2007 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Second Section
26-Feb-2007Which of the 11 bands here will be celebrating ‘carnival’ style come the announcement of the results?
Date: Sunday 4th March
Adjudicator: C. Brian Buckley & David Horsfield
Test Piece: Carnival – Helen Perkin
Commences: 1.45pm
Draw: 12 noon
Chapeltown Silver Prize
Conductor: Toby Bannan
Last 11 Years:
2006: 12th in First Section (rel) (P. Shaw)
2005: 13th (D. Renshaw)
2004: 15th in Championship Section (rel) (I. Scott)
2003: 4th in First Section (prom) (Andrew Holland)
2002: 3rd in First Section (A. Dennis)
2001: 3rd in First Section (A. Dennis)
2000: 10th in First Section (D. Neil)
1999: 4th in First Section
1998: 9th in First Section
1997: 8th in First Section
1996: 8th in First Section
Chapeltown will be keen to stop the rot of recent years that has seen them drop from the highs of the Championship Section in 2004 to the Second Section this year.
They certainly were off the pace last year when they came 12th in the First Section but they have teamed up with the talented Toby Bannan, the former star bass trombonist at YBS, Grimethorpe and Fodens amongst others. He is a real conducting gem who did so much to resurrect the Dinnington Band. Hopefully his Irish brand of musicianship will do the trick here too.
Dinnington Colliery
Conductor: Kenneth Vernon
Last 11 Years:
2006: 10th (T. Bannan)
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
Kenneth Vernon takes over the reins from Toby Bannan and will be keen to make a mark with his new charges straight away. He has a good base to work from too and the band more than held their own despite being short on numbers last year on the stage.
Then they showed plenty of character and Yorkshire grit and if they can do that once more then things could be looking up.
Frickley/South Elmsall
Conductor: David Nichols
Last 11 Years:
2006: 4th (D. Nichols)
2005: 9th (B. Morton)
2004: 9th (J. Wade)
2003: 5th (J. Wade)
2002: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (J. Wade)
2001: 5th in Third Section (I. Scott)
2000: 9th in Second Section (rel) (D. Horn)
1999: 12th
1998: Winners in Third Section (prom)
1997: 5th in Third Section
1996: 10th in Third Section
David Nichols really pulled something out of the bag last year when they leapt five places up the prize list to just miss out on a podium finish. They were pretty good value for that (and had a brilliantly entertaining, and very good percussionist on show too).
They also produced a good account of themselves at Butlins in coming 7th, so they may well fancy their chances this year of a trip to Harrogate.
Horbury Victoria
Conductor: Bob Walker
Last 11 Years:
2006: Winners of Third Section (prom) (B. Walker)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: DNC (rel)
2003: 10th (Ian Shires)
2002: 2nd in Second Section (prom)
2001: 2nd in Second Section
2000: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1999: 10th in Third Section
1998: 7th in Third Section
1997: 6th in Third Section
1996: 8th in Third Section
What a return to the Bradford contest stage last year for Bob Walker and his band as they claimed the Third Section title with a fine performance on a very difficult test piece. They went on to just miss out on a top six place at Harrogate, but showed plenty of promise in the process.
It is a step up though in class, but the MD has bags of experience and knowledge and if they have improved further they should more than hold their own.
Kippax
Conductor: Keith Wardle
Last 11 Years:
2006: 8th (K. Wardle)
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 in Championship (rel)
1997: 11th in Championship
1996: 2nd in First Section (prom)
Kippax may have fallen away here a little in the last couple of years but Keith Wardle and his band are still ones to look out for come the results. 8th last year was a touch disappointing perhaps, but they went for speed and it cost them dearly.
At Pontins though they hit the tempo on the head and came away as champions and nearly made it a double at Butlins too. With that in mind they should more than fancy their chances of at least booking a place in Harrogate later in the year.
Meltham & Meltham Mills
Conductor: Stuart Fawcett
Last 11 Years:
2006: 2nd (S. Fawcett)
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 in Third Section (prom)
1998: 4th in Third Section
1997: 13th (rel)
1996: 11th
Given that Meltham must be well fed up of drawing first at this contest (last year saw them draw Kelly's Eye for the sixth consecutive year) they still did remarkably well in coming runners up with a competent showing under the intelligent direction of Stuart Fawcett.
They went on to come 15th at Harrogate, so they will be keen to return there once more and provide a sterner assault at the title. Just a touch of luck at the draw then…
Slaithwaite
Conductor: Barry Hudson
Last 11 Years:
2006: 5th (B. Hudson)
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 in Fourth Section (prom)
Barry Hudson and his famous old band did well in coming 5th here last year with a performance that had its moments after a weak start and they will be keen to continue to show that they are an outfit moving in the right direction.
More of the same would be a good return, but we think they may be aiming even higher.
Strata Brass
Conductor: David Hirst
Last 11 Years:
2006: 9th (D. Hirst)
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
David Hirst is back to direct Strata Brass and they had a pretty decent contesting year last year although they didn't really set the world on fire here in coming 9th.
If they can eradicate the high error count that so blighted their efforts last time out then they could well feature, as the MD is sure to bring a touch of musicality to proceedings.
Wakefield Metropolitan
Conductor: Russell Gray
Last 11 Years:
2006: 3rd (R. Gray)
2005: 12th in First Section (rel) (R. Gray)
2004: 9th (B. Dyson)
2003: 5th (B. Dyson)
2002: Winners of First Section (B. Dyson)
2001: 11th (B. Dyson)
2000: 9th (B. Dyson)
1999: 5th
1998: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1997: 4th 2nd Section
1996: 6th 1st Section (rel)
The intelligent approach of Russell Gray (the taller one not the short one) paid dividends for Wakefield last year as they came a deserved 3rd with a performance of real merit.
More of that will do just fine, and they showed that they are a band moving in the right direction after coming in the prizes at Pontins late last year. Ones to watch out for then?
West Yorkshire Police
Conductor: Captain G. Clegg
Last 11 Years:
2006: 12th in First Section (rel) (Cpt. G. Clegg)
2005: 2nd in Second Section (prom) (B. Thompson)
2004: 4th (B. Thompson)
2003: 6th (B. Thompson)
2002: 5th (B. Thompson)
2001: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (B. Thompson)
2000: 5th in Third Section
1999: 6th in Third Section
1998: N/K
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
West Yorkshire Police found life in the First Section a bit tough last year and we think they won't be too disappointed by the fact that they were relegated back to the Second Section.
At this level they have been consistent challengers and they should prove that again this year if they can regroup under their MD.
Wetherby & District
Conductor: Glynn Kearsley
Last 11 Years:
2006: 7th (G. Kearsley)
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 of Fourth Section (prom) (G. Kearsley)
1999: 7th in Fourth Section
1998: 5th in Fourth Section
1997: 6th in Fourth Section
1996: 7th in Fourth Section
Glyn Kearsley and his band produced a pretty brave account of themselves last year in coming just outside the top six . Another result like that would be further evidence that they continue to improve at this level, although they would surely like to push closer to a podium place at least as they did in 2005.
A dark horse perhaps?
Past Qualifiers:
2006: Grange Moor, Meltham & Meltham Mills
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:
2006: 7th, 15th
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 used to do very well come the finals – but not so in the last couple of years and last year both qualifiers didn't really make an impression.
That said, Kippax do look on paper to be the band to beat and we think that if they show the type of form that was certainly on parade at Butlins they could well win in style and with something to spare. Who will join them there though is a different matter, but we have a feeling that it could well be a scrap between Meltham, Wakefield and Frickley South Elmsall with Starta and Horbury close behind. Wetherby are our dark horse.
1. Kippax
2. Meltham & Meltham Mills
3. Wakefield Metropolitan
4. Frickley South Elmsall
5. Strata Brass
6. Horbury Victoria
Dark Horses: Wetherby and District
