2008 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders

10 well matched bands should provide some excellent early spring time contesting on the Saturday morning, but which ones have been doing their homework on the four cities in question?

Date: Saturday 3rd March
Adjudicators: Philip Harper  & Rodney Newton   

Test Piece:  Four Cities Symphony – Rodney Newton
Commences: 10.30am
Draw: 9.30am

Armthorpe Elmfield
Conductor: Haydn Griffiths MBE

Last 12 Years:
2007: 10th in Third Section (H. Griffiths) (rel)
2006: 9th (H. Grifiths)
2005: 6th (H. Griffiths)
2004: 10th in Second Section (H. Griffiths) (rel)
2003: 11th (H. Griffiths)
2002: 5th in Third Section (H. Griffiths) (prom)
2001: Winners of Third Section (H. Griffiths)
2000: 3rd (H. Griffiths)
1999: 13th
1998: 8th
1997: 12th in Second Section (rel)
1996: 13th 

Armthorpe has been up and down the sections here in the last few years and last year they fell through the relegation trap door from the Third Section.

That was a pity as they were more than holding their own, but that drop may be just the tonic they need to start pushing themselves back in the right direction. The recovery process starts on Saturday morning…   

Barnsley Metropolitan
Conductor: John Grinnell 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 5th (J. Grinnell)
2006: 3rd (J. Grinnell)
2005: 9th (J. Grinnell)
2004: 8th in Third Section (J. Grinnell) (rel)
2003: 10th (J. Grinnell)
2002: 6th in Fourth Section (J. Grinnell) (prom)
2001: 3rd (J. Grinnell)
2000: 5th (J. Grinnell)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC 

John Grinnell and his band have been pretty consistent in the last couple of years and were good value for their fifth place last time out.  

If they can just up their form a little then there is a real possibility they may return to the podium as they did in 2001 and 2006. 

Deepcar
Conductor: Gavin Somerset 

Last 12 Years:

Great to see a band make their debut here and for Deepcar and Gavin Somerset it will be the first of many appearances at Bradford.

The band has competed before – at the Battle of the Bands Contests at Staveley in 2007 so they are not total novices. We wish them well!

Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
Conductor: Carol Caton

Last 12 Years:
2007: 6th (C. Caton)
2006: 6th (C. Caton)
2005: 8th (C. Caton)
2004: 4th (C. Caton)
2003: 7th (C. Caton)
2002: 10th in Third Section (C. Caton) (rel)
2001: 9th (G. Hooper)
2000: 10th (G. Hooper)
1999: 6th in Fourth Section (prom)
1998: 3rd
1997: 11th in Third Section (rel)
1996: 14th 

Carol Caton and her band really put heart and soul into their performances and have been a touch unlucky of late that they haven’t perhaps gained better reward for their efforts here.

Still, there is always this year to look forward to and they may be one of the bands who could well do just enough to gain one of those qualification spots.  

Linthwaite
Conductor: David Smith 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 4th (J. Hunter)
2006: 8th (O. Wedgewood)
2005: 7th (O. Wedgewood)
2004: 6th (S. Platten)
2003: 5th (S. Platten)
2002: Winners (S. Platten)
2001: 5th (S. Platten)
2000: 9th (S. Platten)
1999: 9th (S. Platten)
1998: DNC (rel)
1997: 14th in Third Section
1996: 12th in Third Section

David Smith is the third new face to take the band here in the past three years and he will be hoping that he can carry on the improvement in the results too.

Last year they put in a sterling effort to come 4th and they will be hoping to build on that and perhaps challenge for another victory, six years after their last one. 

Lofthouse 2000
Conductor: Andrew Whitaker 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 7th (A. Whitaker)
2006: 5th (A. Whitaker)
2005: 5th (A. Whitaker)
2004: 5th (A. Whitaker)
2003: 6th (A. Whitaker)
2002: 5th (A. Whitaker)

Since making their debut in 2002 Lofthouse have been one heck of a consistent band and must have been a touch disappointed and surprised that they didn’t make it into the top six for the first time last year.

Andrew Whittaker is building a band with solid foundations and perhaps the time has finally come for them to make their mark and claim a qualification place for Harrogate.   

Maltby Miners Welfare
Conductor: Terry Clifford 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 11th in Third Section (T. Clifford) (rel)
2006: 8th (T. Clifford)
2005: 9th (T. Clifford)
2004: 4th (T. Clifford)
2003: 7th (T. Clifford)
2002: 11th (T. Clifford)
2001: 2nd in Fourth Section (T. Clifford) (prom)
2000: 6th (T. Clifford)
1999: Winners of Fourth Section
1998: 8th in Fourth Section
1997: 8th in Fourth Section
1996: 9th in Fourth Section

Maltby fell through the relegation trap door last year after coming last in the Third Section.

That may not be too much of a bad thing as they were struggling a little bit at the higher level. 9th place at Butlins was a decent return though and could well set them up nicely here on their first appearance back at this level since 2001.  

Skelmanthorpe B
Conductor: Phil Garlick

Last 12 Years:
2007: 2nd (P. Garlick)
2006: 7th (P. Garlick)
2005: 13th (R. Broadhead) 

Skelmanthorpe did not compete here before 2005, but since then they have been making very good upwardly progress.

Last year they came runners up and went on to come a tremendous 3rd at Harrogate. That showed just how good a band they were and more of that form should see them make a comfortable return to the Conference Centre come September.   

Thurcroft Welfare
Conductor: Ken Vernon

Last 12 Years:
2007: 10th (A. White)
2006: 9th (A. White)
2005: 12th (D. Hilling)
2004: 8th (O. Wedgewood)
2003: 8th (M. Battersby)
2002: 7th (P. Dickens)
2001: 9th (P. Dickens)
2000: 12th in Third Section (P. Chapman) (rel)
1999: 11th
1998: 4th in Fourth Section (prom)
1997: 3rd
1996: 4th 

Thurcroft has been bobbling around a bit towards the bottom of the Fourth Section in recent years, which has been a pity because on occasions they have put in very good performances both here and on their travels.

Ken Vernon has taken over the helm and the results are looking good so far with an excellent 4th place at Butlins in January. Can that be an omen for them we wonder?  

Tingley Brass
Conductor: Geoff Fowler

Last 12 Years:
2007: 9th (G. Fowler) 

Great to see Tingley back for a second crack at the Fourth Section title after making a very encouraging debut last year under Geoff Fowler.

Lots of youngsters and plenty of enthusiasm – and now a year’s more experience. It should stand them in good stead. 

Past Qualifiers:

2007: Crofton Silver, Innovate Skelmanthorpe B
2006: Dodworth MW Colliery, Emley Brass
2005: Gawthorpe Brass, Garforth Community
2004: Grange Moor, Gawthorpe Brass
2003: Dinnington Colliery, Grange Moor
2002: Linthwaite, Emley Brass
2001: Clifton and Lightcliffe, Maltby Miners Welfare
2000: Wetherby and District, Oughtibridge
1999: Maltby Miners, Yorkshire Traction
1998: Stanley Newmarket Coll, Yorkshire Traction
1997: Gawthorpe Brass '85, Walkley Clogs Hebden Bridge
1996: Gawthorpe Brass '85, Sheffield Youth
1995: Elland Silver, Todmorden Old 

Yorkshire bands at the Finals:

2007: 3rd, 5th
2006: 1st, 12th
2005: 2nd, 3rd
2004: 3rd, 6th
2003: 3rd, 11th
2002: 11th, 21st
2001: 10th, 11th
2000: 13th, 14th
1999: 2nd, 17th
1998: 7th, 17th 

4BR Prediction:

As always in the Fourth Section it could go just about anyway you like, but we think Skelmanthorpe B could well be the band to beat on this one. 

The race for second place should be interesting though and Thurcroft and Lofthouse 2000 could be the two that battle it out in the end. Close behind should come the likes of Friendly, Linthwaite and Barnsley Metropolitan. Our dark horse is Armthorpe Elmfield

1. Skelmanthorpe B
2. Lofthouse 2000
3. Thurcroft Welfare
4. Friendly (Sowerby Bridge)
5. Linthwaite
6. Barnsley Metropolitan 

Dark Horse: Armthorpe Elmfield

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