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

The welcome sight of a dozen bands taking to the stage here shows that Philip Sparkes test piece has been a cracker.

Sunday 21st March
Adjudicator: John Berryman
Test Piece: Saint-Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)
Draw: 8.00am
Commences: 9.30am

Give bands a test piece they can play, and more importantly enjoy, and we would never have a problem filling a contest such as this.

33% increase

12 bands will take to the stage here on the weekend – a 33% increase on last year, mainly due to them not having to trudge their way through a piece of boring hard graft like ‘The Talisman’.

You can bet you bottom dollar that bands have enjoyed working on ‘Saint Saens Variations’ – and not just because they know the tune. It’s Philip Sparke who deserves a medal this year, not the players from the bands that battled their way through boredom last time out.

Not easy

Still, its not an easy piece by any means, and will take a good band to impress John Berryman in the box to get to Harrogate, where last year’s qualifiers came 7th and 19th.

Nothing to shout home about, but with two returning bands and a debutant, as well as quite a few where the average age requires them to carry ID if they want to go to the bar in the Dolphin Centre, things are looking up.

Backworth Colliery won here in 2005 and will be looking to return to the finals aided by the experienced Duncan Beckley and boosted by a 4th place at the Durham Association contest in the Championship Section.

Meanwhile, Craghead Colliery, a band with one of the most evocative names in these parts will also be hoping to keep up their solid showings of recent times under Billy Wright, as they look to build on their 4th place at the Durham contest.

First step back

East Riding of Yorkshire has endured a lean spell of late, as they have dropped down the sections, but will be hoping to take a first step back in the right direction this weekend, whilst Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes will surely want to build on last year’s excellent results.

That 2nd place sent them to Harrogate where they came 19th, but they showed that the experience had done them a world of good as they came a solid 12th at Butlins at the beginning of the year.

Lanchester has produced two solid showings in the last two years and will look to build on that this time around, whilst the great bunch of youngsters from NASUWT Riverside return once more – and will surely be beaming with confidence and enthusiasm on this piece, which could well suit them down to the ground.

Any medals they get this year may well be qualification ones.

Get back

Stape Silver were last in Harrogate in 2003 and will want to see if they can get back this year after their relegation from the Third Section, whilst Swinton & District Excelsior won here in 2001 and just missed out on a trip to Harrogate last year when they came 3rd.

Trimdon last qualified in 1999, so a return trip south is long overdue, and they should be confident after coming 2nd at the Durham contest late season.

That leaves the returnees of Spennymoor Town, back after last competing in 2005 and boosted by a podium finish at Durham, and Stanhope Silver conducted by the talented Steve Robson, who will certainly be confident after posting a victory at Durham in Section D.

Finally, a warm welcome to Knaresborough Silver under Rob Illsley who we hope to be reporting on here for many a year to come. With a test piece like this one they couldn’t have asked for a better start for sure.

As for a winner?

A hard one to pick, but we think Backworth and Kingsway should make it through with Stanhope, Trimdon, Swinton and Spennymoor Town close behind. Our dark horse is that great bunch from Riverside Concert who could well upset the whole apple cart and end up enjoying themselves in the bar drinking celebratory lemonade.  

4BR Prediction:
1. Backworth Colliery
2. Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes
3. Stanhope Silver
4. Trimdon Concert
5. Swinton & District Excelsior
6. Spennymoor Town

Dark Horse: NASUWT Riverside Concert

Backworth Colliery
Conductor: Duncan Beckley

Last 14 Years:
2009: 4th (D. Beckley)
2008: 12th (C. Harris)
2007: 7th in Third Section (D. Beckley) (rel)
2006: 7th (D. Beckley)
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (D. Beckley) (prom)
2004: 4th (T. Griffiths)
2003: 7th (T. Griffiths)
2002: 7th (T. Griffiths)
2001: 8th (T. Griffiths)
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
 (Formerly called Five Rivers Brass until 2007)

Craghead Colliery
Conductor: B. Wright

Last 14 Years:
2009: 9th (J. Robson)
2008: 13th (J. Robson)
2007: 8th (J. Robson)
2006: 9th (J. Robson)
2005: DNC
2004: DNC
2003: 14th (R. Wallace)
2002: 4th
2001: 12th
2000: DIS
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

East Riding of Yorkshire
Conductor:  P. Andrews

Last 14 Years:
2009: 7th in Third Section (P. Andrews) (rel)
2008: 8th (P. Andrews)
2007: 8th in Second Section (O. Wedgewood) (rel)
2006: 4th (J. Kendall)
2005: 6th (A. Shipman)
2004: DNC (rel)
2003: 4th (T. Oldroyd)
2002: 9th (M. Davison)
2001: 3rd (T. Oldroyd)
2000: 9th in Championship Section (T. Oldroyd) (rel)
1999: 9th
1998: 5th in First Section (prom)
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes
Conductor: S. Askew

Last 14 Years:
2009: 2nd (S. Askew)
2008: 9th (S. Askew)
2007: 9th (S. Askew)

Knaresborough Silver
Conductor: R. Illsley

Last 14 Years:
Debut

Lanchester
Conductor:

Last 14 Years:
2009: 6th (J. Fenwick)
2008: 10th (J. Fenwick)
2007: DNC
2006: DNC
2005: DNC
2004: Withdrew (rel)
2003: 8th in Third Section (G. Tindall)
2002: 3rd (G. Tindall)
2001: 3rd (G. Tindall)
2000: 2nd in Fourth Section (G. Tindall) (prom)
1999: N/K
1998: 5th (G. Tindall)
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

NASUWT Riverside Concert
Conductor: J. Bell

Last 14 Years:
2009: 7th (J. Bell)
2008: 11th (M. Humphrey)

Spennymoor Town
Conductor: J. Davison

Last 14 Years:
2009: DNC
2008: DNC
2007: DNC
2006: DNC
2005: 4th in Second Section (J. Bell) (rel)
2004: 5th (D. Beckley)
2003: 3rd (D. Beckley)
2002: 11th 1st Section (rel) (P. Cutler)
2001: 10th 1st Section (M. Condron)
2000: 6th 1st Section (A. Exley)
1999: N/K
1998: 4th (prom)
1997: 4th
1996: 3rd

Stanhope Silver
Conductor: S. Robson

Last 14 Years:
2009: DNC
2008: 6th (S. Robson)
2007: DNC
2006: 6th (S. Robson)
2005: 7th (S. Robson)
2004: 9th (S. Robson)
2003: 4th (S. Robson)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: N/K
1998: 10th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Stape Silver
Conductor: M. Breckon

Last 14 Years:
2009: 8th in Third Section (M. Breckon) (rel)
2008: 7th (M. Breckon)
2007: 4th (M. Breckon)
2006: 2nd (G. Hallas)
2005: 8th (M. Breckon)
2004: 5th (M. Breckon)
2003: 2nd (M. Breckon)
2002: 3rd in Fourth Section (M. Breckon) (prom)
2001: 4th (M. Breckon)
2000: 6th (M. Breckon)
1999: N/K (rel)
1998: 10th in Third Section
1997: 4th in Fourth Section (prom)
1996: 4th

Swinton and District Excelsior
Conductor: N. Sutherland

Last 14 Years:
2009: 3rd (N. Sutherland)
2008: 8th (N. Sutherland)
2007: DNC
2006: 9th in Third Section (P. Carter) (rel)
2005: 9th (R. Rutter)
2004: 6th (R. Rutter)
2003: 6th (R. Rutter)
2002: 9th (R. Rutter)
2001: Winners 4th Section (R. Rutter) (prom)
2000: 5th (R. Rutter)
1999: N/K
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Trimdon Concert
Conductor: P. Ash

Last 14 Years:
2009: 8th (B. Wright)
2008: 5th (B. Wright)
2007: 7th (A. Holmes)
2006: 10th (A. Holmes)
2005: 6th (A. Holmes)
2004: 7th (A. Holmes)
2003: 12th (A. Holmes)
2002: 5th (G. Vardy)
2001: 10th (B. Wright)
2000: 13th (B. Wright)
1999: 2nd
1998: 10th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Past Qualifiers:

2009: Kikby Lonsdale, Kingsway Printers Cleethorpes
2008: South Milford, Kirkby Lonsdale Brass
2007: Flookburgh, Marske Brass
2006: Barton Town, Barnard Castle
2005: Five Rivers Brass, Dunston Silver
2004: Billingham Silver, Durham Constabulary
2003: Lockwood Brass, Ripon City
2002: Hetton Silver, Kirkby Lonsdale
2001: Swinton and District Excelsior, Bearpark and Esh
2000: Ferryhill Town, Lanchester
1999: Bearpark and Esh, Trimdon Concert
1998: Westoe (STHCT), Dearham
1997: Murton Colliery, Marske Brass
1996: Ovington Tyndale, Barrow Concert
1995: Kirkby Lonsdale, Ovington Tynedale   

North of England bands at the Finals:

2009: 7th, 19th
2008: 7th, 17th
2007: 6th, 14th
2006: 4th, 6th
2005: 14th, 15th
2004: 16th, 17th
2003: 5th, 20th
2002: 16th, 17th
2001: 8th, 15th
2000: 8th, 20th
1999: 8th, 9th
1998: 13th, 15th  

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