2008 London & Southern Counties Regional Championship - Runners & Riders: Second Section
11-Mar-2008Kenneth Downies work should be an enjoyable contest in the Gordon Craig Theatre for Steve Pritchard Jones to judge.
Sunday 16th March
Adjudicator: Steve Pritchard-Jones
Test Piece: Three Part Invention
Commences: 10.00am
Draw: 9.00am
Alder Valley Brass
Conductor: Roger Burke
Last 12 Years:
2007: DNC
2006: 12th (S. Chislett)
2005: 14th (B. Gentry)
2004: 12th (L. Sale)
2003: 7th (D. Barringer)
2002: 4th (D. Barringer)
2001: 9th (D. Marshall)
2000: 11th in Championship Section (rel)
1999: 11th
1998: Winners of First Section (prom)
1997: 5th
1996: 7th
Nice to see Alder Valley return this year after missing out twelve months ago.
Although they have no recent form for us to use a an unreliable guide having the experienced Roger Burke at the helm should guarantee that they will be very well drilled and rehearsed for sure and that should hold them in good stead.
Betteshanger Welfare
Conductor: T. Vinall
Last 12 Years:
2007: 14th (T. Vinall)
2006: 5th (D. Burridge)
2005: 8th (D. Burridge)
2004: 6th (D. Burridge)
2003: 14th (D. Burridge)
2002: 16th in First Section (K. Dennison) (rel)
2001: 8th (K. Dennison)
2000: 13th (G. Harvey)
1999: 11th
1998: 8th
1997: N/K
1996: 3rd
Twelve months ago we suggested Bettshanger could be a band to do very well here and they finished 14th after a disappointing result at Butlins the previous January!
A year later and there’s a touch of déjà vu with a lowly finish at Skegness two months ago once more, so we hope we haven’t given the band some sort of kiss of death! Why they’ve had a real dip in form is a mystery to us, but they’ll really have to up their game on Sunday to stay in the Second Section.
Capital Concert Brass
Conductor: Terry Brotherhood
Last 12 Years:
2007: 10th (J. Morahan)
2006: 15th (J. Moraham)
2005: 7th (J. Morahan)
2004: 7th (D. Muir)
2003: 11th (D. Muir)
2002: 14th in First Section (E. Campbell) (rel)
2001: DNC
Capital Concert have had a lean couple of years albeit on two contrasting and difficult test pieces that could have tripped up anyone.
They’re a capable band though and their first object will be to improve on 10th last year and stave off any potential threat of the drop zone and aim towards a top ten finish again.
Chichester City
Conductor: J. Williams
Last 12 Years:
2007: 8th (J. Williams)
2006: 13th in First Section (L. Bulchart) (rel)
2005: 12th (D. Hirst)
2004: 13th (J. Williams)
2003: 9th (J. Williams)
2002: 3rd (J. Williams)
2001: 14th (J. Williams)
2000: 2nd in Second Section (J. Williams) (prom)
1999: 5th
1998: 7th in Third Section (prom)
1997: 2nd
1996: 3rd in Fourth Section (prom)
Whenever you’ve been relegated it’s never easy adjusting to life in another section but Chichester put on a fine display last year to finish 8th and it gives them a platform to build on for this year.
A top six finish will surely be the objective and they could well fancy their chances of a trip to Harrogate in the autumn too.
Chinnor
Conductor: D. Pegram
Last 12 Years:
2007: 13th (D. Pegram)
2006: 3rd in Third Section (D. Pegram) (rel)
2005: 10th (D. Pegram)
2004: 2nd (D. Pegram)
2003: 8th (D. Pegram)
2002: 12th (D. Williams)
2001: 10th (D. Pegram)
2000: 15th in Second Section (D. Williams) (rel)
1999: 12th
1998: 14th
1997: 3rd in Third Section (prom)
1996: 2nd
Chinnor were on the up this time last year when they tasted life in the Second Section for the first time since 2000.
They did however find it going finishing 13th and they will need a decent result this time around if they are to stave of any potential threat of relegation. Runner up at the Leicester Contest late last year will have given them a timely boost though ahead of this contest..
East London Brass
Conductor: Jayne Murrill
Last 12 Years:
2007: 12th (D. Shead)
2006: 6th (D. Shead)
2005: 5th (S. Earley)
2004: 8th (S. Earley)
2003: 7th in Third Section (S. Early) (prom)
2002: 3rd (A. Caldon)
Prior to this they competed as Waltham Forest Co-op Band.
East London Brass had been pretty consistent at Stevenage and we’d always fancied them to be not too far away from a top six finish but last year they dipped dramatically to end up12th.
Hopefully, that was a bad day at the office so to speak and they did show decent form at the West Midlands contest in coming 5th and runner up at Folkestone, and then at Butlins in coming 10th, so things may be back to normal on Sunday.
Epping Forest
Conductor: M. Easener
Last 12 Years:
2007: 11th (M. Easener)
2006: 4th (M. Easener)
2005: 6th (M. Easener)
2004: 16th in First Section (M. Easener) (rel)
2003: 13th (M. Easener)
2002: 12th
2001: 10th
2000: 14th
1999: 6th in Second Section (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1996: 9th
Epping appeared to have settled in well to life in the Second Section with two really solid results in 2005 and 2006, but last year they were a touch off the pace finishing 11th.
If they can reproduce the form of 2005, 2006, then Harrogate maybe a possibility once again but if they have another off day, they maybe looking over their shoulders at the Third Section.
Epsom and Ewell Silver
Conductor: E. Howard
Last 12 Years:
2007: Winners of Third Section (E. Howard) (prom)
2006: 4th (E. Howard)
2005: 6th (E. Howard)
2004: 12th (E. Howard)
2003: 16th in Second Section (M. Winter) (rel)
2002: DNC
2001: 11th (E. Meuir)
2000: 7th (D. Richards)
1999: 10th
1998: 14th in First Section (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: 7th
Epsom continued to move in the right direction at Stevenage last year taking victory in the Third Section and as a result, promotion this time around.
That win sent the band to Harrogate where they finished 15th and they will hopefully learnt a great deal from that particular experience as they return here for the first time since 2003.
Fairlop Brass
Conductor: K. Jordan
Last 12 Years:
2007: 6th (K. Jordan)
2006: 13th (K. Jordan)
2005: 13th in First Section (K. Jordan) (rel)
2004: 11th (K. Jordan)
2003: 13th (K. Jordan)
2002: 7th (K. Jordan)
2001: 12th (K. Jordan)
2000: 6th (K. Jordan)
1999: 10th
1998: 2nd in Second Section (prom)
1997: 2nd
1996: 12th
Fairlop took a year to acclimatise into the Second Section in 2006 finishing 13th but last year put together a solid display that gave them a top six finish.
More of the same this time around then or even an opportunity to force their qya into a potential qualification place.
Grimsdyke Brass
Conductor: S. Broughall
Last 12 Years:
2007: 7th (S. Broughall)
2006: 9th (S. Broughall)
2005: 5th (S. Broughall)
2004: 4th (S. Broughall)
2003: Withdrew (K. Ransom) (rel)
2002: DIS
2001: 7th (K. Ransom)
2000: 6th (K. Ransom)
1999: 9th
1998: 16th in First Section (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: 5th
You can’t knock Grimsdyke for their consistency here over the past four years where their lowest place has been 9th in 2006.
If they repeat the form that’s seen them finish as high as 4th and 5th here in the past, a podium place and a trip to Harrogate is a distinct possibility – rule them out at your peril.
Norfolk Wherry Brass
Conductor: G. Barber
Last 12 Years:
2007: 5th (G. Barber)
2006: Winners of Third Section (A. Craze) (prom)
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (A. Craze) (prom)
Norfolk Wherry Brass continues to be one of the success stories of the lower section in this region and after their double successes they more than held their own last year in coming 5th.
If they have continued to improve then they will certainly be in the mix early on Sunday afternoon when the results are announced.
Thundersley
Conductor: R. Morris
Last 12 Years:
2007: 2nd in Third Section (K. Schroeder) (prom)
2006: Winners of Fourth Section (K. Schroeder) (prom)
2005: 9th (K. Schroeder)
2004: 7th (K. Schroeder)
2003: Disqualified (K. Schroeder)
2002: 14th (D. Hirst)
2001: 14th (D. Hirst)
2000: 23rd (K. Nice)
1999: 25th
1998: 3rd
1997: N/K
1996: 17th
Like Norfolk, Thundersley continue to show that they are one of the rising stars of the region. Last year they were runner up in the Third Section and that led to a finals appearance at Harrogate where they came an excellent 8th.
It will be worth sitting in the Gordon Craig Theatre to listen to them on Sunday to see if they have upped their form since then – and you feel they could do very well here this time around if they have.
Tilbury
Conductor: Dave Lewis
Last 12 Years:
2007: 3rd (R. Nunnery)
2006: 7th (R. Nunnery)
2005: 10th (R. Nunnery)
2004: 14th in First Section (R. Nunnery) (rel)
2003: Withdrew
2002: 10th
2001: Winners of Second Section (prom)
2000: 4th
1999: 13th in First Section (rel)
1998: 15th
1997: N/K
1996: 6th
Tilbury continues to build on their excellent results of late and last year’s fine 3rd place meant that they just missed out on the trip to Harrogate.
With regular MD Rob Nunnery recovering from some ill health Dave Lewis takes over the baton and will be determined to hand back the band to his friend with a possible North Yorkshire trip to look forward to.
Ware Brass
Conductor: Phillip Littlemore
Last 12 Years:
2007: 9th (P. Littlemore)
2006: 11th (K. Durbin)
2005: 11th (K. Durbin)
2004: 5th (K. Durbin)
2003: Winners of Third Section (K. Durbin) (prom)
2002: 4th in Fourth Section (K. Durbin) (prom)
2001: 3rd (K. Durbin)
2000: 18th (K. Durbin)
1999: 16th in Third Section (rel)
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: 9th
Ware has not found life in this section a walk in the park with two 11th places in recent years, but they did show signs of improvement last year when they finished 9th.
Faber Music’s Phillip Littlemore is once again at the helm and if he can reproduce some of his excellent compositional skills from the front, there is a possibility the band could be a strong contender.
Yiewsley and West Drayton
Conductor: C. Cole
Last 12 Years:
2007: 4th (C. Cole)
2006: 12th (C. Cole)
2005: 9th (C. Cole)
2004: 3rd (C. Cole)
2003: 12th (C. Cole)
2002: 2nd in Third Section (C. Cole) (prom)
2001: 7th in Fourth Section (C. Cole) (prom)
2000: 15th (C. Cole)
1999: 5th in
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Yiewsley and West Drayton has been a little up and down here in the past few years but last year delivered a fine performance to come 4th and narrowly miss out on a trip to Harrogate.
Since them they have come 9th at Butlins – a solid result and one that could well set them up for another tilt at a qualification place on the weekend.
Past Qualifiers:
2007: Egham, Cawston
2006: Jersey Premier Brass, Denham Hendon Brass
2005: Sandhurst Silver, Horsham Borough
2004: Becontree Brass, St Albans City
2003: Wantage Silver, Broseley Brass, Brighton Silver
2002: Northfleet Brass, Becontree Brass
2001: Tilbury, Stonesfield Silver
2000: City of Cambridge, Chichester City
1999: Thames, Egham Band
1998: Welwyn Garden, Fairlop Brass
1997: Brighton Silver, Fairlop Brass
1996: Hanwell, Haverhill Silver
1995: Soham Comrades, Hatfields of Colchester
London bands at the Finals:
2007: 11th, 14th
2006: 8th, 13th
2005: 5th, 10th
2004: 5th, 15th
2003: 9th, 10th, 13th
2002: 11th, 13th
2001: 10th, 14th
2000: 8th, 16th
1999: 14th, 17th
1998: 7th, 12th
4BR Prediction:
The Second Section is always one of the toughest contests to call and once again this year looks to be no exception.
There could be a number of bands celebrating not just winning the title but getting the nod for Harrogate in September. Close competition from Tilbury, Yiewsley and West Drayton, Thundersley and Norfolk Wherry Brass for us, but as for picking the right order? It could go anyway of the four or none of them at all, with the likes of Fairlop and East London Brass ones to look out for also. Our dark horse is Epsom and Ewell naturally…
1. Norfolk Wherry
2. Tilbury
3. Yiewsley and West Drayton
4. Thundersley
5. Fairlop
6. East London Brass
Dark Horses: Epsom and Ewell
