2008 West of England Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders

They have a few dark going ons to do with the moon in this neck of the woods, so which of these bands can eclipse Paul Lovatt-Coopers work and head to Harrogate.

Sunday 9th March
Adjudicators: Peter Roberts & Rob Wiffin
Test Piece: The Dark Side of the Moon – Paul Lovatt-Cooper




Commences: 10.00am
 

AW Parker (Drybrook)
Conductor: R. Phelps 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 8th (K. White)
2006: 6th in Fourth Section (K. White) (prom)
2005: 3rd (K. White)
2004: 3rd (K. White)
2003: 14th (K. White)
2002: 20th (D. Ventura)
2001: DNC
2000: 12th
1999: 24th
1998: 19th
1997: 8th
1996: N/K

A new MD at the helm this year for Drybrook and together they will looking to keep moving in the right direction after coming a solid 8th last time out.

Given that the band were coming 20th in the Fourth Section just six years ago it says a great about the band that you feel they will be a touch disappointed if they don’t make it into the top six at the very least. 

Bath Spa
Conductor: Dave Walker

Last 12 Years:
2007: 13th (D. Walker)
2006: 9th in Second Section (D. Baker) (rel)
2005: 14th (J. Tanaka)
2004: 10th (D. Walker)
2003: 9th (A. Whiteaker)
2002: 12th (D. Walker)
2001: 8th (D. Beckley)
2000: 3rd
1999: 6th
1998: 14th
1997: 12th
1996: N/K 

Bath Spa will be coming to this contest with confidence running through their veins after they came 2nd at the Wessex contest in the First Section last year.

More of that form and Dave Walker and his band may well be celebrating big style come the announcement of the results. 

Bugle Silver
Conductor: David Pope

Last 12 Years:
2007: 9th (D. Pope)
2006: 6th (D. Pope)
2005: 12th (D. Pope)
2004: 15th in Second Section (D. Pope) (rel)
2003: 12th (D. Pope)
2002: 14th (D. Pope)
2001: 6th (S. Manley)
2000: 9th
1999: 13th
1998: 8th
1997: 9th
1996: N/K 

David Pope and his band will also be another outfit that comes to the contest on the back of a good result – this time 3rd place at the SWBBA contest in Torquay.  

They have more than held their own here over the past few years and will be keen to show that form to push from 9th place towards another top six finish or even better.

Corsham
Conductor: M. Perry

Last 12 Years:
2007: 3rd (M. Perry)
2006: 10th (N/K)
2005: 15th in Second Section (M. Fricker) (rel)
2004: 7th (M. Clark)
2003: 13th (E. Haines)
2002: 13th (M. Knapton)
2001: 5th (M. Knapton)
2000: 8th
1999: 16th
1998: 7th
1997: 14th
1996: N/K

Corsham just missed out last year when they really upped their form from 2006 to finish in 3rd place.

If they play like that again then they could well be looking forward to booking themselves in for some Harrogate B&B come September.    

Denmead Brass
Conductor: John Hill

Last 12 Years:
2007: 7th (J. Hill)
2006: 7th (J. Hill)
2005: 6th (J. Hill) 

Just three years of performance to note here for Denmead Brass, but what a fine record so far – a real consistent return.

John Hill and his band will certainly be looking for better this time around though as they come here on the back of winning the Wessex contest last year in the First Section.      

Heyl Town
Conductor: Derek Johnstone

Last 12 Years:
2007: 6th (D. Johnstone)
2006: DNC
2005: 3rd in Third Section  (D. Johnston) (prom)
2004: 2nd (D. Johnston)
2003: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Johnston) (prom)
2002: 2nd (D. Johnston)
2001: 9th (D. Johnston)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: 14th in Third Section (rel)
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

Perhaps the favourites for the Harrogate trip – or perhaps not?

If they play to form then they should have more than enough about them to win this contest, especially if they play as they did in winning the SWBBA Third Section title, and just a couple of months ago saw them take 2nd place at Butlins.  Favourites can sometimes come unstuck, but we feel that Heyl may not be one of them.   

Launceston Town
Conductor: David Dobson

Last 12 Years:
2007: 14th (D. Dobson)
2006: 3rd (G. Lannie)
2005: 9th (G. Lannie)
2004: 14th in Second Section (W. Smith) (rel)
2003: 11th (W. Smith)
2002: 10th (J. Ware)
2001: 11th (N. Chad)
2000: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1999: 10th
1998: 3rd
1997: 7th
1996: N/K

David Dobson returns to take Launceston Town this year and will surely be looking for an improvement in the result after coming a lowly 14th last time out. 

A good return  is needed then to ensure no relegation scares but the MD knows what is required to do well here and we are sure, so do his players.  

Pendennis Brass (Falmouth)
Conductor: Steve Thomas

Last 12 Years:
2007: Winners of Fourth Section (S. Thomas) (prom)
2006: 5th (C.J. Cottrell)
2005: 13th in Third Section (C. Cottrell) (rel)
2004: 18th (G. Thomas)
2003: 9th (G. Thomas)
2002: 3rd in Fourth Section (G. Thomas) (prom)
2001: 3rd (K. Anderson)
2000: 16th in Third Section (rel)
1999: 16th
1998: 10th
1997: 18th
1996: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)

Pendennis has bobbled a little between the Third and Fourth Sections over the last decade, but the band were worthy winners of the Fourth Section title twelve months ago.  

That meant a trip to Harrogate where they did very well in coming home in 8th place, whilst they also came runner up in Section Four at the SWBBA Torquay contest. It is a step up in class, but we are sure they can handle it.    

Pillowell Silver
Conductor: P. Uzzell 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 11th (R. Griffiths)
2006: 9th (J. Glynn)
2005: 5th in Fourth Section (C. Lewis) (prom)
2004: Winners of Fourth Section (C. Lewis)
2003: 9th (B. Howard)
2002: 16th (C. Lewis)
2001: DNC
2000: 7th in Third Section (rel)
1999: DNC
1998: 17th in Second Section (rel)
1997: 11th
1996: N/K

Pillowell has just found life a bit tough at this level in the last two years, but after coming 11th last year we think they have now found their feet.

That was perhaps shown in them coming 3rd in this section at the SWBBA Torquay contest, so they should be confident of more than holding their own this time out. 

Sidmouth Town
Conductor: Adrian Harvey

Last 12 Years:
2007: 4th in Fourth Section (A. Harvey) (prom)
2006: 2nd (A. Harvey)
2005: 10th (A. Harvey)
2004: 12th (A. Harvey)
2003: 7th (A. Harvey)
2002: 5th (A. Harvey)
2001: 13th (A. Harvey)
2000: 16th
1999: 15th
1998: DNC
1997: 20th in Third Section (rel)
1996: N/K

Adrian Harvey has done a super job in rejuvenating Sidmouth, making steady progress year in year out and gaining reward with promotion to the Third Section this year after coming 4th in the Fourth last time out.  

The band also showed good form in winning the Fourth Section of the SWBBA Torquay contest so they will come here confident of making the step up in class with out too many problems. We think they could well be right. 

St. Stythians
Conductor: Derek Johnston 

Last 12 Years:
2007: 14th in Second Section (D. Johnston) (rel)
2006: 10th (D. Johnston)
2005: 13th (D. Johnston)
2004: 4th in Third Section (D. Johnston) (prom)
2003: 6th (D. Johnston)
2002: 5th (D. Johnston)
2001: 16th in Second Section (D. Johnston) (rel)
2000: 16th
1999: 11th
1998: 5th
1997: 17th
1996: N/K

Another confident band we think after St Stythians won the Second Section at the SWBBA Torquay contest last year. 

More form like that and the disappointment of being relegated from the Second Section after coming 14th last year will be firmly consigned to the history books. 

Verwood Concert Brass
Conductor: David Johnson

Last 12 Years:
2007: 4th (D. Johnson)
2006: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Marshall) (prom)
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (P. Norley)
2004: 11th (P. Norley)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC (rel)
2001: 18th
2000: N/K in Third Section (rel)
1999: 16th
1998: 18th
1997: 11th
1996: N/K

A busy contesting band and one that can currently boast a pretty good record against just about anyone too.

Verwood came 4th last year to show that they had successfully made the step up in class and has since come runner up at the Wessex contest and runner up again at the Leicester contest too. More to come then they hope then?  

Weston Brass
Conductor: J. Bryant

Last 12 Years:
2007: 12th (P. Nutt)
2006: 11th in Second Section (P. Nutt) (rel)
2005: 12th (P. Nutt)
2004: 9th (P. Nutt)
2003: 7th (D. Tilling)
2002: 14th in First Section (D. Tilling) (rel)
2001: 14th (D. Tilling)
2000: 3rd
1999: 7th in Second Section (prom)
1998: 3rd
1997: 5th
1996: N/K

Weston may need to produce a good performance this year if they are to avoid any faint whiff of relegation trouble befalling them. 

It’s been hardish work here in the last few years, but with a new MD at the helm they will be looking for a confidence booster of a result. We hope so too.    

Wooton and District Silver
Conductor: Dennis Grant

Last 12 Years:
2007: 2nd (D. Grant)
2006: 13th (D. Grant)
2005: 8th (D. Grant)
2004: 11th (R. Carr)
2003: 11th (R. Griffiths)
2002: 13th (D. Thomas)
2001: 13th in Second Section (P. Cowford) (rel)
2000: 11th
1999: 15th
1998: 6th in Third Section (prom)
1997: 6th
1996: N/K

Dennis Grant really pulled one put of the hat last year when his band leapt up 11 places in the results table to claim a qualification place at Harrogate.

There their performed very well indeed to come 13th against a strong field of rivals so what awaits them here this year we wonder? More of the same or even better?    

Past Qualifiers:

2007: Camborne B, Wooton & District Silver
2006: St. Pinnock, Gillingham Imperial Silver
2005: Portishead Town, Shrewton Silver
2004: St. Dennis, Hayle Town, Shrewton Silver
2003: Michelmersh Silver, St. Dennis, Filton Concert Brass
2002: Michelmersh Silver, RBL Crownhill (Plymouth)
2001: Bream Silver, Helston Town
2000: Lympstone SW Telecoms, City of Winchester
1999: Phoenix Brass (Crewkerne), Test Valley Brass
1998: Phoenix Brass (Crewkerne), St. Pinnock, Launceston Town
1997: St. Keverne, Cosham Concert
1996: Yeovil Town, N/K
1995: Stoke sub Hamdon, Corsham  

West of England bands at the Finals:

2007: 4th, 13th
2006: 13th, 14th
2005: 3rd, 12th
2004: 2nd, 14th, 17th
2003: 4th, 10th, 15th
2002: 6th, 17th
2001: 5th, 6th
2000: 3rd, 10th
1999: 1st, 9th
1998: 6th, 15th   

4BR Prediction: 

Another interesting one this – with more well matched bands and plenty of ambition on show too.

Of those we think it could well be a fight between St Stythians and Heyl for the top honours with the likes of Bath Spa, Corsham, Pillowell, Denmead and Verwood very close behind. This could be a cracker and don’t forget our dark horse Bugle either.
 
1. Heyl
2. St Stythians
3. Corsham
4. Denmead
5. Pillowell
6. Verwood Concert Brass

Dark Horses: Bugle Silver

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