Eleven-year-old Ettrick piper Sam Darling was thrilled to have the honour of leading the marchers in his first Anzac Day parades yesterday.
Sam, the youngest piper in the Alexandra Pipe Band, led the Millers Flat parade with fellow pipers Alastair Forbes, of Roxburgh, and Ken Bain, of Millers Flat.
Later in the morning, he led the Roxburgh parade with Mr Bain.
"It was really good ... I liked it," he said after his debut.
Although he has attended other Anzac Day services as a spectator, this year was the first time he was allowed to pipe in the parade.
Mr Forbes, the band pipe-major, said Sam was one of 18 piping students - adults and children - being "nurtured" with a view to moving them into the band.
Last year, Sam was one of the three youngest participants in the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands Association national summer school in Christchurch, and was given a scholarship to attend the "Piping Hot" school in Canada last July for further tuition.
"That was really cool and I got to learn from some of the best pipers in the world. I'd like to go back to that school every year, if I could," he said.
He started learning the pipes three years ago with Mr Forbes and practises up to half an hour at home every day, practising with the band once a week.
Being part of the Anzac Day parades was a special honour, Sam said.
"Alastair said this year I could pipe in the parade so I was really happy about that."
Mr Forbes said the pipers were keeping up a centuries-old tradition by taking part in the Anzac Day commemorations.
"Pipe bands all have a military background, going way back. Armies included pipers in their ranks to build up numbers."
Members of the Alexandra Pipe Band also took part in Anzac Day services at Bannockburn, Cromwell, Alexandra and Clyde yesterday.
