2005 Regionals: North West - Preview: Fourth Section
8-Mar-2005Eighteen bands line up on the Sunday to do battle on four movements from the pen of Bryan Kelly. Who can master this quartet and gain a place in Harrogate?
Date: Sunday 13th March
Adjudicator: Roy Sparkes
Test Piece: Divertimento – Bryan Kelly
Commences: 10.00
Draw: 09.00
No photo? Please send a JPEG to: stating the conductors name, your band, your region and section.
Barnton Silver
Conductor: S. Yates
Last Nine Years:
2004: 14th (S. Yates)
2003: 21st in Third Section (rel) (S. Yates)
2002: 17th
2001: 8th
2000: 6th 4th Section (prom)
1999: 3rd 4th Section
1998: 7th 4th Section
1997: 15th (rel)
1996: 12th
Barton return this year looking to keep the rebuilding process going in the right direction. Last year was their first back in the Fourth Section following relegation and they held their own in the bottom third of the field. This year then under Stephen Yates, they will be looking to get into the top 10 at least.
Besses Boys
Conductor: J. Holt
Last Nine Years:
2004: 9th (M. Stringer)
2003: 4th (M. Stringer)
2002: 11th (C. Whiteoak)
2001: 18th (J. Powell)
2000: 13th (J. Powell)
1999: 10th
John Holt takes over the baton this year from Matt Stringer, and he and the band will be keen to show that last year's result was just a bit of a blip after the fine achievemet of 2003. That fourth place was a real leap up in the form from the past few years, so will this time around see more of the same or a return to that 2003 effort or better?
Carrbrook Brass
Conductor: J. Hunter
Last Nine Years:
2004: 18th (J. Hunter)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 19th (R. Sykes)
2000: 24th (R. Sykes)
1999: 20th
1998: DNC
1997: 15th
1996: 7th
Jim Hunter and his band return for a second successive appearance after coming 18th last year on thier first appearance back here since 2001. Hopefully that experience will have made them stromger and all the more determined to do well this time around. We wish them luck.
Coppull and Standish
Conductor: Harry Bentham
Last Nine Years:
2004: 3rd (as Standish) (J. Roberts)
2003: Joint 10th (J. Roberts)
2002: 13th (J. Roberts)
2001: 12th (J. Roberts)
2000: 11th (J. Roberts)
1999: 18th
1998: 5th
Third place last year meant a well deserved trip to the Finals themselves for Standish where they came 13th under John Roberts. That should set them up very nicely indeed to do even better this year and we think now that they have added the strenght of Coppull to their title they could well feature highly again.
Dobcross Youth 2003
Conductor: T. Griffiths
Last Nine Years:
2004: 6th (T. Griffiths)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
The great Ted Griffiths continues to unearth and develop generations of new players, and his class of 2003 did him proud last year in coming 6th. A year on, a year more mature and even better as players, they could well feature close to the top of the prize list.
Eaton's Farnsworth and Walkden
Conductor: P. Ashley
Last Nine Years:
2004: 5th (P. Ashley)
2003: 17th in Third Section (rel) (P. Ashley)
2002: 14th (P. Ashley)
2001: DNC
2000: 2nd 4th Section (prom) (P. Ashley)
1999: DNC
1998: 14th (rel)
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Peter Ashley really pulled Eaton's Farnsworth up by their socks last year when they responded to the relegation of the 12 month before with an excellent performance to come home in 5th place. If they have done half as much work again for this year's contest they could well be booking themselves a place in a B&B in Harrogate.
Golborne
Conductor: Shane Foster
Last Nine Years:
2004: 19th Third Section (G.Williams) (rel)
2003: 13th (G. Williams)
2002: DNC
2001: 7th (S. Barton)
2000: 6th (G. Williams)
1999: 7th 4th Section (prom)
1998: 4th 4th Section
1997: 5th 4th Section
1996: DNC
Golborne will be looking to start to reverse the results trend here of the past few years which has seen them drop from coming as high as 6th in the Third Section to relegation last year. They have been here before and have performed well, so let's hope this time sees the start of the recovery.
Greenfield
Conductor: D. Chapman
Last Nine Years:
2004: 13th (D. Chapman)
2003: 13th (D. Chapman)
2002: 18th 3rd Section (rel) (D. Chapman)
2001: 15th 3rd Section (D. Chapman)
2000: DNC
1999: 11th 2nd Section (rel)
1998: 4th 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 12th 3rd Section
1996: 5th 3rd Section
Lucky or unlucky? Two 13th places in the past two years means that Greenfield have more than held their own here. However, they will surely be looking to move closer to the prizes and a top 10 place will be the least of their ambition as they seek to return back to the Third Section.
Hesketh Bank Silver
Conductor: S. Pullin
Last Nine Years:
2004: 12th (S. Pullin)
2003: 8th (S. Pullin)
2002: 12th (S. Pullin)
2001: 4th (S. Foster)
2000: 11th 3rd Section (rel) (B. Taylor)
1999: 13th 3rd Section
1998: 19th 3rd Section
1997: 7th (prom)
1996: 3rd
The talented Stuart Pullen returns once more with Hesketh Bank, and they will be looking to return to the type of form which saw them gain a very good 4th place here in 2001. Sincwe then it has been a bit up and down, with a couple of 12th places in the past three years - including 12 months ago. Back towards the top six or another year in the midfield? We will have to wait and see.
Littleborough Public
Conductor: M. Bailey
Last Year: Debut this year
A return we understand to the Rgional contest for the first time in over 15 years for the band that was in fact formed way back in 1865. They took part this year at the Preston Contest where they came 9th, so they will head here determined to show that after such a long time away they are still contenders.
Oldham (Lees)
Conductor: J. Collins
Last Nine Years:
2004: DNC
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 7th 1st Section (rel) (A. White)
2000: Winners 2nd Section (prom) (A. White)
1999: 2nd 2nd Section
1998: 2nd 3rd Section (prom)
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Oldham returns for the first time we think since 2001 when as the Oldman Brass '97 Band they competed in the First Section. Since then there has been no sign of them, but their website seems to suggest they are now back under this name. We wish them well.
Parr (Richardson Ltd St. Helens)
Conductor: T. Paton
Last Nine Years
2004: 17th (R. Kerwick)
2003: Joint 10th (J. Ludden)
2002: 17th (J. Ludden)
2001: 17th (J. Ludden)
2000: 7th (J. Ludden)
1999: 9th
Timothy Paton leads the assault for Parr this year after they returned back to the bottom of thepack 12 months ago when they 17th under the direction of the popular Bob Kerwick. They have been up and around the top 10 not so long ago, so a return maybe overdue.
Pemberton Old Wigan B
Conductor: P. Ashley
Last Nine Years:
2004: Winners (P. Ashley)
2003: 14th (P. Ashley)
2002: 6th (P. Ashley)
2001: Winners (P. Ashley)
2000: 20th (P. Ashley)
1999: 13th
Peter Ashley returns with his reigning champions, and they will surely be favourites to retain their title this time around once more. Last year they went from the Winter Gardens to come 12th at Harrogate, and we are sure they will be keen to return once more and have another try at winning the National title. They should be there or thereabouts come the results.
Port Sunlight Lyceum Brass
Conductor: C. Dare
Last Year: Debut this year
We may be miles out on this one, but we think that this is the band from the former Port Sunlight works. If they are then they may not have competed for many a year, although their names does appear in the great prize winning book, "The King of Sunlight", the life of William Lever, the soap magnate of the last century who was as mad as he was rich, but was still a good old sort nonetheless.
Rivington and Adlington
Conductor: H. Bentham
Last Nine Years:
2004: 10th (H. Bentham)
2003: 6th (H. Bentham)
2002: 9th (J. Bateson)
2001: 10th (A. Marsh)
2000: 21st (A. Marsh)
1999: 11th
1998: 15th 3rd Section (rel)
1997: DNC
1996: 15th 3rd Section
Rivington just fell off the pace here last year when they couldn't quite push themselves back into the top six once more and they came 10th. That wasn't bad though and showed a great improvement on the form they showed in 2000 when they came 21st! They could well be looking for a return to the form of 2003 though, and we wouldn't want to bet against them.
Tarleton and District Brass
Conductor: G. Bould
Last Nine Years:
2004: 15th (G. Bould)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Nice to see Tarleton return once more for a second succesive appearance at the Winter Gardens. 15th place last year, they will surely come back a better band for that debut and will be looking for a first jump up the prize table.
Uppermill
Conductor: A. Widdop
Last Nine Years:
2004: 2nd (S. Wood)
2003: 12th (J. Hunter)
2002: 14th (J. Hunter)
2001: 13th (J. Hunter)
2000: 22nd (J. Hunter)
1999: 21st
1998: 10th
1997: 14th
1996: 8th
The very experienced Alan Widdop takes over the reins at Uppermill this year as Simon Wood has been a very busy man in Yorkshire this year. He took them to 2nd place 12 months ago and that led the band to the National Finals in Harrogate where they came 9th with Alan at the helm. That experience should put them in good stead for this year, and they should feature highly we think.
Valley Brass (Haydock)
Conductor: R. Waytt
Last Nine Years:
2004: 8th (D. Chadwick)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 8th
2000: 14th
1999: 9th
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Bob Wyatt takes over the helm this year for Valley Brass and after a couple of years away they returned with a fine 8th place - the same as their last appearance in 2001. What will the combination bring this time then?
Past Qualifiers:
2004: Pemberton Old Wigan B, Uppermill, Standish
2003: Trinity Girls, Wardle and District Anderson Brass, Nelson Brass
2002: Timperley, Douglas Town, Wardle and District Anderson Brass, Kirkby Lonsdale
2001: Pemberton Old Wigan B, Nelson Brass
2000: Diggle, Eatons Farnsworth, Blackley
1999: Old Hall Brass, Frieland
1998: Hazel Grove, Haslingdon and Helmshaw Brass
1997: Old Hall Brass, Dobcross, Pilling Jubilee
1996: Manx Concert Brass, Milnrow
1995: Trinity Girls, Lostock Hall Memorial
2004: 9th, 12th, 13th
2003: 1st, 4th, 10th
2002: 2nd, 4th, 14th, 17th
2001: 9th, 14th
2000: 5th, 12th, 17th
1999: 6th, 14th
1998: 2nd, 9th
As always with the Fourth Section there must be a fair degree of guesswork (what's new we hear you cry)that must go on when we try to make our predictions. Come to think of it, that is why we call them 'dodgy' to start off with.
Still, there is a feeling here that it could very well be a bit of a re run of 2003, what with last year's winners, runners up and third placed band once more returning to see if they can yet again book themselves into a nice hotel in Harrogate.
We think they may not be too far away either, although there may be one or two others who may want to spoil thier chances.
Still ,we think it could well be a battle between the likes of Uppermill, Pemberton and the newly combined Standish bands for the top three places, whilst behind them the likes of Rivington, Valley Brass and Dobcross Youth 2003 should feature highly. Or dark horse is something of a romantic choice after the great book, and we go for Port Sunlight to do us proud.
1. Uppermill
2. Pemberton Old Wigan B
3. Coppull and Standish
4. Dobross Youth 2003
5. Rivington and Adlington
6. Valley Brass (Haydock)
Dark Horse: Port Sunlight
