of which they shall be the sole judges.
9. All Competitors must appear and compete in Highland Dress or uniform.
10. The order of competing in all Piping Events will be decided by ballot, drawn by the SPSL competition committee after 9th September 2011.  Competitors in each competition will be advised by post, or email of the order of play. The draw will also be published on the SPSL website and competition programme.
11. Prizes will be handed to the prize-winners for photo opportunities after the conclusion of all Competitions. The actual trophies will remain in the safe keeping of the Scottish Piping Society of London. Prize-winners will be expected to automatically consent for their image to be used on the SPSL website and piping publications in conjunction with the publishing of results or journalistic reporting of the SPSL competitions.
12. Competitors in Piobaireachd events intending to play a setting of any tune not contained in the staf for editorial notes of the Piobaireachd Society's Books or the Kilberry Book should give notice of the setting which they intend to play at the time of submitting their Entry Forms.
13. Entry Forms must be lodged with the SPSL secretary by 9th September 2011. Late entries will not be accepted.  Failure to return forms by that date will mean competitor names are not entered into the programme.
14. An entry fee of £10 per event is payable by each Competitor entering for the Piping Competitions, and should be sent with the Entry Form. Intending Competitors must give their name and full address, rank and name of unit where relevant.