2009 Scottish Regional Championship - Third Section - Runners & Riders

They know a thing or two about mystic Kings and all that up here, so no troubles with this bit of make believe then for the Scots

Saturday 21st March
Adjudicators: Peter Bassano & Allan Ramsay
Test Piece: The Once and Future King – Andrew Baker

Draw: 8.30am
Commences: 10.00am  

Bon Accord Silver B
Conductor: Bruce Wallace 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 4th (B. Wallace)
2007: 11th (B. Wallace)
2006: 2nd in Fourth Section (B. Wallace) (prom)
2005: 3rd (B. Wallace)
2004: 3rd (B. Wallace)
2003: 5th (B. Wallace)
2002: 3rd (B. Wallace)
2001: 4th (B. Wallace)
2000: 3rd (B. Wallace)
1999: 6th
1998: DNC
1997: 11th in Third Section (rel)
1996: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)

Bon Accord has made startling progress here in the last two years – from 11th in 2007 to 4th last time out.

Bruce Wallace continues to provide a wonderful muscial direction for the band, and it seems they are now following his lead after coming 8th at the Scottish Challenge Cup. One of the favourites perhaps to take the title.  

Buckhaven & Methil Miners
Conductor: Gordon Evans MBE 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 10th (G. Evans MBE)
2007: Winners of Fourth Section (R. McDonald) (prom)
2006: 12th in Third Section (R. McDonald) (rel)
2005: 10th (R. McDonald)
2004: 4th (R. McDonald)
2003: 10th (B. Fraser)
2002: 6th (A. Fernie)
2001: 3rd (A. Fernie)
2000: 8th (A. Fernie)
1999: 5th
1998: 10th
1997: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)
1996: 4th

The 2007 Fourth Section winners found the step up in quality a little difficult last year when they came home in 10th place, so they will know that they will have to up their form if they are not to be drawn into any potential relegation battle.

Now that they have found their feet Gordon Evans and his band should fancy their chances of making more of a mark.  

Coalburn Silver
Conductor: Gareth Bowman 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 6th (G. Bowman)
2007: 3rd (G. Bowman)
2006: 3rd (G. Bowman)
2005: 2nd in Fourth Section (G. Bowman) (prom)
2004: 4th (G. Bowman)
2003: 6th (D. Grey)
2002: 8th (D. Grey)
2001: DNC
2000: 8th (E. Kerr)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Coalburn just fell away a touch last year to come 6th, after they had posted to fine performances in the previous two years to just miss out on trips to Harrogate.

They will want to put that right then this time around, and if they have been able to recaprture that old form they should be confident of being in the mix again come the results.

Dundee Instrumental (St. Margaret's)
Conductor:  J. Tonner

Last 13 Years:
2008: 9th (E. Tonner)
2007: 2nd in Fourth Section (J. Tonner) (prom)
2006: 7th (J. Tonner)
2005: 5th (J. Tonner)
2004: 5th (J. Tonner)
2003: 11th in Third Section (J. Tonner) (rel)
2002: 9th (J. Tonner)
2001: 2nd in Fourth Section (J. Tonner) (prom)
2000: 7th (F. Culross)
1999: 8th
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Dundee may be on home turf this weekend, but they will also know that they will have to produce home town form if they are to avoid any threat of potential relegation. 

9th place last year was perhaps understandable given it was their first time back in the section after a longish period in the Fourth, but they will not want to return there we are sure - so fingers crossed!   

Dunfermline Town
Conductor: David Neil 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 5th (D. Neil)
2007: 5th (D. Neil)
2006: 5th (D. Neil)
2005: 9th (S. Duncan)
2004: Winners of Fourth Section (S. Duncan) (prom)
2003: 8th in Third Section (S. Duncan)
2002: 7th (S. Duncan)
2001: 11th (S. Duncan)
2000: 3rd (S. Duncan)
1999: 7th
1998: 5th
1997: 3rd
1996: 10th

You can’t get more consistent than this now can you? For the last three years Dunfermline have ended up in 5th place at the Area.

Now comes the chance to break that spell, and if they can show the form that saw them come 5th (again!) at the Scottish Challenge Cup they should be celebrating with a pint or five… 

Irvine and Dreghorn Brass
Conductor: D. McKellar 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 2nd in Fourth Section (D. McKeller) (prom)
2007: 9th in Third Section (D. McKeller) (rel)
2006: 8th (D. McKellar)
2005: 11th (D. McKellar)
2004: 3rd (J. Boax)
2003: 6th in Second Section (J. Boax) (rel)
2002: 10th (J. Boax)
2001: DNC
2000: 4th in Second Section (J. Boax)
1999: 6th
1998: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1997: 7th in Second Section (rel)
1996: 11th
 
After dropping to the Fourth Section last year, Irvine has started to bounce back in the right direction.

That first step was taken by coming runner up in the Fourth Section last year which led to a hard earned 11th place at Harrogate. That experience will have done them a power of good too, so watch out for them on the weekend.  

MacTaggart Scott Loanhead
Conductor: R. Duff 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 8th (A. Fernie)
2007: 7th (A. Fernie)
2006: 9th (A. Fernie)
2005: 8th (A. Fernie)
2004: 5th (A. Fernie)
2003: 5th (A. Fernie)
2002: 5th (A. Fernie)
2001: 7th (D. McLeod)
2000: 11th (G. Williamson)
1999: 3rd
1998: 4th
1997: 5th
1996: 3rd

No Alan Fernie this year at MacTaggart, so the conducting duties have been taken by Richard Duff.

The band has enjoyed a comfortable existence at this level for some time now although they may feel that the time has finaly come for them to really up their form to book a long overdue place south of the border in Harrogate come September. 

Renfrew Burgh
Conductor: D. Hutchinson 

Last 13 Years:
2008: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Hutchinson) (prom)
2007: 3rd (D. Hutchinson)
2006: 10th in Third Section (D. Hutchinson) (rel)
2005: 12th in Second Section (D. Hutchinson) (rel)
2004: 11th (E. Drysdale)
2003: 4th (C. Keenan)
2002: 5th (C. Keenan)
2001: 4th (C. Keenan)
2000: 5th (C. Keenan)
1999: 10th
1998: Winners of Third Section (prom)
1997: 8th
1996: 5th

Last year’s Fourth Section winners were the shining contesting lights for the Scots at both Harrogate and London – posting the best result of all the qualifying bands of 5th place.

They have also shown that they have built on that too, ending theseason with a well deserved runner up spot at the Scottish Challenge Cup. You get the feeling that they already have one eye on a return trip to Harrogate.  

St. David's Brass
Conductor: John Dickson

Last 13 Years:
2008: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2007: 4th (J. Dickson)
2006: 11th in Second Section (J. Dickson) (rel)
2005: 11th (J. Dickson)
2004: Winners of Third Section (J. Dickson) (prom)
2003: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2002: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2001: 4th (J. Dickson)
2000: 9th (J. Dickson)
1999: 7th
1998: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
1997: 7th
1996: 11th

Getting closer by the year it seems. The band with the Welsh saint’s name has been getting ever nearer their first trip back to Harrogate since 2004.

They will surely want to put that right this time around, and with the recent form of coming 3rd at the Scottish Challenge Cup late last year they should be confident of doing just that.  

Tayport Instrumental
Conductor: F. Culross 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 7th (F. Culross)
2007: 6th (F. Culross)
2006: 12th in Second Section (B. Deans) (rel)
2005: 8th (P. Ratnik)
2004: 9th in First Section (I. Davey) (rel)
2003: 8th  (R. MacDonald)
2002: 5th (R. MacDonald)
2001: 2nd in Second Section (R. MacDonald) (prom)
2000: 9th in First Section (R. MacDonald) (rel)
1999: 6th
1998: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1997: 9th in First Section (rel)
1996: 7th
 
Tayport has held its own at this contest in the past two years since their relegation to the Third Section in 2006.

Now they will surely be looking to push back towards the podium places and a possible return to Harrogate for the first time since 2001 and a promtoion to boot.   

Turriff Silver
Conductor:  F. Cranna 

Last 13 Years:
2008: 11th (F. Cranna)
2007: 8th (F. Cranna)
2006: Winners in Fourth Section (F. Cranna) (prom)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: DNC
2003: Withdrew (rel)
2002: 11th in Second Section
2001: 9th
2000: 9th

Turriff must know that it has its work cut out if they are to avoid a drop through the relegation trap door to the Fourth Section this weekend.

A good result will help them no end, and if they can recapture the type of form that saw them win the Fourth Section in such style in 2006 they should be OK.    

Past Qualifiers: 

2008: Dalkeith & Monktonhall, Annan Town
2007: Campbeltown Brass, Coalburn Silver
2006: Tullis Russell Mills, Broxburn Silver
2005: Shott's St. Patrick's, Selkirk Silver
2004: St. Davids Brass, Jedforest Instrumental
2003: Lochgelly, St. Ronan's
2002: Shotts St. Patrick's Brass, Arbroath Instrumental
2001: Clydebank Burgh, Tullis Russell Mills
2000: Livingston Brass, Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass
1999: Turriff Silver, City of Discovery Brass
1998: Renfrew Burgh, Irvine and Dreghorn
1997: Kepston Q Fab Whitburn Brass, Annan Town
1996: Kilmarnock Concert Brass, Campbeltown Brass
1995: Barrhead and District, Newland Concert   

Scottish bands at the Finals: 

2008: 7th, 10th
2007: 7th, 14th
2006: 3rd, 6th
2005: 11th, 16th
2004: 10th, 16th
2003: 12th, 13th
2002: 12th, 14th
2001: 12th, 15th
2000: 1st, 2nd
1999: 5th, 14th
1998: 3rd, 17th 

4BR Prediction: 

The 4BR spy tells us this contest could go anyway, but if certain bands do turn up and play to form there could also be a very predictable outcome…

Still, enough of that codswallop – we opt for Coalburn to take the title this year followed by St David’s, with Bon Accord B, Dunfermilne, Renfrew and Tayport close behind. Our dark horse is MacTaggart. 
 

1. Coalburn Silver
2. St David’s Brass
3. Bon Accord B
4. Dunfermline Town
5. Renfrew Burgh
6. Tayport Instrumental

Dark Horse: MacTaggart Scott Loanhead

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