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2004 North of England Regional Championships
Fourth Section
Saturday 20th March
Test Piece: Partita – Edward
Gregson
Adjudicator: John Maines
The popular John Maines will have the task of separating out the
eleven bands in the Fourth Section, and with a testing set work
he could well find it a hard task.
The bands that will do well will have to master the basics first
before trying their hand at the fancy stuff – and after we
have heard all the bands in the other sections around the country,
not too many of them have mastered the building blocks let alone
the fancy paintwork.
Still, it is a good test and should make for an enjoyable start
to the Saturday morning proceedings.
Last year Lockwood were easy winners here, but still failed to
make it into the top three at the Finals, whilst Ripon City found
it hard work and could only come 20th in Dundee. That meant that
since 1997 only once had a band from the region come in the top
six, whilst you had to go back to 1984 when Bolden Colliery won
for the last occasion the region was triumphant. It is about time
that changed, so good luck to whoever gets those precious qualification
places for Harrogate.
Askam Town
Conductor: D. Henley
Last Eight Years:
2003: 5th (D. Henley)
2002: 8th
2001: 7th
2000: 7th
1999: 3rd
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Askam have been pretty consistent challengers here over the last
few years and improved their lot by three places twelve months ago
when they jumped from 8th to 5th place under D. Henley. 3rd place
in 1999 has been their best in the last six years, so a repeat of
that would be most welcome.
Ayecliffe and Brancepeth
Conductor: M. Priestley
Last Eight Years:
2003: DNC
2002: 6th
2001: DNC
2000: 12th
1999: N/K
1998: 8th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Ayecliffe return to the contest after having a year away as they
didn’t compete here last year. A bit of an on/off relationship
at the contest in recent years, they return once more, we hope in
good health and good form to start a long string of performances
here over the next few years.
Barrow Concert
Conductor: A. Garbutt
Last Eight Years:
2003: DNC in Third Section (rel)
2002: 8th in Third Section
2001: 7th in Second Section (rel)
2000: 8th in Second Section
1999: N/K
1998: 5th in Second Section
1997: Winners in Third Section (prom)
1996: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)
Barrow withdrew from the Third Section contest last year and as
a result they find themselves having to battle it out in the
Fourth Section this year. We haven’t got any real form to go on,
so lets hope the band return in good health and in good form. They
were winners here though back in 1997 and have been as high as the
Second Section. The rebuilding starts here it seems. Good luck to
them.
Billingham Silver
Conductor: V. Evans
Last Eight Years:
2003: 3rd (V. Evans)
2002: 10th 3rd Section (rel)
2001: 10th 2nd Section (rel)
2000: 7th 2nd Section
1999: N/K
1998: 3rd 3rd Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Billingham were third here last year and just missed out on a trip
to Dundee by a point. They will therefore be determined to go at
least one better this time around, whilst they come to the contest
on the back of a good second place at the recent Durham County Contest
where their euph player was a real star performer.
Dunston Silver
Conductor: A. Seymour
Last Eight Years:
2003: 9th (A. Seymour)
2002: 9th
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Dunston came back to the Regional contest in 2002 and for the past
two years have held their own coming 9th on both occasions. No real
form for us to go on at the moment, so we hope they can just push
themselves a bit further up the prize table at least.
Durham Constabulary
Conductor: K. MacDonald
Last Eight Years:
2003: 8th (K. MacDonald)
2002: 14th (rel)
2001: DNC
2000: 10th 3rd Section
1999: N/K
1998: 4th 3rd Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Our friends of the force were 8th last year, their first time
back in the lowest section, and they will surely be determined
to show that they are a band that can make a mark here. They
recently came 3rd at the Durham County Contest, so another
prize winning performance may not be beyond them.
Five Rivers Brass
Conductor: T. Griffiths
Last Year: 7th
Last Eight Years:
2003: 7th (T. Griffiths)
2002: 7th
2001: 8th
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Five Rivers has been pretty consistent performers here since making
their debut in 2001, but they will now surely be looking to improve
on the past three years and gain a top six place at least. The band
came 16th at Pontins late last year, so they will be looking for
a return to some good form here.
Ripon City
Conductor: L. Whitworth
Last Eight Years:
2003: 2nd (J. Shepherd)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Ripon made a superb debut here last year when under the direction
of the great James Shepherd they gained the runners up spot and
booked themselves a place at the National Finals. They found that
standard a bit tougher and they managed 20th place – still
a great achievement for a band that had only made its debut six
months previously. What will 2004 and a new MD bring then?
Stanhope Silver
Conductor: S. Robson
Last Eight Years:
2003: 4th (S. Robson)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: 10th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Stanhope returned to the Regional contest for the first time since
1998 last year, and did exceptionally well in coming home in 4th
place. They recently competed at the Durham County Contest but didn’t
come in the prizes although their principal cornet picked up one
of the solo prizes on offer. Another good showing may be on the
cards then?
Trimdon Concert
Conductor: A. Holmes
Last Eight Years:
2003: 12th (A. Holmes)
2002: 5th
2001: 10th
2000: 13th
1999: 2nd
1998: 10th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Trimdon fell away last year to come 12th after a good result the
year before when they improved to 5th place. They will therefore
be looking for a return to that kind of form at least. They recently
came 6th at the Mineworkers Contest, so there is some form to work
on. Lets hope they can do it.
Ulverston Town
Conductor: M. Rowlandson
Last Eight Years:
2003: 11th (B. Seddon)
2002: 13th
2001: 9th
2000: 10th
1999: N/K
1998: 7th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Ulverston improved things by two paces last year after they had
come a lowly 13th in 2002. With that in mind they will be looking
to continue to move in the right direction this time around as well
and better their best placing of 7th here in 1998.
Results archive:
Full results of previous year's contests together with a results summary can
be found in our results archive.
Past
Qualifiers:
2003: Lockwood Brass, Ripon City
2002: Hetton Silver, Kirkby Lonsdale
2001: Swinton and District Excelsior, Bearpark and Esh
2000: Ferryhill Town, Lanchester
1999: Bearpark and Esh, Trimdon Concert
1998: Westoe (STHCT), Dearham
1997: Murton Colliery, Marske Brass
1996: Ovington Tyndale, Barrow Concert
1995: Kirkby Lonsdale, Ovington Tynedale
North of England bands at the Finals:
2003: 5th, 20th
2002: 16th, 17th
2001: 8th, 15th
2000: 8th, 20th
1999: 8th, 9th
1998: 13th, 15th
4BR Prediction:
Our record of tipping winners in the Fourth Section isn’t
the greatest, but we think we won’t be too far off this time.
(Who are we kidding eh?)
The ones that we will put our hard earned money on are as follows:
Ripon to go one better and claim top place this time around followed
to Harrogate by Stanhope. Billingham we tip for a podium place,
whilst the top six should be made up of Askam, Durham Constabulary
and Five Rivers. Ou dark horses are the returning Barrow Concert.
1. Ripon City
2. Stanhope Silver
3. Billingham Silver
4. Askam Town
5. Durham Constabulary
6. Five Rivers
Dark Horse: Barrow Concert
© 4BarsRest
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