2008 Costa Mesa

Heading to LAX Watching our jet arrive at the gate in Seattle. 5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro. 

What do drummers do when they’re waiting? Drummers L to R: Alanna MacRitchie, D/S Andre Tessier, Lauren MacRitchie, Alex Munro. 5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Ah, the drums, their cases, and the FRAGILE stickers Any suggestions for keeping our drums out of harms way - other than a FRAGILE sticker?  5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

...then the tenors practice with their new ACEline tenor sticks Tenors Kylie Yonge, Mary Bruce, Lauren MacRitchie and Annie Head. 5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

...pipes are unpacked DTSPB pipers tuning during practice at the Irvine Marriott. 5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

...and the drums are tuned Drummer Alanna MacRitchie starts work on the drums. 5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

...and practice until bedtime 5/22/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

The next morning...more practice 5/23/08 Photo courtesy of Abbey Jacobson.

M I C...K E Y...M-O-U-S-E The band treated all members to a trip to the Magic Kingdom.  Thanks! And we got a brand new bus for the journey! 5/23/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

End of the fireworks Sad to go “home” to the hotel at the end of the day. 5/23/08 Photo courtesy of Tyler Wood

First Flash 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack

The I-5 players L to R:  Ryan Murray, Stephen Farrell, Blake Parkinson, JD Farrell 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Stephen Farrell

Saturday Opening Ceremonies 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack

Speeches and more 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack

Saturday...T-shirt sales are crazy! Crazy slow, that is.  But Patrick Trainner and Glenn Abel worked hard at sales! 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Soaking up those few minutes of warmth Triumph Street pipers take a moment to rest before a flash.  Front L to R: Krista Hunt, P/S Shaunna Hilder, Justin Howland, Alex Galloway, Myles Wilcott, Ross Morrill, ?, ? and Dave Thorpe.  Back L to R: Gord McRae and Rob Abel. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Beautiful practice setting The Orange County Fairgrounds Admin and Barn area with grass and large shade trees, offer a wonderful setting for the band. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Medley day The Drum Corps practices before the Medley competition. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Andre and the hat D/S Andre Tessier with his signature hat. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Half an hour to go... The DTSPB pipers prior in the final minutes before the Medley competition. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Worthy competitors - the LA Scots Everyone was excited that it was such a close contest.  “It could have gone either way,” said a judge. “They were both really good!”  5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Picture perfect The Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band head to the Medley competition circle. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack.

DTSPB coming to the line It all comes down to minutes.  Medley contest. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro.

Check out the crowd With a large band, the road to the circle was a tight squeeze.  Medley contest. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Medley circle under the trees The band could hardly fit into the competition area. (Alastair Gillies is piping judge.) 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Drum Corps Circle - Thanks to Ed Best D/S Andre Tessier with his signature hat. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Ed Best.

A winning drum corps The DTSPB Drum Corps won both the Medley and MSR competitions. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

The debrief - all smiles Post-competition chat from P/M David Hilder makes everyone smile. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Happy competitors P/M David Hilder greets LA Scots piper Stephen Megarity. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Bob Munro

Massed bands LA Scots and Triumph Street sounded great together, in the march past. 5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Massed Bands with DTSPB and LA Scots Does something look different?  It certainly surprised the drummers!  5/24/08 Photo courtesy of Ed Best

The band family watches Lauren’s 1st Open Tenor Members of DTSPB gathered to watch Lauren MacRitchie compete in her first Open Tenor competition. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Justin Howland.

She won! The trophy is as big as Lauren. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Tyler Wood.

Thanks to Drum Major John Nicol for coming!  5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack.

A band close-up DTSPB Drum Major John Nicol with the USS Scottish Festival guest band, the Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack.

Perfect Piping Line Myles Wilcott leads his line of pipers in the massed bands. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Sandy Nazarchuk.

D/M John Nicol in fine form DTSPB Drum Major John Nicol leads the bands. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Rob Watt.

Finally, shadows! The sun comes out for the Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band and LA Scots Pipe Band at the USS Scottish Highland Gathering and Scottish Festival. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Rob Watt.

If this is Sunday, this must be MSR... P/M David Hilder finds his own tree to tune by. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

“How often do you tune the pipes?” asked an 8 year old P/S Shaunna Hilder’s time to tune... 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

He found the sound Drummer Alex Munro worked hard on Saturday and Sunday to get the drums sounding bright. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Kilts match the barn The Orange County Fairground buildings coordinated with the band’s McLean of Duart tartan. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Moira Mack.

Final Tuning...almost time! DTSPB readies for the MSR at Costa Mesa. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Justin Howland.

Last few minutes before the 1st place MSR performance What makes a winning performance?  Hard work and a pinch of luck. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro

Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band’s first Grade One Trophy P/M David Hilder with USS Highland Gathering and Scottish Festival’s Chieftain Tom Reoch Jr.  5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Rob Watt

Shadow play Marching off in the main arena. 5/25/08 Photo courtesy of Sandy Nazarchuk.

DTSPB at Costa Mesa The band waited for everyone to gather...then took a family photo. 5/26/08 Photo courtesy of Sandy Nazarchuk

The winning trophy gets its own seat! Liam Hilder and Stella Stephen watch the Grade 1 MSR Trophy after it gets strapped into its own seat on the bus to the airport...on its way to the Dowco offices. 5/27/08 Photo courtesy of Jacquie Munro