2010 Welsh Regional Championship - Second Section: Runners & Riders

No excuses that the bands won't know what this piece is about. So which of these 12 will be breathing contesting winning fire then?

Saturday 20th March
Adjudicator: Malcolm Brownbill
Test Piece: The Kingdom of Dragons (Philip Harper)
Draw: 12.15pm
Commences: After Section Three

One things is for certain with this contest on Saturday – the bands cannot complain about the subject matter (although the contenders from North and West Wales may well have a little well meaning gripe or two – depending on how things turn out)

Know well

'The Kingdom of Dragons’ is all about an area of the Principality that these competitors and their conductors should know very well indeed; from the historic beauty of Monmouthshire to the crepuscular depths of Blaenau Gwent, the little oasis of beauty of Torfaen’s Pontypool Park and the hustle and bustle of the 2010 Ryder Cup city of Newport.

Malcolm Brownbill shouldn’t have any problems with interpretation then – but playing the notes may be another matter.

Odd

The odd way in which the gradings worked out last year means that the field has expanded to a healthy 12 bands, of which four come up from the Third Section and one comes down from the First.

All of them will know however that they have a tough act to follow if they get to Harrogate. Wales has produced a triple crown of victories in this section in the last three years, with six of the last eight qualifiers all coming in the top six to boot. That is some record to maintain.

Nod

So who will get the nod this year?

Blaenavon Town will be looking to continue the form they showed in coming 2nd at their home town contest late last year as they look to return to Harrogate after winning the Third Section here in 2008.

Briton Ferry has been making solid progress under the baton of Dr Christian Jenkins as they look to book a finals place for the first time since 2002.

Crosskeys Silver has enjoyed a great deal of success under Keri Bowden’s baton over the last few years and should be confident of building on solid performances at Blaenavon and Pontins to head for Harrogate once again.

GCG

Deiniolen, who won the Second Section at the North Wales Open, will want to get back to North Yorkshire for a second successive year under the baton of Gavin Saynor, after qualifying as runner up and then posting a slightly unlucky 14th at the finals.

Promoted Gwaun Cae Gurwen (always known as GCG in Wales) has made excellent progress recently and will be looking to head to Harrogate for the first time for well over 20 years or more, whilst the former top section champions, Lewis Merthyr continues to build solidly under the baton of Gareth Pritchard.

With a win at Blaenavon and a solid showing at Butlins, they could be looking for their first finals appearance since their glory days of 25 years ago.

Howling

The talented Paul Hughes brings Llanrug down to the contest in solid form after posting an encouraging result at the North Wales Open late last year, whilst the vastly experienced Steve Edwards makes the slightly shorter trip down through Brecknockshire with Newtown Silver.

They will be fresh from their recent ‘howling’ artistic success as they look to get back to Harrogate for the first time since 2005.

RAF St Athan drops down from the First Section, but buoyed by recent decent form in coming runner up in the Welsh League and 3rd at Blaenavon in the First Section, whilst promoted Royal Buckley Town will be fronted by former Black Dyke and current Leyland principal cornet, John Doyle.

They seek to build on last year’s Third Section success that saw them come 6th at Harrogate.

Tylorstown and Gary Davies is a solid and improving outfit as was shown as Pontins and Butlins recently as they look to return to Harrogate for the first time since 2008, whilst Dean Evans has done a cracking job revitalising Ynyshir, coming runner up in the 2009 Welsh League and Blaenavon.
 
As for a winner?

Another hard one to predict, but the likes of Deiniolen will be in the mix if their take on the South East Wales countryside is a good one, whilst Tylorstown should join them at Harrogate if they continue of their recent decent form

Lewis Merthyr and Royal Buckley shouldn’t be too far away either, whilst the final top six places could well be up for grabs with Llanrug and RAF St Athan the ones for us. Our dark horse is Newtown
 
4BR Prediction:
1. Deiniolen
2. Tylorstown
3. Lewis Merthyr
4. Royal Buckley
5. Llanrug
6. RAF St Athans

Dark Horses: Newtown

Blaenavon Town
Conductor: A. Protheroe-Jones

Last 14 Years:
2009: 6th (L. Price)
2008: Winners of Third Section (L. Price) (prom)
2007: 6th (A. Jones)
2006: 4th (A. Hathaway)
2005: 9th in Second Section (M. Jones) (rel)
2004: 10th (G. Edwards)
2003: 4th (B. Davies)
2002: Winners of Third Section (B. Davies) (prom)
2001: 4th (B. Davies)
2000: 6th (B. Davies)
1999: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)
1998: N/K in Fourth Section
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

Briton Ferry
Conductor: Dr. Christian Jenkins

Last 14 Years:
2009: 9th (C. Jenkins)
2008: 7th (C. Jenkins)
2007: 3rd (C. Jenkins)
2006: 7th (C. Jenkins)
2005: 5th (C. Jenkins)
2004: 8th (M. Faro)
2003: 3rd (M. Faro)
2002: 2nd in Third Section (M. Faro) (prom)
2001: 2nd in Fourth Section (M. Faro) (prom)
2000: 7th (M. Faro)
1999: 7th
1998: N/K in Fourth Section
1997: N/K in Fourth Section
1996: N/K in Fourth Section

Crosskeys Silver
Conductor: Keri Bowden

Last 14 Years:
2009: 3rd in Third Section (K. Bowden) (prom)
2008: Winners of Fourth Section (K. Bowden) (prom)
2007: Winners (K. Bowden)
2006: 2nd (K. Bowden)
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 7th (K. Bowden) (rel)
2002: DNC
2001: 5th
2000: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)
1999: 6th
1998: 2nd
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

Deiniolen
Conductor: Gavin Saynor

Last 14 Years:
2009: 2nd (G. Saynor)
2008: 9th in First Section (G. Saynor) (rel)
2007: 7th (G. Saynor)
2006: 8th (W. Williams)
2005: Winners of Second Section (G. Saynor) (prom)
2004: 4th (W. Williams)
2003: 5th (R. Wyatt)
2002: 9th in First Section (J. Cant) (rel)
2001: 9th (E. Landon)
2000: 4th (R. Wyatt)
1999: 4th in Second Section (prom)
1998: 2nd
1997: Winners of Third Section (prom)
1996: Winners of Third Section

Gwaun Cae Gurwen
Conductor: G. Davies

Last 14 Years:
2009: 4th in Third Section (G. Davies) (prom)
2008: 4th (G. Davies)
2007: 3rd in Fourth Section (G. Davies) (prom)
2006: 5th (G. Rhys Davies)
2005: 5th (R. Williams)
2004: 6th (R. Williams)
2003: 10th (R. Williams)
2002: 10th (R. Williams)
2001: 10th in Third Section (T. Charlton) (rel)
2000: 7th (T. Charlton)
1999: 12th
1998: 10th in Second Section (rel)
1997: 8th
1996: 11th

Lewis Merthyr
Conductor: Gareth Pritchard

Last 14 Years:
2009: 7th (G. Pritchard)
2008: 5th (G. Pritchard)
2007: 10th (L. Price)
2006: 5th (L. Price)
2005: 4th (L. Price)
2004: 9th (B. Buckley)
2003: 7th (L. Harries)
2002: 4th (L. Harries)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: 8th in Championship Section (rel)
1997: 7th
1996: 4th in First Section (prom)

Llanrug
Conductor: Paul Hughes

Last 14 Years:
2009: 8th (P. Hughes)
2008: 8th (B. Connolly)
2007: DNC
2006: DNC
2005: 5th (T. Wyss)
2004: Winners Second Section (G. Saynor) (prom)
2003: Winners (G. Saynor)
2002: 3rd (P. Hughes)
2001: 3rd in Third Section (P. Hughes) (prom)
2000: 2nd (P. Hughes)
1999: 7th
1998: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
1997: 11th in Third Section (rel)
1996: N/K

Newtown Silver
Conductor: Steve Edwards

Last 14 Years:
2009: 5th (S. Edwards)
2008: 4th (S. Edwards)
2007: 9th (S. Edwards)
2006: 4th (S. Edwards)
2005: Winners of Third Section (S. Edwards) (prom)
2004: Winners of Third Section (S. Edwards)
2003: 8th in Second Section  (H. Gibb) (rel)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: 4th in Third Section (S. Edwards) (prom)
1999: 6th
1998: 2nd
1997: 10th in Second Section (rel)
1996: 9th

RAF St. Athan Voluntary
Conductor: Alan Bourne

Last 14 Years:
2009: 6th in First Section (A. Bourne) (rel)
2008: 8th (A. Bourne)
2007: 8th (A. Bourne)
2006: 3rd in Second Section (A. Bourne) (prom)
2005: 2nd (A. Bourne)
2004: 3rd (A. Bourne)
2003: 6th (A. Bourne)
2002: 11th in First Section (A. Bourne) (rel)
2001: 5th in Second Section (A. Bourne) (prom)
2000: 4th (A. Bourne)
1999: Winners of Second Section
1998: 8th
1997: 9th
1996: 5th

Royal Buckley
Conductor: J. Doyle

Last 14 Years:
2009: Winners of Third Section (P. Lovatt-Cooper) (prom)
2008: 7th (D. Beckley)
2007: 5th in Second Section (P. Lovatt-Cooper) (rel)
2006: 7th (P. Lovatt-Cooper)
2005: 8th (S. Tighe)
2004: 2nd Third Section (G. Thomas) (prom)
2003: 5th (D. Roberts)
2002: 4th (D. Roberts)
2001: DNC
2000: 5th in Second Section (G. Thomas) (rel)
1999: 9th
1998: 6th
1997: 6th
1996: 3rd

Tylorstown
Conductor: Garry Davies

Last 14 Years:
2009: 4th (G. Davies)
2008: 2nd (G. Davies)
2007: 8th (G. Davies)
2006: 2nd (G. Davies)
2005: 10th in First Section (L. Bowden) (rel)
2004: =8th (A. Morton)
2003: 3rd (L. Phillips)
2002: 8th (L. Phillips)
2001: 3rd (L. Phillips)
2000: 5th (L. Phillips)
1999: 7th
1998: 8th
1997: 5th
1996: 7th

Ynyshir
Conductor: Dean Evans

Last 14 Years:
2009: 2nd in Third Section (D. Evans) (prom)
2008: 6th (G. Shepherd)
2007: 6th in Second Section (D. Evans) (rel)
2006: 9th (D. Evans)
2005: 6th (A. MacDonald)
2004: 6th (A. Gibbs)
2003: 3rd in Third Section (A. Gibbs) (prom)
2002: 3rd (A. Gibbs)
2001: 7th (A. Gibbs)
2000: 9th (B. Williams)
1999: 2nd
1998: 11th
1997: 10th
1996: 6th

Past Qualifiers:

2009: City of Cardiff (Mellingriffith), Deiniolen
2008: Point of Ayr, Tylorstown Arriva Trains
2007: Newbridge (Celynen), Beaumaris B
2006: Newbridge Celynen, Tylorstown
2005: Deiniolen, RAF St. Athan Voluntary
2004: Llanrug, Markham
2003: Llanrug, Penclawdd
2002: Penclawdd, Rhyl
2001: Royal Oakley, Ammanford Town
2000: Rogerstone, Rhyl
1999: RAF St. Athans, Pontardulais Town
1998: Pontardulais, Deiniolen
1997: Rhos, Treherbert and District
1996: Burry Port, Rhos
1995: Burry Port, Rhos

Welsh bands at the Finals:

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

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