2006 North of England Regional Championships - Fourth Section

Some new faces boost the Fourth Section this year up to 11 bands and they will have to impress the composer himself on his own test piece.

Sunday 19th March
Adjudicator: Alan Fernie
Test Piece: Anglian Dances – Alan Fernie
Commences: 10.00am
Draw: 9.00am 

Barnard Castle
Conductor: G. Hutchinson

Last Ten Years:
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 11th (I. Johnson)
2002: DNC
2001: 6th 1st Section (rel) (G. Hutchinson)
2000: 8th 1st Section
1999: N/K
1998: 6th 1st Section
1997: 3rd 1st Section
1996: N/K

Hopefully Barnard Castle will make it back to the contest this year as they have been missing for the past two years. A fine name in the banding world in this neck of the woods, it would be great to see them back once more.  

Barton Town
Conductor: M. Bentham

Last Ten Years:
Barton return to the contest after a number of years away we are told and they return under the baton of Mark Bentham.  Hopefully it will be the first of many performances here to come for the band from North Lincolnshire.

Barrow Concert
Conductor: A. Garbutt

Last Ten Years:
2005: 5th (A. Garbutt)
2004: 3rd (A. Garbutt)
2003: DNC (rel)
2002: 8th in Third Section (J. Kendall)
2001: 7th in Second Section (rel) (J. Kendall)
2000: 8th in Second Section (J. Moore)
1999: N/K
1998: 5th in Second Section
1997: Winners in Third Section (prom)
1996: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)

Barrow just missed out on a trip to Harrogate in 2004 but fell away a touch in 2205 when they came 5th. Hopefully this test piece will be more to their fancy and they can once again push for a qualification place.   

Bearpark and Esh
Conductor:

Last Ten Years:
2005: 4th (A. Hall)
2004: 8th Third Section (rel) (A. Hall)
2003: 9th (T. Minnis)
2002: 6th (B. Oxlee)
2001: 2nd 4th Section (prom) (J. Foxcroft)
2000: 3rd 4th Section (A. Hall)
1999: Winners 4th Section
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

No news as yet to who is taking Bearpark at the contest, but whoever it is will be looking to improve on last years solid achievement when they came in 4th place. If they can do that them a possible qualification place may well be their reward.  

Craghead Colliery
Conductor: John Robson

Last Ten Years:
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 14th (R. Wallace)
2002: 4th
2001: 12th
2000: DIS
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

The band formerly known as Sacriston Colliery return this year under the new name of Craghead Colliery, which has caused a bit of a stir up here as it was the former name of the Reg Vardy Band (who then went on to be Ever Ready and then Reg Vardy, so what's in a name eh?). Its always nice to see a band return to the contest areana whatever they are called, so we wish them well.  

Dalton Town
Conductor: M. Latimer

Last Ten Years:
A debut for the band that hails from near Barrow in Furness. Nice to see new faces at the contest and as with the other debutantes we hope it is the first of many more to come. 

Dunston Silver
Conductor: S. Murrill

Last Ten Years:
2005: 2nd (A. Seymour)
2004: 10th (A. Seymour)
2003: 9th (A. Seymour)
2002: 9th (A. Seymour)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Bobbling along a bit around the bottom for a few years, they picked up their form in great style last year and came home in 2nd place, booking themselves a place at Harrogate into the bargain. There they came 15th, and we think they will be keen as mustard to make it back once more.  

Kirkby Lonsdale
Conductor: A. Greenwood

Last Ten Years:
2005: 10th in Third Section (rel) (A. Greenwood)
2004: 9th (A. Greenwood)
2003: 6th in Fourth Section (prom) (A. Greenwood)
2002: 2nd (A. Greenwood)
2001: DNC
2000: 8th (A. Greenwood)
1999: N/K
1998: 6th 3rd Section (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Kirby Lonsdale dropped through the relegation trap door last year after coming 10th here in the Third Section. They have shown in the past that they are more than capable of doing well at this level and they may well feel confident of doing that this time around once more.   

Marske Brass
Conductor: A. Prest

Last Ten Years:
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 10th (M. Fowles)
2002: 11th  (A. Prest)
2001: 7th in Third Section (rel) (A. Prest)
2000: 9th (A. Prest)

Hopefully 2006 will see a return to the contest stage of Marske who last competed here in 2003 under the baton of Michael Fowles. If they do make it, we wish them well.

Stanhope Silver
Conductor: Steve Robson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 7th (S. Robson)
2004: 9th (S. Robson)
2003: 4th (S. Robson)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: 10th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

The excellent Steve Robson takes the reins at Stanhope once more and we are sure he will be looking to up their form a bit and try and gain one of those qualification places that are on offer. Talented bloke Steve and we think some of that may well rub off on his band this year and a return to the top six at least should be on the cards.  

Trimdon Concert
Conductor: A. Holmes

Last Ten Years:
2005: 6th (A. Holmes)
2004: 7th (A. Holmes)
2003: 12th (A. Holmes)
2002: 5th (G. Vardy)
2001: 10th (B. Wright)
2000: 13th (B. Wright)
1999: 2nd
1998: 10th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Trimdon are starting to make solid progress under the baton of their talented MD and for the past three years they have improved upon their position here. If they can do that again this time then they may well be looking at a possible trip to Harrogate.  

Past Qualifiers:

2005: Five Rivers Brass, Dunston Silver
2004: Billingham Silver, Durham Constabulary
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:

2005: 14th, 15th
2004: 16th, 17th
2003: 5th, 20th
2002: 16th, 17th
2001: 8th, 15th
2000: 8th, 20th
1999: 8th, 9th
1998: 13th, 15th

4BR Prediction:

As we have said, this should prove to be an enjoyable contest for both players and adjudicator alike, as ‘Anglian Dances' is a great piece and all the bands we have heard on it so far have put in pretty good performances.  Of the bands here though a few do stand out and should be able to battle it out for the qualification places. 

Dunston have the look about them to get back to Harrogate once more, whilst they should be joined by Bearpark and Esh. Behind them it could well be a battle between Stanhope, Trimdon, Barrow and Kirkby Lonsdale. Our dark horses are the newly named Sacriston Colliery now Craghead, although Barton Town could be ones to look out for.

1. Dunston
2. Bearpark and Esh
3. Stanhope
4. Trimdon
5. Barrow Concert
6. Kirkby Lonsdale

Dark Horse: Craghead Colliery

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