 The first annual gathering of the BCPA saw competitions organized into Novice, Ladies, Under 16, 16 and Over and Open (or Professional) divisions.This seemed logical at a time when women were thought to be weaker pipers than men.By the 1950s however, this notion was completely disproved by many excellent female pipers and in 1958 the non-professional competition was reorganized into Novice, Juvenile, Junior and Senior Amateur divisions.