2009 Welsh Regional Championship - First Section: Runners & Riders

Pentacle is all about fives and threes by all accounts in Wales thats a prop forward and a second row then.

Saturday 14th March
Adjudicator: David Read
Test Piece: Pentacle – Graham Cole

Draw: 3.30pm
Commences: Follows Second Section 

Abergavenny Borough
Conductor: Gareth Ritter 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 4th (G. Ritter)
2007: DNC
2006: 9th in Championship Section (N. Weeks) (rel)
2005: 10th (A. Williams)
2004: 8th in First Section (P. Harper) (prom)
2003: 2nd (L. Price)
2002: Winners of First Section (D. Childs)
2001: 6th (B. Howard)
2000: 7th (B. Howard)
1999: 4th
1998: 6th
1997: 8th
1996: Winners of First Section

Nice to see Abergavenny returning to the type of form that saw them take this title back in 2002.

Gareth Ritter has rejuvenated the band in recent times and they finished the 2008 season coming  5th in the Championship Section in Treorchy. 5th place at the Welsh Open recently though was a huge boost and they can be confident, if they repeat that form, of a possible trip to Harrogate for the first time since 2003.  

Markham and District
Conductor: Nigel Seaman 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 3rd (A. Morton)
2007: 6th (N.Seaman)
2006: 4th (N. Seaman)
2005: 7th (N. Seaman)
2004: 2nd in Second Section (N. Seaman) (prom)
2003: 7th in First Section (A. Jones) (rel)
2002: 10th (N. Seaman)
2001: 4th in Second Section (N. Seaman) (prom)
2000: 3rd (N. Seaman)
1999: 3rd
1998: 7th
1997: 5th
1996: 8th

Another famous old banding name in the Principality doing well for itself nowadays, and the First Section Welsh League champions should be confident of making it back to Harrogate for the first time since 2004.

They won at Treorchy late last year to secure that title, and produced a solid account at Butlins coming 7th in their split draw in the First Section to start 2009 in the same vein. More of that and the B&B brochures will be dusted off again.  

Point of Ayr
Conductor: John Hinckley

Last 13 Years:
2008: Winners of Second Section (P. Christian) (prom)
2007: DNC
2006: DNC
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 2nd in Championship Section (T. Wyss)
2000: 3rd (M. Fowles)
1999: Winners (M. Fowles)
1998: 3rd (M. Fowles)
1997: Winners (M. Fowles)
1996: 6th (M. Fowles)

What ever happens in the second chapter of a fairey story we wonder? Promotion to the First Section and plenty more hard work we suspect.

Point of Ayr capped a remarkable 2008 with their victory at Harrogate, but they also found the realities of contesting life a bit tougher at Pontins where they came 3rd.   Still, they have the quality to shine at this level, and with the players now battle hardened after their first year back, another trip to Harrogate could be in their sights.  

Pontardulais (Burns Pet Nutrition) Town
Conductor: Paul Jenkins

Last 13 Years:
2008: 7th (P. Jenkins)
2007: 5th (P. Jenkins)
2006: 5th (P. Jenkins)
2005: 3rd (A. Jones)
2004: 4th (M. Faro)
2003: 8th (D. Mahoney)
2002: 6th (B. Buckley)
2001: 5th (B. Buckley)
2000: 3rd (B. Buckley)
1999: 2nd in Second Section (prom)
1998: Winners
1997: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1996: 3rd
 
A band quietly on the rise under one of the most talented young conductors in the Principality.

Paul Jenkins has been working hard down the ‘Bont’ and the results are begining to show. 6th at Treorchy in the top section, 9th at Butlins and 7th at Porthcawl may not strike fear into the hearts of opponents on paper, but they were all well put togther shows that just needed a touch more luck to have come higher.  

RAF St. Athan Voluntary
Conductor: Alan Bourne 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 8th (A. Bourne)
2007: 8th (A. Bourne)
2006: 3rd in Second Section (A. Bourne) (prom)
2005: 2nd (A. Bourne)
2004: 3rd (A. Bourne)
2003: 6th (A. Bourne)
2002: 11th in First Section (A. Bourne) (rel)
2001: 5th in Second Section (A. Bourne) (prom)
2000: 4th (A. Bourne)
1999: Winners of Second Section
1998: 8th
1997: 9th
1996: 5th

Alan Bourne continues to do excellent work on the RAF base with his band, although the results here in the past two years haven’t really reflected that.

They did come runner up in the Welsh League last year, topped by coming 3rd at Treorchy, and if they can produce that type of form once again then a first away day flight to Harrogate since 2005 may well be within their grasp.   

Tongwynlais Temperance
Conductor: Philip Harper

Last 13 Years:
2008: 7th in Championship Section (G. Pritchard) (rel)
2007: 8th (G. Pritchard)
2006: 7th (G. Pritchard)
2005: 6th (G. Pritchard)
2004: 6th (M. White)
2003: 5th (I. Holmes)
2002: 3rd in First Section (N. Seaman) (prom)
2001: 7th (J. Davies)
2000: 2nd (A. Morton)
1999: 3rd
1998: 9th in Championship Section (rel)
1997: 10th
1996: DNC

Strange as it may seem, but Tongwynlais will be battling it out in the First Section this year.

They haven’t enjoyed the trip to Swansea for a while now, but haven’t had the best of luck here either. The 2008 Welsh League Champions should have more than enough quality about them to secure their place at Harrogate. 3rd at Treorchy late last year and then 5th at Pontins and 3rd at the recent Welsh Open are results that show that they could end up as very clear winners. Fingers crossed then…  

Past Qualifiers:

2008: Newbridge (Celynen), Beaumaris
2007: Northop Silver, Treherbert
2006: Northop Silver, Penclawdd
2005: Parc and Dare, Wrexham Brass
2004: Parc and Dare, Wrexham Brass
2003: Treherbert and District, Abergavenny Borough
2002: Abergavenny Borough, Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda
2001: Beaumaris, Treherbert and District
2000: Rhos Silver, Tongwynlais Temperance
1999: Burry Port, Rhos Silver
1998: Thomas Coahes Mid Rhondda, Rhos Silver
1997: Beaumaris, Burry Port
1996: Abergavenny, Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda
1995: Beaumaris, Tongwynlais Temperance

Welsh Bands at the Finals: 

2008: 1st, 9th
2007: 2nd, 11th
2006: 8th, 10th
2005: 5th, 10th
2004: 2nd, 13th
2003: 13th, 16th
2002: 2nd, 11th
2001: 3rd, 12th
2000: 10th, 16th
1999: 6th, 14th
1998: 11th, 14th    

4BR Prediction: 

This may be a contest with a very small field, but it has the potential to turn into a real cracker if the fancied bands all play to form.

Tongwynlais should have more than enough about them to secure the title, whilst it could be a real old ding dong battle between Point of Ayr, Markham and Abergavenny to book that priceless second qualification place. After that, Pontardulais and RAF St Athan could be left to have their own little personal duel.

 
1. Tongwynlais Temperance
2. Point of Ayr
3. Markham & District
4. Abergavenny
5. RAF St Athan
6. Pontardulais

Dark Horse: N/A

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