2006 Yorkshire Regional Championships - Second Section

With all the problems that have been associated with the test piece this year, the bands who gain qualification will have certainly done it the hard way.

Date: Sunday 5th March
Adjudicator: Ian Brownbill and Chris Wormald
Test Piece: Images of the Millennium – Howard Snell
Commences: 9.30am
Draw: 8.30am

No photo? Please send a JPEG to:  general@4barsrest.com stating the conductors name, your band, your region and section. 

Dinnington Colliery
Conductor: Toby Bannan

Last Ten Years:
2005: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (T. Bannan)
2004: 3rd (T. Bannan)
2003: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (T. Bannan)
2002: 4th (T. Bannan)
2001: 4th (T. Bannan)
2000: 8th (D. Fretwell)
1999: 4th

Toby Bannan is a very gifted young conductor who has certainly turned around the fortunes of Dinnington Colliery in the past few years, and they gained their second promotion in three years after coming 3rd here last year in the Third Section.  They were a little way off the pace in Butlins earlier this year where they came 14th, but that may have been due to late player withdrawals and the MD bashing his hand in at work! If the hard work has been put in at the bandroom though they should more than hold their own here. 

Frickley/South Elmsall
Conductor: D. Nichols

Last Ten Years:
2005: 9th (B. Morton)
2004: 9th (J. Wade)
2003: 5th (J. Wade)
2002: 3rd 3rd Section (prom) (J. Wade)
2001: 5th 3rd Section (I. Scott)
2000: 9th 2nd Section (rel) (D. Horn)
1999: 12th
1998: Winners 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 5th 3rd Section
1996: 10th 3rd Section

Another new man at the helm at Frickley this year at the contest, but it looks as if the combination may be working well as they put in a fine performance at Butlins to come home in 4th place against a pretty strong line up of bands. Could that signal a move up the prize list and see them breaking into the top six or even a qualification place? 

Grange Moor
Conductor: Duncan Beckley

Last Ten Years:
2005: Winners of Third Section (prom) (D. Beckley)
2004: Winners Fourth Section (prom) (M. Early)
2003: 2nd (G. Hallas)

Certainly a band moving in the right direction, and who would bet against them making it four consecutive trips to Harrogate this year? Duncan Beckley remains at the helm and his enthusiasm and detailed approach should once again prove beneficial. It is another step up in class though and they only managed 10th in Harrogate, so maybe not this year again then?    

Kippax
Conductor: Keith Wardle

Last Ten Years:
2005: 10th in First Section (rel) (J. Davies)
2004: 10th (I. Colley)
2003: 8th (I. Colley)
2002: 2nd (I. Colley)
2001: 7th (I. Colley)
2000: 9th (I. Colley)
1999: 6th
1998: 11th Championship (rel)
1997: 11th Championship
1996: 2nd 1st Section (prom)

Kippax may have been disappointed last year to lose their place in the First Section, but it hasn't worked ou as badly as they may have first thought. Keith Wardle has reinvigorated the band and they showed that to fine effect at Butlins where they won the Second Section title. That should mean confidence will be high, and it may well not be misplaced.  

Meltham & Meltham Mills
Conductor: Stuart Fawcett

Last Ten Years:
2005: 6th (S. Fawcett)
2004: 11th (S. Fawcett)
2003: 4th (S. Fawcett)
2002: 6th (S. Fawcett)
2001: 5th (S. Fawcett)
2000: 10th (D. Chapman)
1999: 7th 3rd Section (prom)
1998: 4th 3rd Section
1997: 13th (rel)
1996: 11th

One of the great old names of British banding returned to something like their old form here last year after the real disappointment of 2004. Stuart Fawcett continues to do excellent work with the band and makes the most of his resources wherever he goes. Another top six place should be well within their capabilities, but they could also just push into the podium places too.   

Rockingham
Conductor: Frank Hoyland

Last Ten Years:
2005: 7th (F. Hoyland)
2004: 5th (F. Hoyland)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Frank Hoyland has done splendid work with Rockingham to resurrect them in the past couple of years. They have not been out of place at the contest either and put in another solid performance last year to gain 7th spot.  Butlins saw them come 6th in a pretty strong field so that should give the that extra bit of confidence to push for a possible qualification place this time.  

Slaithwaite
Conductor: Barry Hudson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 2nd in Third Section (prom) (B. Hudson)
2004: 2nd (B. Hudson)
2003: 8th (K. Lever)
2002: 7th (K. Lever)
2001: 4th (K. Lever)
2000: 9th (K. Lever)
1999: 9th
1998: 12th
1997: 3rd
1996: 3rd 4th Section (prom)

One of the real famous names in Yorkshire banding is continuing to enjoy a renaissance under the baton of Barry Hudson and last year they came runners up in the Third Section here and went on to come 15th off an early draw in Harrogate. Promotion means a step in class though, but they should have enough about them to more than hold their own if recent form is anything to go by.    

South Yorkshire Police
Conductor: Andrew Dennis

Last Ten Years:
2005: 5th (A. Dennis)
2004: 3rd (A. Dennis)
2003: 8th (N. Horne)
2002: 4th (D. Lever)
2001: 10th 1st Section (rel) (D. Lever)
2000: 6th 1st Section (D. Lever)
1999: 4th (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 7th
1996: 7th

The lads and lasses from the South Yorkshire Police just missed out last year on a trip to Harrogate in 2004 and just fell away a little last year when they came 5th. Andrew Dennis gets a lot out of his band though and as regular contesters they always come to the stage well prepared. Another top six place could well on the cards especially after they won the East Derby contest by 4 clear points in February.  

Strata Brass
Conductor: David Hirst

Last Ten Years:
2005: 3rd (K. Wadsworth)
2004: 7th (D. Horn)
2003: 7th (D. Horn)
2002: 8th (D. Horn)
2001: 4th (D. Moore)
2000: 8th (D. Moore)
1999: N/K
1998: N/K
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Strata has been one of the most consistent bands to take to the stage here and under the baton of the experienced Kevin Wadsworth they upped their form and only just missed out on a trip to the National Finals. The equally experienced David Hirst takes over this year and that could well mean more of the same or even better as he is one man who knows what is required in preparing a band for a contest.  

Wakefield Metropolitan
Conductor: Russell Gray

Last Ten Years:
2005: 12th in First Section (rel) (R. Gray)
2004: 9th (B. Dyson)
2003: 5th (B. Dyson)
2002: Winners (B. Dyson)
2001: 11th (B. Dyson)
2000: 9th (B. Dyson) 
1999: 5th
1998: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
1997: 4th 2nd Section
1996: 6th 1st Section (rel)

Wakefield Metropolitan return to the Second Section this year and will be hoping that they have at last halted the slide which has seen them go from winners in the First Section in 2002 to 12th place last year and a drop through the relegation trap door.  Russell Gray (not the Leyland MD) continues to work hard with the band though and they are due a bit of better fortune here. Hopefully this will be the year.  

Wetherby & District
Conductor: Glynn Kearsley

Last Ten Years:
2005: 4th (G. Kearsley)
2004: 12th (G. Kearsley)
2003: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (G. Kearsley)
2002: 4th (G. Kearsley)
2001: 6th (G. Kearsley)
2000: Winners 4th Section (prom) (G. Kearsley)
1999: 7th 4th Section
1998: 5th 4th Section
1997: 6th 4th Section
1996: 7th 4th Section

Wetherby certainly made an impression here last year when Glyn Kearsley took them into 4th place and continued the remarkable rise up through the ranks that started when they returned to contesting after a year long break in 1999.  If they can continue with that type of progress this year they could well be making arrangements to book themselves in hotel rooms in Harrogate before the weekend is out.     

Past Qualifiers:

2005: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Police
2004: Yorkshire Building Society Concert, Barnsley Building Society
2003: Old Silkstone, Hatfield Coal Power
2002: Hade Edge, Horbury Victoria
2001: Knottingly Silver, Hade Edge
2000: Pennine Brass, Knottingly Silver
1999: Holme Silver, Stannington
1998: Wakefield Metropolitan, YBS Concert Brass
1997: Todmorden Old, YBS Concert Brass
1996: Rothwell Temperance, Tingley Thornhill
1995: Hade Edge, South Yorkshire Police

Yorkshire bands at the Finals:

2005: 9th, 14th
2004: 2nd, 7th
2003: 1st, 13th
2002: 1st, 14th
2001: 4th, 5th
2000: 2nd, 9th
1999: 1st, 13th
1998: 4th, 15th

4BR Prediction:
Whoever wins here tends to do rather well come the Finals themselves in Harrogate (3 wins and 2 seconds in the past seven years) although last year was a real disappointment with the two qualifiers coming in 9th and 14th, the lowest placings for a decade or more.

This is a hard one to call, although if recent form is anything to go by Kippax should be confident of doing well and possibly taking the title to go with their recent Butlins success.  Frickley South Elmshall, Strata and Rockingham should push them all the way, whilst the remaining top six places could well go to Wetherby and District and Slaithwaite. Our dark horses are Wakefield, as we think they are due a good slice of fortune.

1. Kippax
2. Strata
3. Rockingham
4. Frickley/South Elmshall
5. Wetherby and District
6. Slaithwaite

Dark Horses: Wakefield Metropolitan

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