2010 Yorkshire Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders

A healthy turn out of bands this year attracted by a fine work from Philip Sparke and the chance to be on the BBC?

Sunday 7th March
Adjudicators: Steve Pritchard-Jones & Philip Sparke
Test Piece:  Saint-Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)

Commences: 1.30pm
Draw: 12.00noon

All eyes on Dinnington Colliery?  

It’s always nice to see a band return to the contesting fold, and after two years away they appear under the spotlight given the publicity surrounding the forthcoming BBC programme, ‘A Band for Britain’.

No Sue Perkins at the helm for the serious business of contesting, but ex Grimethorpe trombone star Jonathan Beatty will know there is a potential Hollywood script waiting if he can help Dinnington claim the title in best ‘Brassed Off’ fashion.

Having such a high profile band hogging the media attention may be a little unfair on the rest of the competitors, but it may also make them even more determined to put a spanner in their works by winning the title for themselves: Yorkshire people are not exactly noted for misplaced dewy eyed sentiment.  

Good luck to them then, but good luck also to the likes of Clifton & Lightcliffe B who make their debut, as well as the rest of the 12 band field which has a healthier look to it this year than for some time (it’s the highest number of competitors since 2006).

Strength in depth?

Whoever gets through will need to show the rest of the banding world that Yorkshire has some strength in depth to their banding structure.

For a second year in a row the two qualifiers failed to make any impression at Harrogate (10th and 17th), and just one National win in well over a decade isn’t something to boast too loudly about for a proud banding area.  

A cracking test piece has helped to generate interest (although it is not an easy one), and with the composer in the box with Steve Pritchard-Jones there shouldn’t be any qualms at the final result (as if…)

Results

One band in and around the top end of the results table should be Thurcroft Welfare after they produced a cracking show to come 3rd at Butlins recently, whilst Huddersfield & Ripponden also produced a promising account of themselves at Skegness too.

The improving Linthwaite will be looking to book their place at Harrogate for the first time since 2002, whilst Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge) has brought in the experienced Coin Hardy to front their challenge.

Deepcarr, Worsbrough and Wilsden make welcome returns again all looking to improve on encouraging performances last year, whilst Oughtibridge and Barnsley Metropolitan will want to make an immediate impact following their relegation from the Third Section.  Haworth too will want to make a mark as they return after a year away. 

As for a winner?
 
A hard one to call, but a couple of bands may well fancy their chances of booking their trip to Harrogate later this year.

Of those, Thurcroft come boosted by their excellent 3rd place at Butlins, whilst Dinnington should come close to giving the BBC fairytale climax to their television programme.

Huddersfield and Barnsley should be in the mix, whilst Linthwaite and Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge) may just push into the top six too. Our dark horse for a second year is Wilsden.  

4BR Prediction:

1. Thurcroft Welfare
2. Dinnington
3. Huddersfield & Ripponden
4. Barnsley Metropolitan
5. Linthwaite
6. Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)

Dark Horse: Wilsden

Barnsley Metropolitan
Conductor: Alex Francis

Last 13 Years:
2009: 11th in Third Section (A. Francis) (rel)
2008: 5th in Fourth Section (J. Grinnell) (prom)
2007: 5th (J. Grinnell)
2006: 3rd (J. Grinnell)
2005: 9th (J. Grinnell)
2004: 8th in Third Section (J. Grinnell) (rel)
2003: 10th (J. Grinnell)
2002: 6th in Fourth Section (J. Grinnell) (prom)
2001: 3rd (J. Grinnell)
2000: 5th (J. Grinnell)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC

Clifton & Lightcliffe B
Conductor: John Clay

Last 13 Years:
Debut

Deepcarr
Conductor: Gavin Somerset

Last 13 Years:
2009: 7th (G. Somerset)
2008: 10th (G. Somerset)

Dinnington Colliery
Conductor: Jonathan Beatty

Last 13 Years:
2009: DNC
2008: DNC
2007: 11th in Second Section (K. Vernon) (rel)
2006: 10th (T. Bannan)
2005: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (T. Bannan)
2004: 3rd (T. Bannan)
2003: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (T. Bannan)
2002: 4th (T. Bannan)
2001: 4th (T. Bannan)
2000: 8th (D. Fretwell)
1999: 4th

Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
Conductor: Colin Hardy

Last 13 Years:
2009: 9th (C. Caton)
2008: 7th (C. Caton)
2007: 6th (C. Caton)
2006: 6th (C. Caton)
2005: 8th (C. Caton)
2004: 4th (C. Caton)
2003: 7th (C. Caton)
2002: 10th in Third Section (C. Caton) (rel)
2001: 9th (G. Hooper)
2000: 10th (G. Hooper)
1999: 6th in Fourth Section (prom)
1998: 3rd
1997: 11th in Third Section (rel)

Haworth
Conductor: Charles Hindmarsh

Last 13 Years:
2009: DNC
2008: 8th (F. Bishop)
2007: 10th (D. Tiller)

Huddersfield & Ripponden
Conductor: Tony Jaeger-Fozard

Last 13 Years:
2009: 4th (S. Platten)
2008: 10th in Third Section (S. Platten) (rel)
2007: 9th (S. Platten)
2006: 7th (S. Platten)
2005: 5th (A. Holdsworth)
2004: 6th (A. Holdsworth)
2003: 10th in Second Section (I. Tiffany) (rel)
2002: 11th (S. Derrick)
2001: 11th (S. Derrick)
2000: 3rd (S. Bradnum)
1999: 9th
1998: 5th
1997: 2nd in Third Section (prom)

Linthwaite
Conductor: G. Pulleyn

Last 13 Years:
2009: 3rd (C. Askew)
2008: 9th (D. Smith)
2007: 4th (J. Hunter)
2006: 8th (O. Wedgewood)
2005: 7th (O. Wedgewood)
2004: 6th (S. Platten)
2003: 5th (S. Platten)
2002: Winners (S. Platten)
2001: 5th (S. Platten)
2000: 9th (S. Platten)
1999: 9th (S. Platten)
1998: DNC (rel)
1997: 14th in Third Section

Oughtibridge
Conductor: Alan Coe

Last 13 Years:
2009: 12th in Third Section (D. Corker) (rel)
2008: 8th (W. Rushworth)
2007: 3rd in Fourth Section (R. Spencer) (prom)
2006: DNC (rel)
2005: 8th in Third Section (P. Chapman)
2004: DNC
2003: 6th (D. Moore)
2002: 2nd (D. Moore)
2001: 7th (D. Moore)
2000: 2nd in Fourth Section (D. Moore) (prom)
1999: 5th
1998: 11th in Third Section (rel)
1997: 13th

Thurcroft Welfare
Conductor: Ken Vernon

Last 13 Years:
2009: 2nd (K. Vernon)
2008: 6th (K. Vernon)
2007: 10th (A. White)
2006: 9th (A. White)
2005: 12th (D. Hilling)
2004: 8th (O. Wedgewood)
2003: 8th (M. Battersby)
2002: 7th (P. Dickens)
2001: 9th (P. Dickens)
2000: 12th in Third Section (P. Chapman) (rel)
1999: 11th
1998: 4th in Fourth Section (prom)
1997: 3rd

Wilsden
Conductor: Ken Lee

Last 13 Years:
2009: 6th (K. Lee)

Worsbrough Brass
Conductor: John K Hopkinson

Last 13 Years:
2009: 8th (J. Hopkinson)

Past Qualifiers:

2009: Maltby Miners Welfare, Thurcroft Welfare
2008: Lofthouse 2000, Skelmanthorpe B
2007: Crofton Silver, Innovate Skelmanthorpe B
2006: Dodworth MW Colliery, Emley Brass
2005: Gawthorpe Brass, Garforth Community
2004: Grange Moor, Gawthorpe Brass
2003: Dinnington Colliery, Grange Moor
2002: Linthwaite, Emley Brass
2001: Clifton and Lightcliffe, Maltby Miners Welfare
2000: Wetherby and District, Oughtibridge
1999: Maltby Miners, Yorkshire Traction
1998: Stanley Newmarket Coll, Yorkshire Traction
1997: Gawthorpe Brass '85, Walkley Clogs Hebden Bridge
1996: Gawthorpe Brass '85, Sheffield Youth
1995: Elland Silver, Todmorden Old

Yorkshire bands at the Finals:

2009: 10th, 17th
2008: 12th, 13th
2007: 3rd, 5th
2006: 1st, 12th
2005: 2nd, 3rd
2004: 3rd, 6th
2003: 3rd, 11th
2002: 11th, 21st
2001: 10th, 11th
2000: 13th, 14th
1999: 2nd, 17th
1998: 7th, 17th 

^back to top