Penetangore founder and bass drummer Brian (Brow) Fry has retired from competition after more than two decades of Highland Games and Scottish festivals. Brow was in his mid-30s when he strapped on a bass drum for the first time and got some lessons from son Tyler and neighbour Craig "Hoss" Colquhoun. Before long he was playing with the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band and getting additional instruction from local bass drummer Duncan Campbell. He also gave competition a try, travelling several hours each week to practice with the St. Thomas Police Pipe Band. Tired of travel in 2001, Brow got together with Gerry Radford, Bill McLeod and some other local competitors to form a band in Bruce County that would also draw aspiring musicians from nearby Grey and Huron Counties. The Penetangore Pipe Band was born. Brow's last performance with the band was at the Remembrance Day parade at the Bronte Legion in Oakville on Nov. 6. "I felt it was time before the new music starts [for 2012]," said Brow. "I have not been a big fan of people not showing up for gigs and practice and being as I'm going to be in Florida for 13 weeks this winter, I thought I'd better pack it in." In 2005, Brow was declared Champion Supreme for solo Amateur Bass Drumming by the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario. He followed it up in 2006 by earning Champion Supreme in Professional Bass Drumming. He is the inventor of the Brow Fry Drum Carrier (www.browfry.com) and in 2007 he accepted a volunteer position on the Executive of the Western Branch of the PPBSO. Brow plans to continue his association with Penetangore and hasn't ruled out a return to the contest circle at some time in the future.