Royal NZ Pipe Bands' Association National Championships in Rotorua a mix of tartan, tears and high temperatures

Royal NZ Pipe Bands' Association National Championships competitors in Saturday's street march. Photo / Stephen Parker

Tartan, tears and high temperatures.

This year's Royal NZ Pipe Bands' Association National Championships were graced with warm sun and an even warmer reception in Rotorua.

About 2000 came to the city for the two-day competition on Friday and Saturday, including 1500 competitors and 500 spectators.

Temperatures reached the 20s on both days.

#WATCH We're live at the 2018 Royal NZ Pipe Bands Association Nationals in Rotorua as the Rotorua Highland Pipe Band make their way to the circle

Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on Thursday, 8 March 2018

The competition was held at Rotorua International Stadium, and featured almost 50 bands representing a mix of high schools, cities, districts, regions, the New Zealand Police and the Scottish Society of New Zealand.

The last time the nationals were held in Rotorua was 20 years ago, in 1998.

The bands treated the CBD to a mass parade yesterday morning, to show the public "what we're all piping on about" in the association's words.

It started at 9am and finished earlier than planned, shortly after 11am.

Royal NZ Pipe Bands' Association National Championships competitors in Saturday's street march. Photo / Stephen Parker

In the results announced yesterday afternoon the Rotorua Highland Pipe Band won the top prize for the Grade 4B street march.

The top honours for Grade 1 went to the New Zealand Police, who broke the Canterbury Caledonian Society's six-year winning streak.

The announcement was met with an enormous roar, as hats and drumsticks flew in the air.

The police were even told off by announcer Keith Shiels for celebrating for too long, and not coming up to the front "in an orderly fashion" to receive their award.

A deflated-looking Canterbury Caledonian Society took the runner-up prize.

Jason Nicholl, 15, with Rotorua Highland Pipe Band.

Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on Friday, 9 March 2018

Each pipe band had 20 to 50 members.

Three judges travelled from Scotland for the event, and the president of Pipe Bands Australia also travelled here for the event.

The bands stayed in 27 different motels and holiday parks in Rotorua, most of which were booked out for the weekend.

Another band underway

Posted by 2018 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships, Rotorua on Thursday, 8 March 2018

Just before the prizegiving, a tribute was played for pipe band community members who had died in the past year.

One of the most raw losses, was the death of South Canterbury Highland Pipe Band drum corporal George Jack Hill.

South Canterbury Highland Pipe Band member Fraser Pattie with a photo of former member George Hill. Photo / Samantha Olley

The 17-year-old's body was found in central Timaru between two buildings on Monday March 5, four days before he was meant to compete in the nationals.

Police are still investigating his death.

After news of George's death the group considered pulling out, but the Hill family encouraged it to play.

The final mass parade at Rotorua International Stadium on Sunday. Photo / Samantha Olley

"It has hit us all hard but the Hills insisted that going ahead with the nationals was what George would have wanted," lead drummer Cameron Dodson said.

"George was my protégé. He was very promising and well respected. He would have been at the top level in no time."

Fellow band member Fraser Pattie held a portrait of George throughout the final massed band parade on Sunday afternoon.

"I was glad George could be with us at least. We played everything for him. He was part of our family, a brother to an extent. It is a tragedy."