2006 Scottish Regional Championships - Third Section

It’s all about entertainment in the Third Section, but entertainment with a twist or two from the pen of Gilbert Vinter. It should make for an enjoyable contest then.

Saturday 11th March
Adjudicators: John Maines and Raymond Tennant
Test Piece: Entertainments – Gilbert Vinter
Commences: 2.25pm after Second Section
Draw: N/K

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

Broxburn Silver
Conductor: Colin McKenzie

Last Ten Years:
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (J. Anderson)
2004: DNC
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 10th 3rd Section (rel) (G. Kennedy)
2000: 10th 3rd Section (G. Kennedy)
1999: 4th 3rd Section
1998: 9th 3rd Section
1997: 7th 3rd Section
1996: 6th 3rd Section

What a fantastic return to the contesting arena for Broxburn Silver last year. After three years away from the contest they came back in brilliant style by winning the Fourth Section here and then going on to the National Finals and coming 9th. Colin Mckenzie has done a wonderful job with the band and he will be hoping they can make a mark here too this year. We are sure they can. 

Buckhaven & Methil Miners
Conductor: Robert McDonald

Last Ten Years:
2005: 10th (R. McDonald)
2004: 4th (R. McDonald)
2003: 10th (B. Fraser)
2002: 6th (A. Fernie)
2001: 3rd (A. Fernie)
2000: 8th (A. Fernie)
1999: 5th
1998: 10th
1997: 2nd 4th Section (prom)
1996: 4th 4th Section

Buckhaven and Methil have been a bit up and own here in recent years, but if they are playing to some sort of trend then 2006 should see them come back in the top six at least. Last year they fell away somewhat to come home in 10th place and we think that must have been a real disappointment. Lets hope they are back in form this year then.   

Campbeltown Brass
Conductor: Craig Anderson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 6th (C. Anderson)
2004: 6th (R. Farmer)
2003: 7th (G. Evans)
2002: 10th (G. Evans)
2001: DNC
2000: 6th 2nd Section (rel) (G. Evans)
1999: 10th 2nd Section
1998: 6th 2nd Section
1997: 6th 2nd Section
1996: 2nd (prom)

The talented Mr Anderson will be a busy boy this weekend once again, but he will fancy his chances of doing well with his band here as they have shown themselves to be strong contenders in the past few years. They came 5th in the Scottish Challenge Cup off a number 1 draw, so they should hope for something better out of the hat to give them that extra chance of doing well.  

Coalburn Silver
Conductor: Gareth Bowman

Last Ten Years:
2005: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom) (G. Bowman)
2004: 4th (G. Bowman)
2003: 6th (D. Grey)
2002: 8th (D. Grey)
2001: DNC
2000: 8th (E. Kerr)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

South Lanarkshire's Coalburn Silver Band coud well be ones to look out for come results time, as in the Scottish Challenge Cup late last year they came a very creditable 6th place against a number of bands here. They were runners up in the Fourth Section last year to gain promotion and came a fine 7th place at the Finals in Harrogate. A bit of a dark horse maybe?   

Dunfermline Town
Conductor: David Neil

Last Ten Years:
2005: 9th (S. Duncan)
2004: Winners Fourth Section (S. Duncan) (prom)
2003: 8th 3rd Section (S. Duncan)
2002: 7th (S. Duncan)
2001: 11th (S. Duncan)
2000: 3rd (S. Duncan)
1999: 7th
1998: 5th
1997: 3rd
1996: 10th

Another of the Fife bands on show here, Dunfermline have a record of achievement that goes way back and includes appearances here since 1977. They won the Fourth Section in 2004 and found their feet last year when they came 9th under the direction of David Neil. A fine 3rd place at the Scottish Challenge Cup contest though will have filled them with confidence and they will eb looking to make a real mark here as well.  

Irvine and Dreghorn Brass
Conductor: D. McKellar

Last Ten Years:
2005: 11th (D. McKellar)
2004: 3rd (J. Boax)
2003: 6th 2nd Section (J. Boax) (rel)
2002: 10th 2nd Section (J. Boax)
2001: DNC
2000: 4th 2nd Section (J. Boax)
1999: 6th 2nd Section
1998: 2nd 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 7th 2nd Section (rel)
1996: 11th 2nd Section

Irvine and Dreghorn will be coming to the contest hoping to gain a good result this year to banish any thoughts of possible relegation. 11th place last year was a real dip in their form here after coming 3rd in 2004 and they were competing well in the Second Section just a short while ago. Lets hope the new MD/Band combination can put things back on track then.   

MacTaggart Scott Loanhead
Conductor: Alan Fernie

Last Ten Years:
2005: 8th (A. Fernie)
2004: 5th (A. Fernie)
2003: 5th (A. Fernie)
2002: 5th (A. Fernie)
2001: 7th (D. McLeod)
2000: 11th (G. Williamson)
1999: 3rd
1998: 4th
1997: 5th
1996: 3rd

Alan Fernie has taken the band here in the last four years, and they will be looking to return to the type of form they showed in the three years up until last year – three 5th places on the trot.  8th place wasn't a disaster by any means but they did fall to 9th place at the Scottish Challenge Cup contest late last year.  They have shown they can do very well here in the past and they will be looking to see if they can add another Regional title to the one they won here in the Fourth Section in 1992.  

Newland Concert Brass (Bathgate)
Conductor: Mark Bell

Last Ten Years:
2005: 4th (M. Bell)
2004: 2nd Fourth Section (M. Bell) (prom)
2003: DNC
2002: 10th (W. Smith)
2001: 8th (W. Smith)
2000: 12th 3rd Section (rel) (W. Smith)
1999: 7th 3rd Section
1998: 11th 2nd Section (rel)
1997: 10th 2nd Section
1996: 9th 2nd Section

From Bathgate in West Lothian, Newlands Concert Brass has been competing here since 1990 and in that time has gone up as far as the Second Section and fallen back down to the Fourth. Mark Bell has certainly revived them in recent years though and they made an excellent impression here last year in coming 4th. More of that would be great, although they may just have to up their form from the 7th place they took at the Scottish Challenge Cup.  

Peebles Burgh
Conductor: Derek Broadbent

Last Ten Years:
2005: 5th (D. Broadbent)
2004: DNC
2003: 2nd Fourth Section (D. Broadbent) (prom)
2002: 5th (D. O'Connor)
2001: 10th (W. Smith)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Peebles return again this year under the direction of Derek Broadbent no less who certainly enjoyed himself last year amongst friends when he and the band came a well merited 4th. With such an experienced man at the helm they should do well again here this time and a push for a Finals place may well be on the cards.   

Perthshire Brass
Conductor: G. Annan

Last Ten Years:
2005: 7th (G. Annan)
2004: 7th (G. Annan)
2003: 9th (G. Annan)
2002: 8th (G. Annan)
2001: 8th (G. Annan)
2000: 10th 2nd Section (rel) (G. Annan)
1999: 8th 2nd Section
1998: 8th 2nd Section
1997: 4th
1996: 10th 2nd Section (rel)

Perthshire has a good consistent record here over the past few years - just outside the top six places since they were relegated from the Second Section in 2000. They have been coming to the contest since 1982 and have one regional title to their name when they won this section back in 1993. No other victories since then, but as they showed in coming 7th for a second successive year they shouldl be there or thereabouts the top six come results time.    

Renfrew Burgh
Conductor: David Hutchinson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 12th in Second Section (rel) (D. Hutchinson)
2004: 11th (E. Drysdale)
2003: 4th (C. Keenan)
2002: 5th (C. Keenan)
2001: 4th (C. Keenan)
2000: 5th (C. Keenan)
1999: 10th
1998: Winners 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 8th 3rd Section
1996: 5th 3rd Section

Renfrew will be keen to stop the slide of late this year as they return to the Third Section after six years in the Second. Sometimes relegation can be a good thing rather than a bad thing and hopefully it will give the band a chance to compete at a level it is much more comfortable at as last year they did struggle somewhat.  The revival starts here then.

Tullis Russell (The Papermakers) Mills
Conductor: Alan Morrison

Last Ten Years:
2005: 3rd (D. Neil)
2004: 8th (D. Neil)
2003: 11th 2nd Section (D.Neil) (rel)
2002: 8th (S. Barker)
2001: 2nd 3rd Section (prom) (S. Barker)
2000: 6th (J. Morahan)
1999: 7th 2nd Section (rel)
1998: 12th
1997: 10th 1st Section (rel)
1996: 8th 1st Section

The band to beat if local gossip is anything to go by. You can't fault the ambition either as they opt for Alan Morrison no less to head their challenge. He has a hard act to follow after they came 3rd last year and then went on to come runners up at the Scottish Challenge Cup contest in Glasgow late last year. Mr Morrison will bring all his experience to bear and if his players respond they could be up there come the results.  

Past Qualifiers:

2005: Shott's St. Patrick's, Selkirk Silver
2004: St. Davids Brass, Jedforest Instrumental
2003: Lochgelly, St. Ronan's
2002: Shotts St. Patrick's Brass, Arbroath Instrumental
2001: Clydebank Burgh, Tullis Russell Mills
2000: Livingston Brass, Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass
1999: Turriff Silver, City of Discovery Brass
1998: Renfrew Burgh, Irvine and Dreghorn
1997: Kepston Q Fab Whitburn Brass, Annan Town
1996: Kilmarnock Concert Brass, Campbeltown Brass
1995: Barrhead and District, Newland Concert

Scottish bands at the Finals:

2005: 11th, 16th
2004: 10th, 16th
2003: 12th, 13th
2002: 12th, 14th
2001: 12th, 15th
2000: 1st, 2nd
1999: 5th, 14th
1998: 3rd, 17th

4BR Prediction:

Bands qualifying for the National Finals haven't really been making much of a mark in recent year (the last winners was back in 1999) and the representatives from Scotland can only boast one top ten place since then.

Of the bands here if the Morrison factor has worked then Tullis Russell Mills could be the band to beat. Others may disagree though and the likes of Campbeltown Brass and Dunfermline should challenge strongly. We also like the look of Broxburn who seem to be on a roll and Coalburn could feature in the top six with McTaggart Scott Loanhead.  Peebles are our dark horse.

1. Tullis Russell Mills
2. Coalburn
3. Campbeltown Brass
4. Dunfermline Town
5. Broxburn
6. McTaggart Scott Loanhead 

Dark Horse: Peebles

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