2007 Welsh Regional Championship - Third Section

The Welsh enjoy a good bit of jubilation if we ever win a rugby game, but given that may be impossible this year, which band will leave Swansea full of the joys of Spring?

Saturday 17th March
Adjudicators: Geoffrey Whitham
Test Piece: Prelude & Jubilate – Darrol Barry

Commences: 11.30am
Draw: 10.30am

Blaenavon Town
Conductor: Andrew Jones 

Last 11 Years:
2006: 4th (A. Hathaway)
2005: 9th in Second Section (rel) (M. Jones)
2004: 10th (G. Edwards)
2003: 4th (B. Davies)
2002: Winners of Third Section (prom) (B. Davies)
2001: 4th in Third Section (B. Davies)
2000: 6th in Third Section (B. Davies)
1999: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)
1998: N/K in Fourth Section
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

No Alun Hathaway at the helm for Blaenavon this year and that is a real pity as he has brought some good times back to the band from the World Heritage site town. They were 3rd in the Second Section at Treorchy and won the Third Section at the National Eisteddfod.

Whoever picks up the baton though will enjoy a band on something of a roll and in a small field here they could well fancy their chances of winning the section again for the first time since 2002.  

Goodwick Brass
Conductor: Gareth Ritter

Last 11 Years:
2006: 4th in Fourth Section (G. Ritter) (prom)
2005: 8th (G. Lane)
2004: 2nd (D. Wheeler)
2003: 9th (D. Wheeler)
2002: 8th (D. Wheeler)
2001: 7th (D. Wheeler)
2000: DNC
1999: 15th
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Gareth Ritter continues to develop a very compact and well drilled band at Goodwick and they deserved their promotion up form the Fourth Section after they came 4th last year in what was a high class contest. Hopefully he has continued to unearth some fine young players and they can build once more with a solid performance here.  

Harlech
Conductor: Carwyn Evans

Last 11 Years:
2006: 6th (C. Evans)
2005: DNC
2004: 8th (H. Evans)
2003: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (H. Evans)
2002: 9th in Third Section (rel) (H. Evans)
2001: 9th in Third Section (H. Evans)
2000: 11th in Third Section (H. Evans)
1999: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Harlech produced a solid enough performance here last year in coming 6th and will surely be looking for more of the same or better this time around. They were a touch unlucky at the end of last year to draw number 1 at Pontins and come 16th, but that may have given them a solid foundation to work from for this contest.   

Llwydcoed
Conductor: Alan Davies

Last 11 Years:
2006: Winners of Fourth Section (A. Davies) (prom)
2005: 2nd (A. Davies)
2004: 12th (A. Davies)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: 14th
1998: N/K
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Alan Davies and his Llwydcoed band were excellent value for their win in the Fourth Section last year and went on to come an even better 3rd at the National Finals in Harrogate too. That must have filled them with tremendous confidence and they will head here looking for another good result.  

Ogmore Valley
Conductor: Ivor Barnett

Last 11 Years:
2006: 8th (I. Barnett)
2005: 5th (I. Barnett)
2004: 3rd (I. Barnett)
2003: 2nd (I. Barnett)
2002: 11th (T. Charlton)
2001: 10th (T. Charlton)
2000: 10th 3rd Section (rel) (T. Charlton)
1999: 8th 3rd Section
1998: 13th 3rd Section
1997: 6th 3rd Section
1996: N/K

The vastly experienced Ivor Barnett continues to do some wonderful work with Ogmore Valley and although they have just fallen off the pace a little in the past few years they still have enough quality about then to put up a stern challenge this weekend.    5th place in Second Section late last year in Treorchy. 

Porthaethwy Menai Bridge
Conductor: C. Williams

Last 11 Years:
2006: 7th (C. Williams)
2005: 4th (C. Williams)
2004: 5th (G. Saynor)
2003: 3rd in Fourth Section (prom) (C. Williams)
2002: 2nd in Fourth Section (G. Saynor)
2001: 8th in Fourth Section (P. Jones)
2000: DNC
1999: 9th in Third Section (rel)
1998: 7th in Third Section
1997: 6th in Third Section
1996: N/K

Porthaethwy Menai Bridge started 2007 pretty well in coming 5th at Brass at the Guild Hall and if they can repeat that kind of form here this weekend they could well push for a podium place or better. They have been there or thereabouts in recent years so could this be the time to do it? 2nd in Second Section at the North Wales Championship as well as Third Section winners.

Severn Tunnel
Conductor: Stewart Crawford

Last 11 Years:
2006: 9th (S. Crawford)
2005: 6th in Fourth Section (prom) (A. Ayres)
2004: 4th (A. MacDonald)
2003: 6th (R. Griffiths)
2002: 9th (J. Williams)
2001: 9th (A. Fleming)
2000: 5th (J. Williams)
1999: 13th
1998: N/K 4th Section
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

Severn Tunnel did well enough here last year in coming 9th and that experience should hold them in good stead this year too.  After so many years battling away in the Fourth Section Stevwart Crawford now has a band that has plenty of good young players in the ranks and has the chance to make a mark here.   8th in Second Section late last year at Treorchy.

Past Qualifiers:
2006: Beaumaris B, Radyr and Morganstown
2005: Newtown Silver, Newbridge Celynen
2004: Newtown Silver, Royal Buckley
2003: Newbridge Celynen, Conway Town
2002: Blaenavon Town, Briton Ferry
2001: Beaumaris B, Cwmbran
2000: Royal Oakeley, Lalnrug
1999: Rhyl, Ynyshir Welfare
1998: Ebbw Vale, Newtown
1997: Deiniolen, Pontardulais
1996: Deiniolen, Rhyl Silver
1995: Deiniolen, Rhyl Silver 

Welsh bands at the Finals:
2006: 8th, 16th
2005: 5th, 18th
2004: 11th, 19th
2003: 6th, 17th
2002: 4th, 19th
2001: 8th, 14th
2000: 14th, 16th
1999: 10th, 15th
1998: 10th, 14th  

4BR Prediction:

This should be a fine contest for Geoffrey Whitham to enjoy, and although it is a small field there are another bands here that could more than take the contest by the scruff of the neck. We go for Llwydcoed to make it yet again a winning weekend and we think they may well be joined on the trip to Harrogate by Porthaethwy Menai Bridge. Close behind should be the likes of Blaenavon and Goodwick with Harlech and Severn Tunnel and also in the hunt.

1. Llwydcoed
2. Porthaethwy Menai Bridge
3. Blaenavon
4. Goodwick
5. Harlech
6. Severn Tunnel

Dark Horses: Ogmore Valley

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