2008 Scottish Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders

The Scots are well known as inventors of some note, but whose notes on invention will take them to Harrogate?

Saturday 8th March
Adjudicators: David Thornton & Steve Pritchard-Jones
Test Piece: Three Part Invention – Kenneth Downie
Commences: 10.00am 

Campbeltown Brass
Conductor: Craig Anderson

Last 12 Years:
2007: Winners of Third Section (C. Anderson) (prom)
2006: 4th (C. Anderson)
2005: 6th (C. Anderson)
2004: 6th (R. Farmer)
2003: 7th (G. Evans)
2002: 10th (G. Evans)
2001: DNC
2000: 6th in Second Section (G. Evans) (rel)
1999: 10th
1998: 6th
1997: 6th
1996: 2nd in Third Section (prom) 

The winners of the Third Section will be looking for more silverware this year under the baton of the talented Craig Anderson.  

Last year they went on to come 7th at Harrogate (the best Scottish result of the weekend) and they also won at Fife, came 13th at Land O’ Burns and rounded off the year by winning the Scottish Challenge Cup – so they are getting the taste of being successful.   

City of Discovery Brass
Conductor: Bruce Fraser

Last 12 Years:
2007: 10th in First Section (B. Fraser) (rel)
2006: Winners of Second Section (B. Fraser) (prom)
2005: 3rd (B. Fraser)
2004: 8th (B. Fraser)
2003: 9th in First Section  (B. Fraser) (rel)
2002: 8th (B. Fraser)
2001: 5th (B. Fraser)
2000: 2nd in Second Section (B. Fraser) (prom)
1999: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1998: 8th
1997: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
1996: DNC 

City of Discovery found life in the First Section tough last year and may well be relieved that they have returned to the Second Section this time out.   

Bruce Fraser really has done some wonderful work with the band over the years and we don’t think he is finished yet.  

Clydebank Burgh
Conductor: J. Grant

Last 12 Years:
2007: 7th (D. Hamilton)
2006: 10th (C. Mitchell)
2005: 4th (A. Duguid)
2004: 12th (A. Friel)
2003: 5th (E. Drysdale)
2002: 3rd (D. Laughland)
2001: Winners of Third Section (D. Laughland) (prom)
2000: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Laughland) (prom)
1999: 3rd
1998: 7th
1997: 12th in Third Section (rel)
1996: 12th in Second Section (rel) 

A little bit up and down here for Clydebank in recent years, but the band has managed to just about hold onto its position and has improved its results on its last two outings. 

John Grant is he seventh MD in as many years to try his luck with the band though, so we wonder if he can be the one to finally strike qualification gold for the first time since 2001. 

Croy Parish Silver
Conductor: K. Blackwood

Last 12 Years:
2007: 6th (J. Anderson)
2006: 6th (J. Anderson)
2005: 5th (C. Bradley)
2004: 5th (C. Bradley)
2003: DNC
2002: Winners of Second Section (A. Friel)
2001: 8th (A. Friel)
2000: 11th (A. Friel)
1999: 5th
1998: 7th
1997: 9th
1996: 7th 

The most consistent band in this section it appears, Croy will surely be looking to just up their form and push for a qualification place this time around. 

The band did come 5th at the Borders contest last year and if they have managed to build on that result then who knows – a first finals appearance since 2002 may be theirs at last.

Jedforest Instrumental
Conductor: Chris Bradley 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 5th (A. Fernie)
2006: 4th (A. Fernie)
2005: 6th (A. Fernie)
2004: 2nd in Third Section (A. Fernie) (prom)
2003: 4th (A. Fernie)
2002: 2nd in Fourth Section (A. Fernie) (rpom)
2001: 5th (A. Fernie)
2000: 6th (A. Fernie)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC 

Another band that has been very consistent in the last few years, Jedforest will be taken this time around by Whitburn’s Chris Bradley. 

The band has been pretty close to gaining a qualification place in the last few years too and has a busy contesting record, coming 9th at the Borders contest, 4th at Brass in the Park and 5th at the Scottish Challenge Shield late last year. Can they start 2008 off with a podium place or better then we wonder?      

Johnstone Silver
Conductor: Ray Tennant

Last 12 Years:
2007: 9th in First Section (C. Keenan) (rel)
2006: 10th in Championship Section (R. Tennant) (rel)
2005: Winners of First Section (G. Lindsay) (prom)
2004: 8th (R. Tennant)
2003: 5th (R. Tennant)
2002: 9th in Championship (R. Tennant) (rel)
2001: Winners of First Section (R. Tennant) (prom)
2000: Winners of Second Section (R. Tennant) (prom)
1999: 10th in First Section (rel)
1998: 6th
1997: 6th 

Johnstone are many people’s tip to be the band to beat this year after relegation from the First Section following their 9th place last year. 

A lot of that is to do with their fine performance at Butlins where they came 6th and may have deserved higher. The Borders winners will be looking for a speedy return to the First Section via Harrogate and their confidence may not be misplaced.       

Kilmarnock Concert Brass
Conductor: Andrew Keachie

Last 12 Years:
2007: 8th (A. Keachie)
2006: 10th in First Section (J. Smith) (rel)
2005: 7th (A. Keachie)
2004: 2nd in Second Section (A. Keachie) (prom)
2003: 7th (A. Keachie)
2002: 6th (A. Keachie)
2001: 3rd (A. Keachie)
2000: 3rd (A. Keachie)
1999: 7th in First Section (rel)
1998: 9th
1997: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1996: Winners of Third Section (prom) 

Kilmarnock Concert Brass will be looking to build on last year’s 8th place for sure and with the experienced Andrew Keachie at the helm and plenty of talented players in the ranks they could well do just that.

The band has of course tasted ultimate success here in the past, but a nice step back towards the top will do nicely for now.  

Perthshire Brass
Conductor: G. Annan 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 2nd in Third Section (G. Annan) (prom)
2006: 7th (G. Annan)
2005: 7th (G. Annan)
2004: 7th (G. Annan)
2003: 9th (G. Annan)
2002: 8th (G. Annan)
2001: 8th (G. Annan)
2000: 10th in Second Section (G. Annan) (rel)
1999: 8th
1998: 8th
1997: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1996: 10th in Second Section (rel) 

Perthshire gained promotion to this section after spending all of the new Millennium bobbling about in the Third Section without ever quite catching fire.

Last time out though they came runners up and went on to come 14th at Harrogate – a decent return. Runners up in the Scottish Challenger Cup, they could well fancy their chances of making an early season mark as well.  

Selkirk Silver
Conductor:  

Last 12 Years:
2007: 3rd (R. Duff)
2006: 3rd (R. Duff)
2005: 2nd in Third Section (R. Duff) (prom)
2004: 10th in Second Section (C. Marr) (rel)
2003: 12th (C. Kemp)
2002: 4th (C. Kemp)
2001: 6th (C. Kemp)
2000: 7th (C. Kemp)
1999: 3rd
1998: 5th
1997: 5th
1996: 4th

Selkirk will surely be looking to just go that one place better and gain a qualification place for Harrogate this year, after two near misses on their past two appearances. 

6th at the Borders contest, and 7th at the Scottish Challenge Shield, they will need to be on the top of their game, but they will be full of determination we are sure.  

Shotts St. Patrick's
Conductor: Michael Marzella

Last 12 Years:
2007: 10th (A. Duguid)
2006: 5th (B. Keachie)
2005: Winners of Third Section (A. Duguid) (prom)
2004: 9th in Second Section (S. Kerwin) (rel)
2003: 10th (S. Kerwin)
2002: Winners of Third Section (S. Kerwin) (prom)
2001: 6th (S. Kerwin)
2000: 5th (B. Allan)
1999: 10th
1998: 10th in Second Section (rel)
1997: 12th
1996: 6th 

The experienced Michael Marzella takes the helm this year for Shott’s and they will be looking to build on the good form shown in the last twelve months to book their place in Harrogate.

10th last year they went on to come 4th at the Borders contest, 5th at Land O’ Burns and won at Fife, so they have been on pretty good form. Can they carry it on here then? 

Tullis Russell (The Papermakers) Mills
Conductor: Gavin Lindsay 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 4th (G. Lindsay)
2006: Winners of Third Section (A. Morrison) (prom)
2005: 3rd (D. Neil)
2004: 8th (D. Neil)
2003: 11th in Second Section (D. Neil) (rel)
2002: 8th (S. Barker)
2001: 2nd in Third Section (S. Barker) (prom)
2000: 6th (J. Morahan)
1999: 7th in Second Section (rel)
1998: 12th
1997: 10th in First Section (rel)
1996: 8th

The lads and lasses from Tullis will have to put behind them the disappointment of the Scottish Challenge Shield where they played well enough but could only manage 8th place.

Last year they showed that they had made the step up in class with comfort and if they can just repeat that from and build on the disappointment of Perth then they could well be in with a shout come the results.  

Past Qualifiers:

2007: St. Ronans, Granite City
2006: City of Discovery Brass, Barrhead Burgh
2005: Granite City Brass, Lochgelly
2004: Barrhead Burgh, Kilmarnock Concert Brass
2003: Newmilns & Galston, Arbroath Instrumental
2002: Croy Parish, Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass
2001: Livingstone Brass, Tayport Instrumental
2000: Johnstone Silver, City of Discovery Brass
1999: Bon Accord Silver, Barrhead Burgh
1998: Tayport Instrumental, Annan Town
1997: Kilmarnock Concert Brass, Bathgate
1996: Longannet Colliery, Barrhead Burgh
1995: Tullis Russell Mills, Dalkeith and Monktonhall  

Scottish bands at the Finals:

2007: 12th, 13th
2006: 4th, 6th
2005: 6th, 15th
2004: 3rd, 10th
2003: 5th, 11th
2002: 8th, 16th
2001: 8th, 15th
2000: 4th, 9th
1999: 3rd, 10th
1998: 13th, 16th   

4BR Prediction: 

Another hard one to call given the well matched bands in this field, but one or two do stick out for us.

Johnstone look to be the band to beat and could well book their place at Harrogate if recent form is anything to go by.

Joining them there could well be Campbeltown or Jedforest if both hit their boot straps, whilst the likes of Shott’s, Tullis Russell and Croy may also be in with a real decent shout. Our dark horses for this one is City of Discovery.

1. Johnstone
2. Campbeltown
3. Jedforest Instrumental
4. Shotts St Patrick’s
5. Tullis Russell Mills
6. Croy

Dark Horses: City of Discovery

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