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

15 bands will set their musical sights on Harrogate by finding inspiration from over the Severn Estuary.

Sunday 14th March
Adjudicators: Jappie Dijkstra & Peter Bassano
The Forum
Test Piece: The Kingdom of Dragons (Philip Harper)
Draw: 8.45am
Commences: 10.00am

There is another cracking contest in store in the Second Section, where 15 bands will try and decipher a bit of Welsh history to book their place at Harrogate come September.

Oval balls

Wales is a totally alien country to many in these parts but there are plenty of similarities between them too – including the love of the oval ball game, strong cider and close knit communities where locals cast a curious eye towards outsiders.   ‘The Kingdom of Dragons’ should up right their street then.  

The Area has a wonderful record to up hold at the National Finals too. The wins in 2005 and 2006 have since been followed by decent showings from qualifiers and last year’s representatives did well in coming 3rd and 9th respectively. Any number of these bands could head north in September as strong contenders once more.

Enjoy

Plenty for Jappie Dijkstra and Peter Bassano to enjoy then, with a field made up of the one relegated band from the First Section and three promoted ones joining from the Third.

2008 winners Bristol East & Kingswood fell away last year to come 9th, so will want to return to prize winning form, whilst Brunel Brass will surely want their recent excellent form to continue at least until the end of their performance this weekend.

Value

The Third Section National Champion was wonderful value for their victory at Harrogate and will be looking to make it a hat trick of Regional wins on the weekend under the baton of John Winterflood. There are short odds on them doing that at the Torquay bookies.

Cinderford found life a little difficult to readjust to last year following their 2008 relegation from the First Section, so will be looking to improve this time out, whilst City of Bristol should be confident of making a mark under the baton of Welshman Ceri Thomas after their win at the SWBBA contest and a recent runner up spot at the GBBA Gloucester event.

Bryn James can always be guaranteed to bring the music to the fore with Filton Concert as they look to mount a strong challenge, whilst Jack Smith takes over the reins at Forest of Dean Brass looking to ensure that there is no risk of potential relegation after last year’s disappointing 11th place.

Decent return

Gillingham Imperial is another band that could do with a decent return after coming 12th last time out, whilst Heyl Town will be confident of perhaps pushing for promotion after posting a highly encouraging 4th place last year and ending up with a podium finish at the SWBBA contest too.

The improving Pendennis Brass (who are celebrating their 30th birthday this year) has enjoyed two promotions in the past three years and showed good form in coming 3rd at the SWBBA contest in the Third Section, whilst Phoenix Brass (Crewkerne) is a solid and consistent contender here who really upped their form at the SWBBA contest by coming runner up. Could this be a sign that they are in the type of form to get them back to Harrogate for the first time since 1999?

Shrewton Silver just missed out on that Harrogate trip last year when they came 3rd, and with two podium finishes in the past two years will surely be confident of making it third time lucky and claiming a first Area title. Just over a decade ago they were coming 25th in the Fourth Section.

Contest fortunes

Alf Hughes takes over the reins at Solent Concert this year and will be looking to reverse their contesting fortunes which have taken a bit of a beating of late, whilst St Pinnock will be looking to keep moving in the right direction after coming 8th last year and 4th in the Second Section at the SWBBA contest.  

That just leaves the final duo of Swindon Pegasus Brass who dropped through the relegation trap door after a couple of years of struggle in the First Section. They will want to make an immediate mark under new MD Mike Lock, as will Wotton & District Silver who pushed their way out of the Third Section last year after an extended eight-year stay.

As for a winner?

Another difficult one to predict with a clutch of bands more than capable of heading to Harrogate with a deserved win under their belt.

Hard not to be impressed by Brunel Brass though and under John Winterflood they have become a very impressive contesting outfit. Heyl Town should be in the mix and could well be pushed all the way by Shrewton Silver, City of Bristol, Pendennis and St Pinnock. Our dark horse is Bristol East & Kingswood.

4BR Prediction:
1. Brunel Brass
2. Heyl Town
3. Shrewton Silver
4. City of Bristol
5. Pendennis Brass
6. St Pinnock

Dark Horses: Bristol East & Kingswood

Bristol East & Kingswood
Conductor: Dan Jones

Last 13 Years:
2009: 9th (J. Griffin)
2008: Winners (R. Curran)
2007: 8th (R. Curran)
2006: 12th (B. Pope)
2005: 8th (B. Pope)
2004: 5th in Third Section (J. Griffin) (prom)
2003: 4th (J. Griffin)
2002: 6th
2001: 13th
2000: 18th in Second Section (rel)
1999: 14th
1998: 13th
1997: 4th in Third Section (prom)

Brunel Brass
Conductor: John Winterflood

Last 13 Years:
2009: Winners of Third Section (J. Winterflood) (prom)
2008: Winners of Fourth Section (J. Winterflood) (prom)
2007: 5th (J. Winterflood)

Cinderford
Conductor:
 
Last 13 Years:
2009: 10th (D. Lea)
2008: 14th in First Section (L. Baglin) (rel)
2007: 11th (D. Lea)
2006: 8th (D. Lea)
2005: 2nd (D. Lea)
2004: 11th (W. Jarrett)
2003: 9th in Championship Section  (W. Jarrett) (rel)
2002: 10th ((L. Baglin)
2001: 2nd in First Section (L. Baglin) (prom)
2000: 8th in Championship Section (rel)
1999: 9th
1998: 3rd in First Section (prom)
1997: 2nd

City of Bristol
Conductor: Ceri Thomas

Last 13 Years:
2009: 6th (C. Thomas)
2008: 11th in First Section (I. Holmes) (rel)
2007: DNC
2006: Withdrew (rel)
2005: 9th (A. Jones)
2004: 7th (A. Jones)
2003: Winners of First Section (B. James) (prom)
2002: 7th (B. James)
2001: 2nd in Second Section (B. James) (prom)
2000: 5th
1999: 8th
1998: 15th
1997: 5th in Third Section (prom)

Filton Concert Brass
Conductor: Bryn James

Last 13 Years:
2009: 5th (B. James)
2008: 10th (B. James)
2007: 3rd (B. James)
2006: 8th (B. James)
2005: 10th (B. James)
2004: 5th (B. James)
2003: 3rd in Third Section (B. James) (prom)
2002: 8th (N. Seaman)
2001: 6th (B. James)
2000: 5th
1999: 6th
1998: 9th
1997: 4th

Forest of Dean Brass
Conductor: Jack Smith

Last 13 Years:
2009: 11th (J. Gwynne)
2008: 6th (J. Gwynne)
2007: 10th in First Section (J. Gwynne) (rel)
2006: 13th (J. Gwynne)
2005: 6th in Second Section (J. Gwynne) (prom)
2004: 2nd (J. Gwynne)
2003: 11th in First Section (J. Gwynne) (rel)
2002: 15th (J. Gwynne)
2001: 11th in Championship (C. Hogg) (rel)
2000: 10th
1999: 2nd in First Section (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 2nd in Second Section (prom)

Gillingham Imperial Silver
Conductor: Alan McRae

Last 13 Years:
2009: 12th (A. MacRae)
2008: 8th (A. MacRae)
2007: 7th (A. McRae)
2006: 2nd in Third Section (E. Haines) (prom)
2005: 4th (E. Haines)
2004: 7th (E. Haines)
2003: DNC (rel)
2002: 3rd in Second Section (G. Lewis)
2001: 15th (F. Tranter)
2000: 10th
1999: 10th
1998: 16th in First Section (rel)
1997: 15th

Heyl Town
Conductor: Derek Johnston

Last 13 Years:
2009: 4th (D. Johnston)
2008: 4th in Third Section (D. Johnston) (prom)
2007: 6th (D. Johnstone)
2006: DNC
2005: 3rd in Third Section  (D. Johnston) (prom)
2004: 2nd (D. Johnston)
2003: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Johnston) (prom)
2002: 2nd (D. Johnston)
2001: 9th (D. Johnston)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: 14th in Third Section (rel)
1997: DNC

Pendennis Brass (Falmouth)
Conductor: Steve Thomas

Last 13 Years:
2009: 4th in Third Section (S. Thomas) (prom)
2008: 3rd (S. Thomas)
2007: Winners of Fourth Section (S. Thomas) (prom)
2006: 5th (C.J. Cottrell)
2005: 13th in Third Section (C. Cottrell) (rel)
2004: 18th (G. Thomas)
2003: 9th (G. Thomas)
2002: 3rd in Fourth Section (G. Thomas) (prom)
2001: 3rd (K. Anderson)
2000: 16th in Third Section (rel)
1999: 16th
1998: 10th
1997: 18th

Phoenix Brass (Crewkerne)
Conductor: Paul Slator

Last 13 Years:
2009: 7th (P. Slator)
2008: 7th (P. Slator)
2007: 4th (P. Slator)
2006: 13th (K. Darby)
2005: 11th (M. Knapton)
2004: 6th (M. Knapton)
2003: 8th (M. Knapton)
2002: 7th (G. Greenstock)
2001: 7th (G. Greenstock)
2000: 6th
1999: Winners of Third Section (prom)
1998: Winners of Third Section
1997: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)

Shrewton Silver
Conductor: Michael Dunford

Last 13 Years:
2009: 3rd (S. Lippeatt)
2008: 2nd (M. Dunford)
2007: 11th (M. Dunford)
2006: 7th (M. Dunford)
2005: 2nd in Third Section (M. Dunford) (prom)
2004: 3rd (M. Dunford)
2003: 12th (M. Dunford)
2002: 6th in Fourth Section (M. Dunford) (prom)
2001: 7th (M. Dunford)
2000: 4th
1999: 25th
1998: 18th
1997: DNC

Solent Concert
Conductor: Alf Hughes

Last 13 Years:
2009: 14th (H. Garner)
2008: 12th (W. Garner)
2007: 13th in First Section (W. Garner) (rel)
2006: 12th (W. Garner)
2005: 7th (W. Garner)
2004: 8th (W. Garner)
2003: 6th (W. Garner)
2002: 9th (W. Garner)
2001: 6th (W. Garner)
2000: 4th
1999: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 14th in First Section (rel)

St. Pinnock
Conductor: Chris Spreadbury

Last 13 Years:
2009: 8th (J. Willcock)
2008: 11th (S. White)
2007: 5th (S. Dobson)
2006: Winners of Third Section (P. Minear)
2005: 11th (P. Minear)
2004: 9th (P. Minear)
2003: 15th in Second Section (W. Harris) (rel)
2002: 9th (M. Medin)
2001: 10th (J. Whitehead)
2000: 11th
1999: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1998: 2nd
1997: 8th
1996: N/K

Swindon Pegasus Brass
Conductor: Mike Lock

Last 13 Years:
2009: 11th in First Section (P. Uzzell) (rel)
2008: 13th (S. Armstrong-Watkins)
2007: 12th (S. Armstrong-Watkins)
2006: 4th (J. Winterflood)
2005: 10th (J. Winterflood)
2004: 9th (J. Winterflood)
2003: 4th (J. Winterflood)
2002: 5th (J. Winterflood)
2001: 9th in Championship Section (J. Winterflood) (rel)
2000: 9th
1999: 4th in First Section (prom)
1998: 6th
1997: 3rd

Wotton and District Silver
Conductor: Dennis Grant

Last 13 Years:
2009: 3rd in Third Section (D. Grant) (prom)
2008: 9th (D. Grant)
2007: 2nd (D. Grant)
2006: 13th (D. Grant)
2005: 8th (D. Grant)
2004: 11th (R. Carr)
2003: 11th (R. Griffiths)
2002: 13th (D. Thomas)
2001: 13th in Second Section (P. Cowford) (rel)
2000: 11th
1999: 15th
1998: 6th in Third Section (prom)
1997: 6th

Past Qualifiers:

2009: Camborne B, Verwood Concert Brass
2008: Bristol East & Kingswood, Shrewton Silver
2007: Ocean Brass, Portishead Town
2006: St. Dennis, Lympstone South West Telecom
2005: St. Keverne, Woodfalls Concert Brass
2004: Otterbourne, Forest of Dean
2003: Lanner and District, Lympstone South West Telecom
2002: Torbay Brass, Bendix Kingswood
2001: Bendix Kingswood, City of Bristol Brass
2000: Ocean Brass, Test Valley Brass
1999: Solent Concert, Sherborne Town
1998: Redruth Town, St. Keverne
1997: Yeovil Town, Forest of Dean
1996: Forest of Dean, N/K
1995: Hyde, Lanner and District 

West of England bands at the Finals:

2009: 3rd, 9th
2008: 8th, 13th
2007: 7th, 10th
2006: 1st, 14th
2005: 1st, 3rd
2004: 13th, 14th
2003: 3rd, 15th
2002: 9th, 15th
2001: 2nd, 12th
2000: 7th, 11th
1999: 8th, 15th
1998: 8th, 17th   

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