The band performed in two groups against other grade four bands from St Arnaud, Warrnambool, City of Melbourne and Ballarat Grammar at the Queens Mary Gardens on October 12.

This was the first time in five years that the Horsham Pipe Band had competed.

"We were so excited because we never get anything," Horsham City Pipe Band secretary Elizabeth Minne said.

She acknowledged her late husband Garry Minne, who died in June after being diagnosed with cancer in 2016.

She said Gary would have been proud of their success.

Horsham City Pipe Pipe Band 4B won the piping, drumming, dress and drill section of the street march and also won the aggregate on the day. Meanwhile, Horsham City Pipe Band 4A, which consisted of a number of first-time competitors, came third in the aggregate.

The Horsham members included Michael Stewart, Catherine Harris, Gordon McKenry, John Cavanagh and Meg Sleeman.

It was the first time the Victorian Championships were in St Arnaud and the event marked the 70th anniversary of the St Arnaud Pipe Band.

The group collected about $700 in prize money, which Mrs Minne said would go towards new equipment such as a defibrillator to provide health support for older band members.

She said the band, who had previously competed in Adelaide, Ballarat and Daylesford, are preparing to enter the 2020 Australian Pipe Band Championships in Maryborough.

Mrs Minne said the group had a lot of work ahead of them and also hope to recruit more pipers.

She said 15 people were needed in total to participate in the national competition.

She encouraged anyone with an interest in playing to attend rehearsals on Thursdays at 7pm at the Pipe Band hall on Firebrace Street, Horsham - across from the Botanic Gardens.

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