2010 West of England Regional Championship - Fourth Section: Runners & Riders

As always there is a fantastic turn out of contenders all looking to book a place in Harrogate courtesy of some tasty French variations.

Saturday 13th March
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt & Jappie Dijkstra
The Forum
Test Piece: Saint-Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)
Commences: 12 noon

Yet another band returned home to the West of England from Harrogate last year crowned as Fourth Section National Champion.

The region’s record at the National Finals is one to shout long and hard about from the rooftop of the Rivera Centre – this was the fourth victory since 1998, whilst just once since has a qualifier failed to come in the top six.

Hard act to follow

Whoever gets the nod from Stan Lippeatt and Jappie Dijkstra has some act to follow after St Breward added their name to the list of champions in such splendid fashion.

Philip Sparke’s wonderful set work should test all 20 contenders to the full, and it is nice to report that this year two bands make their debuts and one returns. Five of the runners battled against each other at the SWBBA Torquay contest last November and one made an early season appearance at the Gloucestershire Association contest in February.

AW Parker (Drybrook) and Kevin White will be looking to build on their 4th place at Gloucester a few weeks back as they return to the Fourth Section following their relegation, whilst Bratton Silver will be hoping to push up the results table after their return when they came 14th.

Chalford Academy has been making incremental moves up the results table since coming 24th in 2003 and Steve Tubb and his band should be confident of perhaps pushing for a top six place or better. Meanwhile, Cheltenham Silver will also be looking to improve on their last appearance under new MD Rob Folland after they ended up in 17th place.

Favourites

Downton will surely be one of the favourites to return to Harrogate where they came 15th, if they show the same type of form they did in qualifying twelve months ago. If they do then another trip could well be on the cards.

Hatherleigh Silver should be confident of doing well and perhaps making the move to push for a possible qualification place after their win at the SWBBA contest in November.  Launceston Town meanwhile will also be looking to build on an encouraging performance in the Third Section at that Torquay outing where they came 6th.

The vastly experienced Denzil Stephens returns with Lostwithiel Town looking to push on from their encouraging result last year after six year away from the contest, whilst Marshfield and John Griffin will be confident after they took a huge leap up the results table to finish 7th. Another step like that and they could be on their way to Harrogate.

Recapture form

Ian Luxford and New Forest Brass will hope to recapture the form that saw them post a top ten finish in 2008 after coming 16th, whilst it’s great to see Okehampton Excelsior and Des Law return after missing out last year. A promising 5th place at the SWBBA contest shows that they could well make a mark.

Porthleven Town will be looking to build on an encouraging 7th place at the same contest, whilst Shanklin Town from the Isle of Wight will be looking to produce another solid performance under Malcolm Lewis, and perhaps push for anther top six finish or better.

Improving

The improving Spinnaker Brass from Fareham in Hampshire is a band moving in the right direction under the baton of Gordon Leask, whilst Swindon Town will want to gain a boost of confidence after just falling away at the contest in the last couple of years.

Test Valley Brass produced a cracking performance last year to book their place at Harrogate after three years away from the contest. They ended up in a solid 13th place there and will want to return we are sure under Steve Large.

Totnes meanwhile will want to recapture the form that saw them come 3rd in 2008 after dropping away to 11th last year. 6th place at the SWBBA contest should give them a solid foundation to work off, whilst it will be interesting to see what the debutants of Verwood Concert B do. If they are anything like their senior counterparts then they should be more than capable of making a mark.

As for Wight Brass? With a mission statement that reads off their website: ‘A traditional band working towards self improvement and contesting success’, they should be confident of taking a few scalps on their debut.

Finally, Wilton and District Youth who produced a tremendous show last year to come 5th after a year away and coming 22nd in 2007. That was their best ever result at the contest, so can they go a few places better this time around?

As for a winner?

Time to put the old 4BR head on the prediction block and give the traditional kiss of death to some band’s hopes of getting to Harrogate.

The two bands that made it last year should be confident of doing so again, so look out for Test Valley Brass and Downton come the announcement of the results, whilst Hatherleigh Silver, Wilton & District, Chalford Academy and Shanklin Town could be in the mix as well. Our dark horse is Spinnaker Brass.

4BR Prediction:
1. Test Valley Brass
2. Downton
3. Hatherleigh Silver
4. Wilton & District
5. Chalford Academy
6. Shanklin Town
 
Dark Horse: Spinnaker Brass

AW Parker (Drybrook)
Conductor: Kevin White

Last 13 Years:
2009: 15th in Section Three (K. White) (rel)
2008: 14th (R. Phelps)
2007: 8th (K. White)
2006: 6th in Fourth Section (K. White) (prom)
2005: 3rd (K. White)
2004: 3rd (K. White)
2003: 14th (K. White)
2002: 20th (D. Ventura)
2001: DNC
2000: 12th
1999: 24th
1998: 19th
1997: 8th

Bratton Silver
Conductor: Maria Fricker

Last 13 Years:
2009: 14th (M. Fricker)
2008: DNC
2007: 16th (M. Winter)
2006: 11th in Third Section (M. Winter) (rel)
2005: 14th (P. Beer)
2004: 2nd in Fourth Section (M. Fricker) (prom)
2003: 5th (V. Beer)
2002: 9th (V. Beer)
2001: 10th (V. Beer)
2000: 14th
1999: 13th in Third Section (rel)
1998: 4th in Fourth Section (prom)
1997: 5th

Chalford Academy Brass
Conductor: Steve Tubb

Last 13 Years:
2009: 9th (S. Tubb)
2008: 7th (S. Tubb)
2007: 10th (S. Tubb)
2006: 14th (S. Tubb)
2005: 11th (S. Tubb)
2004: 16th (S. Tubb)
2003: 24th (S. Tubb)
2002: 12th (D. Witts)
2001: 20th (D. Witts)
2000: 26th
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: 21st

Cheltenham Silver
Conductor: Rob Folland

Last 13 Years:
2009: 17th (D. Grant)
2008: 15th (M. Earl)
2007: 7th (J. Button)
2006: 26th (J. Button)

Downton
Conductor: Roland Wright

Last 13 Years:
2009: 2nd (R. Wright)
2008: 11th (R. Wright)
2007: 10th in Third Section (R. Wright) (rel)
2006: 12th (R. Wright)
2005: 10th (R. Wright)
2004: 6th in Fourth Section (R. Wright) (prom)
2003: 2nd (R. Wright)
2002: 11th
2001: 21st
2000: 20th
1999: 18th
1998: DNC
1997: DNC

Hatherleigh Silver
Conductor: R. Wonnacott

Last 13 Years:
2009: 12th (R. Wonnacott)
2008: 17th (R. Wonnacott)
2007: 6th (A. Edwards)
2006: 8th (A. Edwards)
2005: 15th (A. Edwards)
2004: 8th (A. Edwards)
2003: 10th (A. Edwards)
2002: 14th (A. Edwards)
2001: 11th (R. Wonnacott)
2000: 18th
1999: 6th
1998: 16th in Third Section (rel)
1997: 19th

Launceston Town
Conductor: David Dobson

Last 13 Years:
2009: 16th in Third Section (D. Dobson) (rel)
2008: 13th (D. Dobson)
2007: 14th (D. Dobson)
2006: 3rd (G. Lannie)
2005: 9th (G. Lannie)
2004: 14th in Second Section (W. Smith) (rel)
2003: 11th (W. Smith)
2002: 10th (J. Ware)
2001: 11th (N. Chad)
2000: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1999: 10th
1998: 3rd
1997: 7th

Lostwithiel Town
Conductor: Denzil Stephens

Last 13 Years:
2009: 18th (D. Stephens)
2008: DNC
2007: DNC
2006: DNC
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 25th (L. Tretheway)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC

Marshfield
Conductor: John Griffin

Last 13 Years:
2009: 7th (D. Jones)
2008: 18th (P. Cornford)
2007: 18th (P. Cornford)

New Forest Brass
Conductor: Richard Sharp

Last 13 Years:
2009: 16th (I. Luxford)
2008: 9th (I. Luxford)
2007: 17th (I. Luxford)
2006: 18th (I. Luxford)
2005: 7th (I. Luxford)
2004: 19th in Third Section (Ian Luxford) (rel)
2003: 6th (Ian Luxford)
2002: 4th (J. Floyd)
2001: DNC
2000: 15th in Third Section (rel)
1999: 19th in Second Section (rel)
1998: 16th
1997: 10th

Okehampton Excelsior
Conductor: Des Law

Last 13 Years:
2009: DNC
2008: 19th (D. Law)
2007: 14th (D. Law)
2007: 20th (D. Law)
2005: 16th (D. Law)
2004: 15th (D. Law)
2003: 18th (D. Law)
2002: 22nd (R. Beardon)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

Porthleven Town
Conductor: F. E. Ralph

Last 13 Years:
2009: 15th (E. Ralph)
2008: 16th (E. Ralph)
2007: DNC
2006: 19th (S. Wearne)
2005: 9th (F. Evans)
2004: 14th (F. Evans)
2003: 20th (F. Evans)
2002: 17th (F. Evans)
2001: 12th (F. Evans)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC

Shanklin Town Brass (IOW)
Conductor: Malcolm Lewis

Last 13 Years:
2009: 8th (M. Lewis)
2008: 5th (M. Lewis)
2007: 12th (M. Lewis)
2006: 11th (M. Lewis)
2005: 6th (M. Lewis)
2004: 13th (M. Lewis)
2003: 11th (M. Lewis)
2002: 15th (M. Lewis)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC

Spinnaker Brass
Conductor: Gordon Leask
 
Last 13 Years:
2009: 10th (D. Jones)
2008: 12th (D. Jones)

Swindon Brass
Conductor: Francis Cowley

Last 13 Years:
2009: 13th (F. Cowley)
2008: 10th (F. Cowley)
2007: 11th (F. Cowley)
2006: 9th (F. Cowley)
2005: 2nd (F. Cowley)
2004: 4th  (F. Cowley)
2003: 17th (F. Cowley)
2002: 14th in Third Section (F. Cowley) (rel)
2001: 15th (F. Cowley)
2000: 12th
1999: 17th in Second Section (rel)
1998: DNC
1997: 7th in Second Section

Test Valley Brass
Conductor: Steve Large

Last 13 Years:
2009: 3rd (S. Large)
2008: DNC (rel)
2007: DNC (rel)
2006: DNC (rel)
2005: 11th in Championship (J. Williams)
2004: 8th (I. Holmes)
2003: 2nd in First Section (S. Large) (prom)
2002: 3rd (S. Large)
2001: 3rd in Second Section (S. Large) (prom)
2000: 2nd (S. Large)
1999: 2nd in Third Section (S. Large) (prom)
1998: Winners of Fourth Section (S. Large) (prom)

Totnes
Conductor: Steve Young

Last 13 Years:
2009: 11th (I. Wilkinson)
2008: 3rd (I. Wilkinson)
2007: 15th in Third Section (I. Wilkinson) (rel)
2006: 8th (I. Wilkinson)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: 13th in Second Section (S. Manley) (rel)
2003: 14th in First Section (C. Sproston) (rel)
2002: 11th (S. Davis)
2001: 7th (T. Trehern)
2000: 12th
1999: 3rd in Second Section (prom)
1998: 11th
1997: 3rd

Verwood B
Conductor: Trevor Naughton

Last 13 Years:
2009: DNC

Wight Brass
Conductor: Alan Ingram

Last 13 Years:
2009: DNC

Wilton and District Youth
Conductor: Colin Herbert

Last 13 Years:
2009: 5th (C. Herbert)
2008: DNC
2007: 22nd (D. Chalk)
2006: 21st (D. Dyer)
2005: 19th (D. Chalk BEM)
2004: 9th (D. Chalk BEM)
2003: 13th (D. Chalk BEM)
2002: 8th (D. Chalk BEM)
2001: 16th (D. Chalk BEM)
2000: 21st
1999: 27th
1998: 11th
1997: 10th

Past Qualifiers:

2009: St Breward Silver, Downton, Test Valley Brass
2008: Brunel Brass, Wincanton Silver, Totnes
2007: Pendennis Brass, St. Breward Silver, Bream Silver
2006: Verwood Concert Brass, Sidmouth Town, Wincanton Silver, Bream Silver
2005: Verwood Concert Brass, Swindon Brass, AW Parker Drybrook
2004: Pillowell Silver, Bratton Silver, Drybrook and District
2003: Hayle Town, Downton, Camborne B, Calne Silver
2002: St. Dennis, Hayle Town, Pendennis Brass
2001: Saltash Town, St. Dennis, Pendennis Brass
2000: St. Breward Silver, Portishead, Penzance Silver
1999: Lympstone South West Telecoms, Wincanton Silver, Tewkesbury
1998: Test Valley Brass, Wincanton Silver, Lympstone
1997: Lympstone, Phoenix Brass, Test Valley
1996: Pendennis Brass, N/K
1995: City of Bristol, Bideford

West of England bands at the Finals:

2009: 1st, 13th, 15th
2008: 4th, 9th, 10th
2007: 4th, 8th, 18th
2006: 5th, 7th, 15th, 16th
2005: 6th, 13th, 19th
2004: 2nd, 10th, 15th
2003: 7th, 14th, 15th, 17th
2002: 1st, 3rd, 19th
2001: 2nd, 7th, 12th
2000: 2nd, 4th, 19th
1999: 1st, 12th, 15th
1998: 1st, 3rd, 12th 

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