Rankings: December/January update

6-Jan-2008
The final World of Brass—4barsrest.com Rankings for 2007 confirm Cory as the world’s leading band, following a year that saw it win the Welsh Championship for the sixth successive year and take its first British Open title since 2002.

Top 10 bands

1. Cory
2. Grimethorpe
3. Foden's Richardson
4. Black Dyke
5. Brighouse and Rastrick
6. YBS
7. Brass Band Willebroek
8. Scottish Co-op
9. Whitburn
10. The Fairey Band

The World of Brass Rankings trophy was presented at the band’s recent concert with Honley Male Voice Choir in Huddersfield Town Hall, where Dr. Robert Childs was the first recipient of the glass globe.

The band that picked up the most points during 2007 was Foden’s Richardson, which enjoyed victories at Blackpool and Cambridge, as well as giving impressive displays at the major contests in Birmingham and London.

The highest new entry into the top-200 in 2007 was Timperley Band from the North-west, following a year that saw it rise 145 places to 98th.

The contests taking place since the last update were:

North Wales BBA—won by Yorkshire Co-op
Wessex BBA—won by SWT Woodfalls
West Midlands BBA—won by Bedworth

As we enter 2008, the four bands at the top are as close as ever and their performances at the major contests will determine which of them will end next year at the top, unless, of course, Brighouse and Rastrick, YBS, Brass Band Willebroek or the Scottish Challengers, Co-op and Whitburn, can infiltrate what is a very elite group.

To view all the ranked bands, go to:
www.4barsrest.com/rankings/default.asp

2007 was a good year for...
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Ranking - Band - Points increase

3. Foden's Richardson, +620.95
1. Cory, +199.10
5. Brighouse and Rastrick, +165.09
2. Grimethorpe Colliery, +120.65
18. Stavanger, +106.74
14. Hepworth (Cookson Homes), +80.07
23. Brass Band Oberösterreich, +73.22
12. Desford Colliery, +65.32
13. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, +56.56
22. BTM, +55.42
9. Whitburn, +48.93
7. Brass Band Willebroek, +44.12
15. PolySteel, +22.49
43. Powerfuel Hatfield Colliery, +20.89
35. Brisbane Excelsior, +20.69
152. Fountain City Brass Band, +18.19
156. Kew Band Melbourne, +16.38
32. Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel, +15.08
168. Krohnengen, +10.66
58. Northop, +9.40

And a bad year for...
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Ranking - Band - Points decrease

4. Black Dyke, -314.67
6. YBS, -233.85
11. Leyland, -123.28
8. Scottish Co-op, -122.71
16. Sellers International, -120.91
10. The Fairey Band, -108.78
20. Reg Vardy, -102.35
19. Kirkintilloch, -87.27
25. Mount Charles, -73.02
24. Brass Band Fribourg, -69.68
31. Fishburn, -43.96
30. Aveley & Newham, -42.47
17. Rothwell Temperance, -40.25
28. Brass Band of Central Florida, -36.69
29. Brass Band 13 Etoiles, -32.84
46. Ransome, -27.50
38. Staffordshire, -21.88
21. Tredegar, -20.31
62. Newtongrange Silver, -18.95
44. SWT Woodfalls, -16.79

Ten best new entries

Ranking - Band - Region - Points
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98 Timperley, North West, 9.51
102 Poulton-le-Fylde, North West, 9.07
110 Derwent Brass, Midlands, 7.75
117 Beaumaris B, Wales, 7.08
124 Noord Limburgse Belgium, 6.55
128 Illinois Brass Band, USA, 6.13
136 Kippax, Yorkshire, 5.66
137 Footscray-Yarraville City, Australia, 5.65
141 Phoenix West Midlands Brass, Midlands, 5.44
146 Felling, North, 4.96