2009 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders
2-Mar-2009Which of the 12 bands here will seek inspiration from the New World of Dan Price?
Sunday 8th March
Adjudicators: Malcolm Brownbill & Christopher Wormald
Test Piece: New World Sketches – Dan Price
Commences: 1.00pm
Draw: 11.15am
Barnsley Building Society
Conductor: William Rushworth
Last 12 Years:
2008: 9th in First Section (W. Rushworth) (rel)
2007: 10th (K. Wadsworth)
2006: 9th (J. Hopkinson)
2005: 8th (J. Hopkinson)
2004: 2nd in Second Section (J. Hopkinson) (prom)
2003: 9th in First Section (C. Hirst) (rel)
2002: 9th (C. Hirst)
2001: DNC
2000: 5th in First Section (I. Craddock)
1999: Winners of First Section
1998: 6th
1997: 7th
William Rushworth continues to rebuild Barnsley and get them moving back towards the First Section.
They could count themselves a touch unlucky that they were relegated last year after a solid performance saw them end up in 9th place, but that is behind them now. They will have to up their form though from Pontins late last year when they came 17th – although that was in the First Section.
Clifton & Lightcliffe
Conductor: John Clay
Last 12 Years:
2008: 11th (J. Clay)
2007: 2nd in Third Section (J. Clay) (prom)
2006: 2nd (J. Clay)
2005: 4th (R. Collinson)
2004: 9th (R. Collinson)
2003: 4th (R. Collinson)
2002: 6th (R. Collinson)
2001: Winners of Fourth Section (R. Collinson) (prom)
2000: 7th (R. Collinson)
1999: 8th in Third Section (rel)
1998: 14th
1997: 8th
Clifton & Lightcliffe found the step up in class a touch harder than they perhaps expected last year and they ended up in 11th and last place.
John Clay has bags of experience and a lot of his talented young players will have benefitted from the experience for sure. 12th at Pontins was a solid return and they will need just to up their game a little from there of they are not to be drawn into a relegation battle.
Dodworth M.W.
Conductor: Eliot Darwin
Last 12 Years:
2008: 7th (E. Darwin)
2007: Winners of Third Section (E. Darwin) (prom)
2006: Winners of Fourth Section (E. Darwin) (prom)
2005: 3rd (E. Darwin)
A bit of a breather last year for Dodworth on what was becoming a breathless race up the results table in recent times.
After a quick rest though they certainly found their feet again later in the 2008 season as they won at Wilkinsons and started 2009 off with a fine 3rd place at Butlins. More success beckons?
Elland Silver
Conductor: Phil Shaw
Last 12 Years:
2008: 3rd in Third Section (P. Shaw) (prom)
2007: 5th (P. Shaw)
2006: 3rd (M. Griffiths)
2005: 10th in Second Section (M. Griffiths) (rel)
2004: 6th (M. Griffiths)
2003: 9th (D. Essex)
2002: 10th (T. Whitaker)
2001: 8th (T. Whitaker)
2000: 6th (T. Whitaker)
1999: 10th
1998: 8th
1997: 6th
Elland Silver has been making excellent progress of late under the baton of former Black Dyke man Phil Shaw.
Promotion last year was well merited, although they just missed out on a trip to the Finals. If they have been improving still further then they may be in the position to do just that on Sunday.
Frickley/South Elmsall
Conductor: David Nichols
Last 12 Years:
2008: 5th (D. Nichols)
2007: 7th (D. Nichols)
2006: 4th (D. Nichols)
2005: 9th (B. Morton)
2004: 9th (J. Wade)
2003: 5th (J. Wade)
2002: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (J. Wade)
2001: 5th (I. Scott)
2000: 9th in Second Section (rel) (D. Horn)
1999: 12th
1998: Winners of Third Section (prom)
1997: 5th
A model of consistency at this contest over the past few years, David Nicholas has a very solid and competent contesting band under his command.
Perhaps the time has come for them to push on and gain a qualification spot for Harrogate, but they will also know that they will have to improve on the form that saw them come 16th at Butlins.
Grange Moor
Conductor: Mark Bentham
Last 12 Years:
2008: 8th in First Section (K. Wadsworth) (rel)
2007: DNC
2006: Winners of Second Section (D. Beckley) (prom)
2005: Winners of Third Section (D. Beckley) (prom)
2004: Winners Fourth Section (M. Early) (prom)
2003: 2nd (G. Hallas)
The experienced Mark Bentham takes over the baton at Grange Moor this year, and it will be interesting to see what form the band are in after being relegated from the First Section, despite coming 8th.
Any band with Mr Benthem at the helm will always be well prepared for certain, although they will have to up their form from Butlins where they came 14th if they are to feature in the prizes once again.
Holme Silver (Disposables UK Group)
Conductor: Duncan Beckley
Last 12 Years:
2008: 3rd (D. Beckley)
2007: DNC (rel)
2006: 6th in First Section (W. Rushworth)
2005: 9th (W. Rushworth)
2004: 7th (G. Hetherington)
2003: 6th (S. Tighe)
2002: 6th (I. Scott)
2001: 8th (D. Beckley)
2000: 8th (D. Beckley)
1999: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1998: 9th
1997: 8th
They don’t come any more experienced at this level than Duncan Beckley and under his command, Holme were good value for their fine 3rd place last year.
Since then they have started 2009 with a very encouraging 5th place at Butlins, so more of that and they could well be looking towards a trip to Harrogate come September.
Horbury Victoria
Conductor: Bob Walker
Last 12 Years:
2008: 9th (B. Walker)
2007: 4th (R. Walker)
2006: Winners of Third Section (B. Walker) (prom)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: DNC (rel)
2003: 10th (Ian Shires)
2002: 2nd in Second Section (prom)
2001: 2nd
2000: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1999: 10th
1998: 7th
1997: 6th
Bob Walker has done a wonderful job with Horbury over the years and they have found their feet at this level in the past two outings.
What form they bring with them this year is a little bit of a mystery as they have been quiet on the contesting front of late, but given their past achievements another solid showing could well be on the cards.
Kippax
Conductor: Stan Lippeatt
Last 12 Years:
2008: 6th (R. Gray)
2007: 2nd (K. Wardle)
2006: 8th (K. Wardle)
2005: 10th in First Section (J. Davies) (rel)
2004: 10th (I. Colley)
2003: 8th (I. Colley)
2002: 2nd (I. Colley)
2001: 7th (I. Colley)
2000: 9th (I. Colley)
1999: 6th
1998: 11th in Championship (rel)
1997: 11th in Championship
Talking of experience –Stan Lippeatt has seen it, done it and bought the tee shirts.
This time Stan fronts Kippax, a band that has experienced a few ups and downs over the years, although 6th place last year was decent return. Since then though things have been looking up, with 9th place at Pontins leading to a cracking runners up spot at Butlins. What odds a trip to Harrogate then?
Rockingham
Conductor: Stephen Shimwell
Last 12 Years:
2008: Winners of Third Section (F. Hoyland) (prom)
2007: 4th (D. Beckley)
2006: DNC
2005: 7th (F. Hoyland)
2004: 5th (F. Hoyland)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
Frank Hoyland has rejuvenated Rockingham, and last year they were excellent value for their win in the Third Section. That led to a hard days work at Harrogate though where they came 19th, but the experience would have been invaluable.
12th place at Butlins may not have been the result they would have hoped for, but it was against a strong field of rivals, and a decent showing under the experienced Stephen Shimwell should be well within their capabilities here.
South Yorkshire Police
Conductor: Kevin Wadsworth
Last 12 Years:
2008: 11th in First Section (I. Scott) (rel)
2007: 11th (A. Dennis)
2006: 6th in Second Section (A. Dennis) (prom)
2005: 5th (A. Dennis)
2004: 3rd (A. Dennis)
2003: 8th (N. Horne)
2002: 4th (D. Lever)
2001: 10th in First Section (D. Lever) (rel)
2000: 6th (D. Lever)
1999: 4th in Second Section (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 7th
Kevin Wadsworth takes a break from his adjudicating duties to take command of the Police – who were relegated last year despite finishing above three other bands in the First Section.
Since then they found Butlins not to their liking – coming 20th, so it will be interesting to see if Kevin can brings the lads and lasses back on the right beat so to speak on the weekend.
Strata Brass
Conductor: David Hirst
Last 12 Years:
2008: 4th (D. Hirst)
2007: 3rd (D. Hirst)
2006: 9th (D. Hirst)
2005: 3rd (K. Wadsworth)
2004: 7th (D. Horn)
2003: 7th (D. Horn)
2002: 8th (D. Horn)
2001: 4th (D. Moore)
2000: 8th (D. Moore)
1999: N/K
1998: N/K
1997: N/K
David Hirst has been doing a fine job at Strata over the past few years – picking up many a prize on the way too, and they will be determined for sure not to miss out once again on a trip to North Yorkshire.
9th place at Butlins may suggest they need to just brush up on a few areas if they are not to be the Harrogate bridesmaid once more.
Past Qualifiers:
2008: Slaithwaite, YBS Concert Brass
2007: Wakefield Metropolitan, Kippax
2006: Grange Moor, Meltham & Meltham Mills
2005: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Police
2004: Yorkshire Building Society Concert, Barnsley Building Society
2003: Old Silkstone, Hatfield Coal Power
2002: Hade Edge, Horbury Victoria
2001: Knottingly Silver, Hade Edge
2000: Pennine Brass, Knottingly Silver
1999: Holme Silver, Stannington
1998: Wakefield Metropolitan, YBS Concert Brass
1997: Todmorden Old, YBS Concert Brass
1996: Rothwell Temperance, Tingley Thornhill
1995: Hade Edge, South Yorkshire Police
Yorkshire bands at the Finals:
2008: 4th, 9th
2007: 4th, 5th
2006: 7th, 15th
2005: 9th, 14th
2004: 2nd, 7th
2003: 1st, 13th
2002: 1st, 14th
2001: 4th, 5th
2000: 2nd, 9th
1999: 1st, 13th
1998: 4th, 15th
4BR Prediction:
This is a contest that could go any number of ways. Despite the smallish field, there are a clutch of bands all more than capable (and showing good recent form) to take the title.
Of those, we just opt for Dodworth to take it, just ahead of Kippax and Holme Silver. Grange Moor we think will be in the mix too, with Strata and Barnsley Building Society making up the top six. Our dark horses are Horbury Victoria.
1. Dodworth Colliery
2. Kippax
3. Grange Moor
4. Holme Silver
5. Strata
6. Barnsely Building Society
Dark Horses: Horbury Victoria
