2009 North of England Regional Championship - Third Section -Runners & Riders

Nine bands will seek Arthurian inspiration to get them to Harrogate on the weekend, Which two will pull the qualification swords out of the stone then?

Sunday 22nd March
Adjudicator: Richard Evans
Test Piece: The Once and Future King – Andrew Baker

Draw: 8.45am
Commences: 10.00am

Billingham Silver
Conductor: Vaughan Evans 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 2nd (V. Evans)
2007: 3rd (V. Evans)
2006: 6th (V. Evans)
2005: 7th (V. Evans)
2004: Winners of Fourth Section (V. Evans) (prom)
2003: 3rd (V. Evans)
2002: 10th in Third Section (V. Evans) (rel)
2001: 10th in Second Section (V. Evans) (rel)
2000: 7th (V. Evans)
1999: N/K (prom)
1998: 3rd in Third Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
 
Billingham will surely come to the contest as one of the favourites to head back to Harrogate after their runner up placing twelve months ago.

That saw them come 15th, and the experience would have been invaluable as they seek to return there once again. No recent form to look too, but you feel they should be in with a shout once more. 

Dunston Silver
Conductor: S. Murrill 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 3rd (S. Murrill)
2007: 4th in Fourth Section (S. Murrill) (prom)
2006: 7th
2005: 2nd (A. Seymour)
2004: 10th (A. Seymour)
2003: 9th (A. Seymour)
2002: 9th (A. Seymour)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Dunston put on a cracking performance last year to come 3rd on their debut in the Third Section, and more of that form could well see them head for Harrogate.

Winners at Durham late last year and 8th at Butlins against a strong field of national rivals suggests they should be there or thereabouts if they play to form.   

East Riding of Yorkshire
Conductor:  P. Andrews 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 8th (P. Andrews)
2007: 8th in Second Section (O. Wedgewood) (rel)
2006: 4th (J. Kendall)
2005: 6th (A. Shipman)
2004: DNC (rel)
2003: 4th (T. Oldroyd)
2002: 9th (M. Davison)
2001: 3rd (T. Oldroyd)
2000: 9th in Championship Section (T. Oldroyd) (rel)
1999: 9th
1998: 5th in First Section (prom)
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

A bit of a contesting jolt for East Riding of Yorkshire last year as they failed to make an impression on their return to the Third Section.

They will know that they will have to post a decent return this time around if they are not to fall through the relegation trap door again - so fingers crossed they have been able to find some much needed form from somewhere. 

Ferryhill Town
Conductor: S. Norris

Last 13 Years:
2008: 8th in Second Section (S. Norris) (rel)
2007: 7th (S. Norris)
2006: DNC
2005: 4th in Third Section (S. Norris) (prom)
2004: 3rd (T. Maddison)
2003: 9th in Second Section (T. Maddison) (rel)
2002: 9th (S. Robson)
2001: Winners of Third Section (S. Robson) (prom)
2000: Winners of Fourth Section (S. Robson) (prom)
1999: 4th
1998: 11th in Third Section (rel)
1997: N/K
1996: 3rd

After two years when they found life tough in the Second Section, Ferryhill return to the Third Section following relegation.

Sometimes that cannot be a bad thing, and after coming 3rd at the Durham contest late last year it seems they may find the contesting environment more to their liking at Darlington this time around.   

Marske Brass
Conductor: A. Prest

Last 13 Years:
2008: 4th in Fourth Section (A. Prest) (prom)
2007: 2nd (A. Prest)
2006: 3rd (A. Prest)
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 10th (M. Fowles)
2002: 11th  (A. Prest)
2001: 7th in Third Section (A. Prest) (rel)
2000: 9th (A. Prest)

After three impressive performances in the last three years, Marske return to the Third Section for the first time since 2001.

How they will fare this time may be indicated by the form they showed in coming runner up at the Durham contest in the C Section late last year. A repeat of that will do very nicely indeed then. 

North Skelton
Conductor: Tim Oldroyd

Last 13 Years:
2008: DNC
2007: DNC
2006: 9th in First Section (R. Collinson) (rel)
2005: 2nd (T. Oldroyd)
2004: 7th (T. Oldroyd)
2003: Winners of Second Section (prom) (T. Oldroyd)
2002: Winners of Second Section (T. Oldroyd)
2001: 2nd 3rd Section (prom) (T. Oldroyd)
2000: 3rd 3rd Section (T. Oldroyd)
1999: Winners 3rd Section
1998: 9th 3rd Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
Competed as Langbaurgh Brass until 2006

The return of a famous banding name in these parts as North Skelton make a reappearance in the programme for the first time in well over a decade or more.

The band that once won the Championship Section here is now a footnote in history, but the former Langbaurgh Brass, who last appeared in 2006, has been rejuvenated by Tim Oldroyd in the past few months. After winning the Durham B Section contest late last year they could be a favourites to make an immediate impression once again. 

Ripon City
Conductor: M. Dibb

Last 13 Years:
2008: 5th (M. Dibb)
2007: 2nd (L. Whitworth)
2006: DNC
2005: 5th (L. Whitworth)
2004: 6th in Fourth Section (L. Whitworth) (prom)
2003: 2nd (J. Shepherd)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Ripon City has been posting solid returns at Darlington over the last few years, and although they just fell away a little last year to come 5th, they should be confident of posting a competitive performance here once again.

If they can then a return to Harrogate may well be on the cards.

South Milford Brass
Conductor: R. Wilton

Last 13 Years:
2008: Winners of Fourth Section (R. Wilton) (prom)
2007: 5th (R. Wilton)
2000-2006: DNC
1999: 2nd
 
Last year’s Fourth Section champions take the step up in class to make their debut in the Third Section this year.

That win last season saw them come a hard earned 7th at Harrogate and the experience will have been invaluable as they look to make a mark here. Don’t bet against them doing just that.  

Stape Silver
Conductor: M. Breckon

Last 13 Years:
2008: 7th (M. Breckon)
2007: 4th (M. Breckon)
2006: 2nd (G. Hallas)
2005: 8th (M. Breckon)
2004: 5th (M. Breckon)
2003: 2nd (M. Breckon)
2002: 3rd in Fourth Section (M. Breckon) (prom)
2001: 4th (M. Breckon)
2000: 6th (M. Breckon)
1999: N/K (rel)
1998: 10th in Third Section
1997: 4th in Fourth Section (prom)
1996: 4th

Stape has just fallen off the pace in the last couple of years and they will surely be looking to post the type of performance that saw them qualify for Harroagte in 2006.

They have more than held their own since they were promoted in 2002, so time perhaps for them to head for the finals once again. 

Past Qualifiers: 

2008: Flookburgh, Billingham Silver
2007: Barton Town, Ripon City
2006: Durham Constabulary, Stape Silver
2005: Dearham, Hetton Silver
2004: Lockwood Brass, Carlisle St. Stephens
2003: Wansbeck's Ashington, Stape Silver
2002: Houghton Brass, Ellington Colliery
2001: Ferryhill Town, Langbaurgh
2000: Felling, Westoe (STHCT)
1999: Langbaurgh, South Milford Brass
1998: Yarm and District, Vaux Samson Band
1997: Barrow Concert, Yarm and District
1996: Cottingham, Harrogate
1995: GT Group Peterlee, Greggs Bakery   

North of England bands at the Finals: 

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

4BR Prediction: 

A well matched field of bands, this has the potential to be the closest contest of the weekend in Darlington.

Of the contenders though, Billingham, Dunston, North Skelton and Marske look as if they could have one heck of a battle to claim the two qualification places on offer, although Ripon, Ferryhill and South Milford may have something to say about that. 

1. North Skelton
2. Dunston
3. Billingham
4. Marske
5. Ripon
6. Ferryhill

Dark Horses: South Milford

^back to top