The Lander Pipe Band traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah on June 12th to compete in the 2026 Utah Scottish Festival and Highland Games. Members of the band competed in solo competitions, and they also competed as a band in either the Grade 4 or the Grade 5 band. Three band members received a sgian dubh for performing their first solo. The band members were Dominic Ring, Issac Ring, and Brooks Choate. The sgian dubh is Gaelic for “black knife” and is tucked in the sock of a traditional Scottish outfit.
The solo competitors are divided into five grades, with Grade 1 being the most skilled. Henry Bautz received first-place medals for Grade 1 Snare Drums for MSR, Hornpipe, and Jig. Maggie Lasnoski, a Grade 3 piper, won first in the Piobaireachd, first in the Hornpipe, first in the 2/4 March, second in 6/8 March, first in the Jig, and second in Strathspel/Reel. Another Grade 3 piping soloist, Juliet Whitmore, earned third in the Hornpipe and the 6/8 March. Piper Cormac Susanka earned a second-place medal for the Jig and Piobaireachd. For Grade 3 drumming, Mena Olsson earned a second-place medal for 6/8 March and the March/Strathspey/Reel.
The Pipe Major of the Grade 4 Pipe Band is Melissa Bautz. Melissa didn’t compete in solo competitions this time; however, she, along with Eric Wilcox, was instrumental in their support for fellow band members. The Grade 4 Band took second in MSR and third in Medley. For solo medals in the Grade 4 Band, Piper Betha Olsson won first-place medals for 6/8 March, Piobaireachd, and Strathspey/Reel. Piper Kyle Lehto competed in the Grade 4 solo competitions and was very instrumental in his moral and technical support of his teammates.
The Pipe Major for the Grade 5 Band is Piper Bailey. The Grade 5 Band brought home a first-place medal for QMM and a third-place medal for MSM.During her solos, Pipe Major Piper Bailey earned one first-place medal for Slow March and one second-place medal for 2/4 March. In addition, the judges awarded her the Rising Piper Award. Dominic Ring earned a first-place medal for his 2/4 March piping solo. Brooks Choate earned a first-place medal for Slow march and a third-place medal for the 2/4 March. For drum solos, Ellie Tschida earned a first-place medal for Snare March. Elena Tents earned a first-place medal for 6/8 March and earned third for 2/4 March. Tenor Drummer Clementine Coffman earned a second-place medal for 6/8 March and 2/4 March. Andy Bautz received first-place medals for intermediate Bass Drumming for MSR, Hornpipe, and Jig.
h/t James Bailey
The Lander Pipe Band is actively fundraising with C4C, so any amount that the community donates, will be matched by C4C challenge donors. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a very positive part of the Fremont County community and any contributions will be doubled.
Additional information about Lander Pipe Band can be found on the band’s website. Lander Pipe Band is a non profit organization focusing on traditional Scottish pipe and drums based in Lander, WY. There are forty-eight members and the band is comprised of seventy percent youth and thirty percent adults. The band performed over seventy times in 2025 with about thirty percent of those performances for veterans and first responders.
The above release and photos were provided to County 10 by James Bailey.