2009 Midlands Regional Championship - Championship Section: Runners & Riders

Which of the 13 well matched bands here will be giving a victory Salute come Sunday night?

Sunday 15th March
Civic Hall
Adjudicator: Derek Broadbent & C. Brian Buckley
Test Piece: Salute to Youth – Gilbert Vinter

Draw: 12.00 noon
Commences: After Second Section results  

Derwent Brass
Conductor: Keith Leonard
4BR Ranking: 130

Last 12 Years:
2008: 10th (K. Leonard)
2007: 2nd in First Section (K. Leonard) (prom)
2006: 6th (K. Leonard)
2005: 10th in Championship Section (K. Leonard) (rel)
2004: 10th (K. Leonard)
2003: 4th in First Section (K. Leonard) (prom)
2002: 3rd (K. Leonard)
2001: 12th (K. Leonard)
2000: 7th (K. Leonard)
1999: 5th
1998: 2nd in Second Section (prom)
1997: 3rd

10th place on their return to the top section for Derwent last year was a decent enough return, but they will need to gain a better result this year if they are not  to be drawn into a potential relegation dog fight.

13th place at Pontins late last season wasn’t bad either, but Keith Leonard will know that it will need better form than that to make an impression on Sunday.  

Desford Colliery
Conductor: Russell Gray
4BR Ranking: 11

Last 12 Years:
2008: Winners (N. Seaman)
2007: 2nd (N. Seaman)
2006: 6th (N. Seaman)
2005: 2nd (P. Parkes)
2004: 7th (P. Parkes)
2003: Winners (P. Parkes)
2002: Winners (P. Parkes)
2001: 3rd (P. Parkes)
2000: Winners (P. Parkes)
1999: 2nd
1998: Winners
1997: 3rd

The reigning champion returns with Russell Gray at the helm and looking to recapture the type of early season form they showed this time last year.

Then they had already bagged the Butlins title, but this time they come here on the back of 3rd place at Skegness. Should be favourites, but they don’t look impregnable.  A trip to London should be on the cards, but it could be close.    

Enderby
Conductor: Jonathan Mott
4BR Ranking:  Outside top 200

Last 12 Years:
2008: 11th (H. Thomas)
2007: 4th in First Section (H. Thomas) (prom)
2006: 5th (H. Thomas)
2005: 10th (M. Vause)
2004: 9th (S. Cooper)
2003: 13th (S. Cooper)
2002: 7th
2001: 7th
2000: 11th
1999: 10th
1998: 9th in Championship Section (rel)
1997: 11th

Jonathan Mott and his band return this year knowing that they will also have to up their contesting ante if they are not to find themselves falling through the relegation trap door.

The step up in class to the top section is a big one – and 12th place at Pontins late last season showed just how hard. They need to put in a good one here then. 

Glossop Old
Conductor: Phil Pavey
4BR Ranking: 168
 
Last 12 Years:
2008: Winners of First Section (J. Davies) (prom)
2007: 5th (J. Davies)
2006: 4th (J. Davies)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: 13th in Championship Section (J. Cant)
2003: 7th (J. Cant)
2002: 6th
2001: 10th
2000: 4th
1999: 3rd
1998: 4th
1997: 2nd  

Phil Pavey takes over the helm at Glossop Old, and it is nice to report that the band has battled its way back to Championship Section status after a couple of lean years.

Last year they won the First Section in fine style (3 clear points in fact) and went on to post a competitive 6th place at Harrogate. If they can improve on that then they should hold their own on their return. 

Jackfield Elcock Reisen
Conductor: Simon Platford
4BR Ranking: Outside top 2000

Last 12 Years:
2008: 8th in First Section (J. Maines) (prom)
2007: 3rd (J. Maines)
2006: 11th in Championship Section (J. Maines) (rel)
2005: 4th in First Section (I. Viney) (prom)
2004: 4th (C. Lewis)
2003: 12th in Championship Section (C. Lewis) (rel)
2002: 5th in First Section (prom)
2001: 3rd
2000: 10th
1999: 16th 
1998: 3rd
1997: 12th 

This could be an interesting one. Jackfield gained promotion to the top section even though they could only manage 8th place in the First Section last year and ended the seasonr in 9th place in the First Section at Pontins.

It’s a very big ask then for Simon Platford and his band, but an encouraging 4th place at Brass at the Guild Hall earlier in the season may just have given them a timely confidence boost. 

Jaguar (Coventry)
Conductor: Dave Lea
4BR Ranking:  91

Last 12 Years:
2008: 9th (D. Lea)
2007: 8th (D. Lea)
2006: 2nd (D. Lea)
2005: 3rd (D. Lea)
2004: 6th (D. Lea)
2003: 9th (D. Lea)
2002: 7th (D. Lea)
2001: 7th (D. Lea)
2000: 6th (D. Lea)
1999: 4th
1998: 8th
1997: 4th

Jaguar’s contesting fortunes seem to be mirroring that of their sponsors at the moment – especially here.

9th place last year was a disappointing return for a talented outfit and Dave Lea will want to get the band back to the typre of form they showed in both 2005 and 2006. If they can do it, then a push for a podium spot may be on the cards again – and the company car won’t have to be returned…   

Kibworth
Conductor: John Hudson
4BR Ranking: 84

Last 12 Years:
2008: 6th (J. Wise)
2007: 9th (J. Berryman)
2006: 2nd in First Section (J. Berryman) (prom)
2005: 3rd (J. Berryman)
2004: 11th in Championship Section (J. Berryman)(rel)
2003: Winners of First Section (J. Berryman) (prom)
2002: 8th
2001: Winners of First Section
2000: 12th in Championship Section (rel)
1999: Winners of First Section (prom)
1998: 9th
1997: 4th

John Hudson takes over the reins at Kibworth and he will direct a band that did exceptionally well last year to come in 6th place after a period of substantial upheaval.

The band has flitted between the sections over the last few years, but another solid result should see them push for anopther top six finish.  

Newstead Brass
Conductor: Duncan Beckley
4BR Ranking: 76

Last 12 Years:
2008: 7th (D. Beckley)
2007: 6th (D. Beckley)
2006: Winners (D. Beckley)
2005: 5th (D. Beckley)
2004: 8th (D. Beckley)
2003: 3rd (D. Beckley)
2002: 4th (D. Beckley)
2001: 11th (D. Beckley)
2000: 5th in First Section (D. Beckley) (prom)
1999: 4th 
1998: 10th
1997: Winners of Second Section (prom)

Duncan Beckley continues to work solidly with Newstead and the band posted a decent finish last year in coming 7th.

That was a little off the form that saw them as winners in 2006, and the recent 5th place at Brass at the Guild Hall may suggest that they will be quite happy with another top six result on the weekend. 

Ratby Cooperative
Conductor: Mike Fowles
4BR Ranking: 109
 
Last 12 Years:
2008: 8th (B. Baker)
2007: 4th (B. Baker)
2006: 8th (M. Winter)
2005: 9th (M. Fowles)
2004: 5th (M. Fowles)
2003: 8th (K. Steward)
2002: 9th (K. Steward)
2001: 2nd in First Section (K. Steward) (prom)
2000: Winners of First Section (K. Steward)
1999: 10th in Championship Section (rel)
1998: 11th
1997: Winners of First Section (prom) 

Mike Fowles returns to take Ratby for the first time in four years, but he has continued to develop the band solidly over the last few seasons.

Ratby has held its own here since gaining promotion in 2001, with a best result of 4th in 2007. That may be asking a lot of them on this occasion, but they could well spring a surprise or two once more.      

Sovereign Brass
Conductor: Peter Parkes
4BR Ranking: 57

Last 12 Years:
2008: 3rd (D. Maplestone)
2007: 3rd (T. Jones)
2006: 4th (P. Parkes)
2005: Winners (T. Jones)
2004: 3rd (T. Jones)
2003: 4th (W. Ruston)
2002: 10th (B. Hurdley)
2001: 5th (D. Maplestone)
2000: 5th (S. Cooper)
1999: 7th
1998: 7th
1997: 8th

The 2005 winners return with the man with the most area titles to his name at the helm.

Peter Parkes has 30 regional successes on his amazing CV, and wants more, and he showed that his appetite for contesting remains undiminished when he led the band to the Pontins crown late last season. Can number 31 be around the corner? 

Staffordshire Band
Conductor: Huw Thomas
4BR Ranking: 58

Last 12 Years:
2008: 4th (S. Kerwin)
2007: Winners (D. Maplestone)
2006: 7th (N. Boddice)
2005: 8th (S. Bastable)
2004: 2nd (S. Bastable)
2003: 6th (D. Maplestone) 
2002: Winners of First Section (D. Maplestone) (prom)
2001: 6th (A. Culshaw) (rel)
2000: 11th (A. Culshaw)
1999: 9th
1998: 2nd
1997: 6th
 
A little bit up and down in contesting fortunes for Staffordshire of late (they didn’t make it to the English Nationals last year), but they remain a highly competitive band on their own doorstep.

The 2005 winners came 4th last year and ended the season with a hard earned 4th place at Pontins. If they can build on that under Huw Thomas, then a possible return trip to London could be theirs for the taking. 

Thoresby Colliery
Conductor: Gary Stevens
4BR Ranking: 95

Last 12 Years:
2008: 5th (S. Lippeatt)
2007: 7th (M. Heartfield)
2006: 3rd (M. Heartfield)
2005: 7th (A. Duncan)
2004: 9th (J. Hudson)
2003: 5th (S. Lippeatt)
2002: 3rd (S. Lippeatt)
2001: 2nd (S. Lippeatt)
2000: 2nd in First Section (S. Lippeatt) (prom)
1999: 11th in Championship Section (rel)
1998: 10th
1997: 7th
 
Thoresby has a solid record at the contest in the last few years and 5th place last year was well merited.

They are still a bit of an outside bet to snatch a qualification place for the first time since 2001, and they will have to up their form from Butlins where they came 12th against  a strong field of rivals.  Another top six finish though is well withing their sights. 

Virtuosi GUS
Conductor: John Berryman
4BR Ranking: 30

Last 12 Years:
2008: 2nd (J. Berryman)
2007: 5th (D. Stowell)
2006: 5th (D. Stowell)
2005: 4th (D. Stowell)
2004: Winners (D. Stowell)
2003: 11th (R. Gray)
2002: 2nd (B. Grant)
2001: Winners (F. Renton)
2000: 3rd (M. White)
1999: 5th
1998: 5th
1997: 8th

GUS has been returning slowly but surely to the type of form that last saw them clinch the title in 2004, although for every two steps forward they have had the odd one step back too.

4th at Butlins though was courtesy of strong performances on both days, and with John Berryman knowing this particular score better than just about anyone else, they should be confident of an other London trip – maybe this time as champions. 

Past Qualifiers: 

2008: Desford Colliery, Virtuosi GUS
2007: Staffordshire, Desford Colliery
2006: Newstead Welfare, Jaguar (Coventry)
2005: Woolley Pritchard Sovereign, Desford Colliery
2004: Travelsphere Holidays, Staffordshire
2003: Desford Colliery, Ransome
2002: Desford Colliery, Travelsphere Holidays
2001: Travelsphere Holidays, Thoresby Colliery
2000: Desford Colliery, NSK-RHP Ransome
1999: NSK-RHP Ransome, Desford Colliery
1998: Desford Colliery, Staffordshire Building Society
1997: NSK-RHP Ransome, Rhodian Brass
1996: Rigid Containers, Rhodian Brass, Desford Colliery*
1995: Desford Colliery, Rigid Containers
1994: William Davis Construction, Thoresby Colliery, Rigid Containers
 *Pre Qualified   

Midlands bands at London: 

2008: 10th, 19th
2007: 10th, 18th
2006: 15th, 17th
2005: 9th, 12th
2004: 6th, 13th
2003: 7th, 10th
2002: 8th, 16th
2001: 13th, 16th, 17th
2000: 2nd, 11th, 12th
1999: 4th, 20th
1998: 14th, 15th
1997: 9th, 14th
1996: 10th, 12th, 14th
1995: 3rd, 6th
1994: 9th, 20th   

4BR Prediction: 

There is sure to be a keenly fought contest on the Sunday, with a number of bands more than capable of taking the title.

Desford should be the favourites, but they haven’t shown the form they were in this time last year of late. GUS could well be the band to beat then if they can just up their form from Butlins, and these two should just about have the edge on their rivals to get to London. 

Sovereign though could well top the lot if the Major can bring his magic to bear, whilst Staffordshire, Thoresby and Newstead should make up the top six. Our dark horse is Ratby.

1. Desford
2. Virtuosi GUS
3. Sovereign
4. Staffordshire
5. Thoresby
6. Newstead

Dark Horse: Ratby Co-operative

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