2009 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders

12 bands will look for a bit of Merlin inspired magic on the Arthurian legend on Staurday which could spell success or disaster?

Saturday 7th March
Adjudicators: Simone Rebello & Ian Brownbill
Test Piece: The Once and Future King – Andrew Baker

Commences: 10.30am
Draw: 9.00am 

Barnsley Metropolitan
Conductor: Alex Francis 

Last 12 Years:
2008: 5th in Fourth Section (J. Grinnell) (prom)
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

John Grinnell worked wonders at Barnsley and that hard graft has been rewared with promotion to the Third Section after coming 5th last year.

Alex Francis takes over the conducting duties and he will be looking to carry on the good work – although this us a step up in class.  You fancy they could well do that and possibly more. 

Chapeltown Silver Prize
Conductor: Andrew Dennis

Last 12 Years:
2008: 10th in Second Section (T. Bannan) (rel)
2007: 8th (T. Bannan)
2006: 12th in First Section (P. Shaw) (rel)
2005: 13th (D. Renshaw)
2004: 15th in Championship Section (I. Scott) (rel)
2003: 4th in First Section (Andrew Holland) (prom)
2002: 3rd (A. Dennis)
2001: 3rd (A. Dennis)
2000: 10th (D. Neil)
1999: 4th
1998: 9th
1997: 8th

Andrew Dennis takes over from Toby Bannan at Chapletown and the band will be looking to start reversing their contesting fortunes here this year.

In the past few years they have fallen away somewhat – from Championship Section to Third since 2004, and so they will hope the return journey starts on Saturday.  

Crofton Silver
Conductor: Tim Sidwell

Last 12 Years:
2008: 9th (M. Simpson)
2007: Winners of Fourth Section (M. Simpson) (prom)
2006: 4th (M. Simpson)
2005: 6th (M. Simpson)
2004: 3rd (R. Morgan)
2003: 9th in Third Section (R. Morgan) (rel)
2002: 8th (R. Larder)
2001: 8th (R. Larder)
2000: 6th (P. Kitson)
1999: 2nd
1998: 13th
1997: 12th

Tim Sidwell takes over the reins at Crofton this year, and he will be looking to keep the band’s recent solid progress moving in the right direction after they came 9th last year.

A decent show at Pontins may be a pointer to what form they bring here as they were good value for that 5th place and could have come a touch higher. More of that and a place at Harrogate may well beckon.  

Emley Brass
Conductor: Garry Hallas

Last 12 Years:
2008: 4th (G. Hallas)
2007: 8th (G. Hallas)
2006: 2nd in Fourth Section (G. Hallas) (prom)
2005: 4th (G. Hallas)
2004: 7th in Third Section (G. Hallas) (rel)
2003: 11th (M. Robbins)
2002: 2nd in Fourth Section (J. Bowden) (prom)
2001: 6th (I. Knapton)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: 9th in Fourth Section

The excellent Garry Hallas continues to move Emley in the right musical direction, and last year they were good value for their 4th place.

Each year since he has taken over the baton he has come away with a better result at Bradford, so can he do it again? If the band can be inspired then a trip to North Yorkshire is on the cards.  

Garforth Brass
Conductor: Steven Bailey 

Last 12 Years:
2008: 2nd (S. Bailey)
2007: 6th (S. Bailey)
2006: 5th (S. Bailey)
2005: 2nd in Fourth Section (S. Bailey) (prom)

Last year’s runner up returns once more to see if they can book themselves a return ticket to the National Finals in September.

Last year they found it tough at Harrogate where they came 16th, but the experience would have done a young band a world of good – as was shown when they came 5th at Butlins earlier this season. That bodes well then?  

Gawthorpe Brass
Conductor: Stephen Bradnum 

Last 12 Years:
2008: 5th (S. Bradnum)
2007: 7th (S. Bradnum)
2006: 6th (D. Hoyle)
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Hoyle) (prom)
2004: 2nd (D. Hoyle)
2003: 4th (D. Hoyle)
2002: 3rd (G. Hallas)
2001: 8th (D. Flatman)
2000: 4th (R. Larder)
 
The well dressed and talented Stephen Bradnum has been moulding Gawthorpe Brass into a very competitive outfit in the last couple of years, and they were good value for their 5th place finish last time out.

9th place at Brass at the Guild Hall was a bit of a disappointment, and they will know that they will have to improve on that form if they are to push for a qualification spot this weekend.  

Gawthorpe Brass '85'
Conductor: John Edward 

Last 12 Years:
2008: 6th (J. Edward)
2007: 3rd (J. Edward)
2006: 4th (J. Edward)
2005: 7th (J. Edward)
2004: 5th (J. Edward)
2003: 5th (J. Edward)
2002: 9th (J. Edward)
2001: 10th in Second Section (J. Edward) (rel)
2000: 12th in Second Section (J. Edward)
1999: 5th (prom)
1998: 6th
1997: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
 
Consistent if nothing else, Gawthorpe Brass ’85 have come close to gaining a qualification place here over the last few years, but have just missed out.

6th place last year was a little disappointing, but if they have been able to up their form in preperation this time around, a possible qualification place may well be within their grasp again. 

Lofthouse 2000
Conductor: Andrew Whitaker

Last 12 Years:
2008: Winners of Fourth Section (A. Whitaker) (prom)
2007: 7th (A. Whitaker)
2006: 5th (A. Whitaker)
2005: 5th (A. Whitaker)
2004: 5th (A. Whitaker)
2003: 6th (A. Whitaker)
2002: 5th (A. Whitaker)

If at first you don’t succeed… Lofthouse battled it out in the Fourth Section before Andrew Whitaker finally found that winning formula last year when they took the title and went on to come 12th at Harrogate.

Now the hard works starts all over again and they will have to do that after coming a lowly 16th at Brass at the Guild Hall earlier in the season.   

Oughtibridge
Conductor: David Corker 

Last 12 Years:
2008: 8th (W. Rushworth)
2007: 3rd in Fourth Section (R. Spencer) (prom)
2006: DNC (rel)
2005: 8th in Third Section (P. Chapman)
2004: DNC
2003: 6th (D. Moore)
2002: 2nd (D. Moore)
2001: 7th (D. Moore)
2000: 2nd in Fourth Section (D. Moore) (prom)
1999: 5th
1998: 11th in Third Section (rel)
1997: 13th

Oughtibridge put in a solid performance last year to come 8th on their first appearance back at this level since 2005.

This year David Corker is at the helm and without resorting to the obvious pun, he will be looking to get a fine performance out of his band – a real corker in fact (sorry!) if they are to push towards the podium placings. 

Skelmanthorpe B
Conductor: Phil Garlick

Last 12 Years:
2008: 2nd in Fourth Section (P. Garlick) (prom)
2007: 2nd (P. Garlick)
2006: 7th (P. Garlick)
2005: 13th (R. Broadhead)
 
Two excellent performances in the past two years sees Skelmanthorpe B make their debut in the Third Section this year.

Phil Garlick has used all his experience gained over the years to mould a solid contesting outfit together, and the experience of coming 13th at the Nationals will have done his young band the world of good. Maybe a bit of a dark horse on the weekend? 

West Yorkshire Police
Conductor: Captain Gary Clegg

Last 12 Years:
2008: 7th (Cpt. G. Clegg)
2007: 10th in Second Section (Cpt. G. Clegg) (rel)
2006: 12th in First Section (Cpt. G. Clegg) (rel)
2005: 2nd in Second Section (B. Thompson) (prom)
2004: 4th (B. Thompson)
2003: 6th (B. Thompson)
2002: 5th (B. Thompson)
2001: 3rd in Third Section (B. Thompson) (prom)
2000: 5th in Third Section
1999: 6th in Third Section
1998: N/K
1997: N/K

After falling through the relgation trapdoors of both the First and Second Sections in recent years, Gary Clegg made sure there was to be no further ground lost as they put in a solid performance to come 7th last year. 
 
More of that would be great, although they may well be aiming a little higher after producing an encouraging performance at Butlins where they came 6th against a strong field of rivals. 

Wetherby & District
Conductor: Dave Ashworth

Last 12 Years:
2008: 8th in Second Section (R. Roe) (rel)
2007: 9th (G. Kearsley)
2006: 7th (G. Kearsley)
2005: 4th (G. Kearsley)
2004: 12th (G. Kearsley)
2003: 3rd in Third Section (G. Kearsley) (prom)
2002: 4th (G. Kearsley)
2001: 6th (G. Kearsley)
2000: Winners of Fourth Section (G. Kearsley) (prom)
1999: 7th
1998: 5th
1997: 6th

The ever busy Dave Ashworth will be looking to put Wetherby back on the contesting track after they fell through the relegation trap door last year.

5th place at Brass at the Guild Hall contest indicates that the band could well be responding just how he wants them too - so another performance like that could come in handy. 

Past Qualifiers:

2008: Rockingham, Garforth
2007: Dodworth Colliery MW, Clifton & Lightcliffe
2006: Horbury Victoria, Clifton & Lightcliffe
2005: Grange Moor, Slaithwaite
2004: Stanley Newmarket Colliery, Slaithwaite
2003: Hebden Bridge, Stanley Newmarket Colliery
2002: Hebden Bridge, Oughtibridge
2001: Armthorpe Elmfield, Horbury Victoria
2000: Wilfreda Beehive Hatfield, Horbury Victoria
1999: Old Silkstone, Crofton Silver
1998: Frickley/South Elmshall, Yeadon Old
1997: Marsden Silver, Huddersfield Brass Ensemble
1996: Todmorden Old, Elland Siver
1995: Rothwell Temperance, Stannington  

Yorkshire bands at the Finals: 

2008: 16th, 19th
2007: 6th, 11th
2006: 7th, 11th
2005: 10th, 15th
2004: 13th, 18th
2003: 7th, 9th
2002: 11th, 15th
2001: 2nd, 9th
2000: 6th, 15th
1999: 3rd, 7th
1998: 9th, 13th  

4BR Prediction: 

It always gets more difficult to predict the results at this level, and there are a handful of bands that could well take this contest by the scruff of the neck and book their place at Harrogate without too many problems.

On form though we opt for Garforth after their fine showing at Butlins to do the business, with Emley joining them at Harrogate.

Close on their heels should be the West Yorkshire Police, Oughtibridge, Crofton and Gawthorpe Brass. Skelmersdale are our dark horse. 

1. Garforth
2. Emley
3. WestYorkshire Police
4. Oughtibridge
5. Crofton
6. Gawthorpe Brass
 
Dark Horses: Skelmersdale B

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