Band History
Formed in 1966, the band wears the Napier tartan
and performs throughout the state of Western Australia representing the Western
Australia Police Service. The Band participates in many community initiatives,
playing at Schools, country and community events etc.., as well as
performing concerts at various locations.
The band has participated in Tattoos in Australia in Hobart Tasmania, Melbourne and
Adelaide South Australia. It has also competed in all of those states and
also in New Zealand. As well as that the band has taken part in Tattoos
overseas in London at the Royal Tournament, Colchester at the Colchester Searchlight
Tattoo and at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo to
which it again returned making its 2nd appearance in 1997.
During the trip to Edinburgh in 1997, the band during its
four days off attended competitions at Inverkeithing, Bridge of Allan and North
Berwick. As a result of the success achieved
at those competitions the band returned to Scotland in 1998 to contest
the World Championships held in Glasgow.
Prior
to Competing in Glasgow the band returned to North Berwick where
it successfully defended its title from 1997. The
following day the band travelled to Perth (Scotland) where
once again it was placed first in the Grade Two competition.
On August 15th 1998 the Western Australia Police Pipe
Band, against a strong field of 32 bands from around the world,
was declared the 1998 World Champion Grade two.
BELOW
USA Open Pipe Band Champions Grade 1 trophy.
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Entertaining children at a primary school in Alma Michigan
Since then it has travelled to Scotland for the 1998 World Pipe Band
Championships and to the United States of America, where it won the 2001
USA open Pipe Band Championships Grade 1 in Alma, Michigan, and again to Scotland in 2003 to contest the
World Pipe Band Championships, this time in Grade 1,
with all travel costs generously funded by the Supporters Association.
In August 2003 the band again returned to Scotland to contest the world pipe band championships in Glasgow. In preparation Wapol travelled to North Berwick on the weekend prior to the worlds and gained 2nd place. The following day the band was again successful at Perth where it placed 3rd.
The following weekend at Glasgow the band entered into the qualifying round of the grade 1 competition but was equal sixth and on count back was eliminated so ending Wapol's 2003 assault on the pipe band world stage.
A further attempt on the world title, this time in 2004, saw the band progressing through the qualifying round and into the finals of the Grade 1 competition and was eventually placed 11 th. Although not the ultimate placing hoped for it was nevertheless quite an achievement for a band that is situated a world away from everywhere, geographically, and to be judged 11th best band in the world whilst residing in the most remote city in the world perhaps says something about the dedication and desire that drives the band on, perhaps eventually to even better placings.
Wapol's heavy schedule involves interstate and international
travel, spreading the name and professional image of the Western Australia
Police service and Western Australia beyond the boundaries of this vast state, as well as a very full programme
here at home.
ABOVE
Grade 2 World Pipe Band Champions trophy.
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