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

Just the seven bands here to battle it on an old classic, but a few tasty morsels of Moorside could be on the menu.

Sunday 20th March
Adjudicator: Kevin Wadsworth
Test Piece: A Moorside Suite (Gustav Holst)
Draw: 1.30pm
Commences: Starts after Second Section

Although there are only the seven bands in the First Section this year, it promises to be a cracking battle to claim the two qualification places for Harrogate.

Test

’A Moorside Suite’ has proved to be quite a test of musical as well as technical character over the past two weeks, with the treacherous ‘Nocturne’ an Achilles heel of David Beckham finals ruining proportions.

Kevin Wadsworth has also proven himself to be a judge with firm and consistent views on how the piece should be approached too, so it could be interesting to hear whether or not some of the conductors have tailored their interpretations to find favour with the man in the box.

Encouraging signs

When it comes to the finals, there have been some encouraging signs of late that a National title could head back to the region for the first time since 2003.  Last year’s qualifiers came 2nd and 13th, so hopes will be high of bettering that.

Fancy

A pair of contenders who should fancy their chances more than most, should be Barton Town and Flookburgh – conducted by two of the most experienced musicians around in Richard Evans and John Iveson respectively.

Both are bands on impressive upwardly mobile curves of success; Barton winning the 4th, 3rd and 2nd Section title in consecutive years from 2006, and Flookburgh doing the same, starting a year later.

Barton also won the Leicester Contest late last season as well posting that runner up spot at Harrogate in September, so they should be confident of making a fifth consecutive appearance.

So too Flookburgh, who posted a slightly unlucky 7th at the Third Section finals. John Iveson has done a remarkable job with the band over the last three years and the odds are pretty short that they could make it four wins in a row if they really hit top form on the weekend.

Upping form

The rest of the five band field should not be under estimated however, with Shepherd Group and Richard Wilton more than capable of just upping their form from last year’s 3rd to book themselves a finals place for the first time since 1999.

The consistent Durham Miners Association Band (formerly Broughton’s Brass) will also be looking to push for a return to Harrogate for the first time since 2001 too, whilst Harrogate is starting to find the form that not so long ago saw them competing in the Championship Section.

Murton Colliery has been slowly but surely making solid progress under the baton of Denis Noble and came 3rd in the B Section at the Durham Contest late last year, whilst Wansbeck’s Ashington won there under the direction of Steve Malcolm.

They will be looking to make a fourth Harrogate appearance in five years if they can just up their form from last year’s 4th place.

As for a winner?

Barton and Flookburgh look like two very good bands in the making and should fancy their chances, whilst Wansbeck’s and Shepherd Group could well push them all the way. Durham, Harrogate and Murton should battle it out for the other places.

4BR Prediction:
1. Barton Town
2. Flookburgh
3. Wansbeck’s Ashington
4. Shepherd Group
5. Durham Miners Association
6. Harrogate

Dark Horses: Murton Colliery

Barton Town
Conductor: Richard Evans

Last 14 Years:
2009: 2nd (R. Evans)
2008: Winners of Second Section (R. Evans) (prom)
2007: Winners of Third Section (M. Bentham) (prom)
2006: Winners in Fourth Section (M. Bentham) (prom)

Durham Miner’s Association
(Broughton's Brass)
Conductor: Barry Holden

Last 13 Years:
2009: 6th (A. Exley)
2008: 6th (D. Hirst)
2007: 5th (A. Exley)
2006: 8th (B. Grant)
2005: 8th in Championship Section (B. Grant) (rel)
2004: 9th (J. Bell)
2003: 7th (K. Bolton)
2002: 4th (B. Grant)
2001: 2nd in First Section (C. Bentham) (prom)
2000: 3rd (B. Holden)
1999: 5th
1998: 6th
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Flookburgh
Conductor: John Iveson

Last 14 Years:
2009: Winners of Second Section (J. Iveson) (prom)
2008: Winners of Third Section (J. Iveson) (prom)
2007: Winners of Fourth Section (J. Iveson) (prom)
2006: DNC (rel)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: DNC (rel)
2003: 3rd in First Section (J. Iveson)
2002: 10th (J. Iveson)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: 4th
1998: 3rd
1997: 4th
1996: N/K

Harrogate
Conductor: Roy Waite

Last 14 Years:
2009: 5th (R. Waite)
2008: 8th in Championship Section (D. Lancaster) (rel)
2007: 6th (D. Lancaster)
2006: 8th (D. Lancaster)
2005: 5th (D. Lancaster)
2004: 6th (D. Lancaster)
2003: 6th (D. Lancaster)
2002: 2nd in First Section (D. Lancaster) (prom)
2001: Winners of First Section (D. Lancaster)
2000: Winners of Second Section (D. Lancaster) (prom)
1999: N/K
1998: 3rd
1997: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1996: 2nd

Murton Colliery
Conductor: Dennis Noble

Last 14 Years:
2009: 7th (D. Noble)
2008: 2nd in Second Section (D. Noble (prom)
2007: 3rd (D. Noble)
2006: 5th (D. Noble)
2005: 3rd in Third Section (D. Noble) (prom)
2004: 4th (D. Noble)
2003: 4th (J. Cook)
2002: 4th (P. Rosier)
2001: 8th (K. MacDonald)
2000: 8th (K. MacDonald)
1999: 4th
1998: 8th
1997: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
1996: 3rd

Shepherd Group Brass
Conductor: Richard Wilton

Last 14 Years:
2009: 3rd (T. Oldroyd)
2008: 5th (T. Oldroyd)
2007: 3rd (T. Oldroyd)
2006: DNC
2005: 7th (J. Hudson) (rel)
2004: 7th (C. Hirst)
2003: 5th (W. Rushworth)
2002: 8th (W. Rushworth)
2001: 4th in First Section (W. Rushworth) (prom)
2000: 4th (C. Hirst)
1999: 2nd
1998: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1997: N/K
1996: 4th

Wansbeck's Ashington
Conductor: Nigel Stedman

Last 14 Years:
2009: 4th (N. Stedman)
2008: 2nd (N. Stedman)
2007: Winners of Second Section (N. Stedman) (prom)
2006: 2nd (N. Stedman)
2005: 3rd (N. Stedman)
2004: 6th (N. Stedman)
2003: Winners of Third Section (N. Stedman) (prom)
2002: 5th (N. Stedman)
2001: 6th (C. Harris)
2000: DNC (rel)
1999: N/K
1998: 6th in Second Section
1997: N/K
1996: N/K

Past Qualifiers:

2009: GT Group Peterlee, Barton Town
2008: Kirbymoorside Town, Wansbeck’s Ashington
2007: Felling, Lockwood Brass
2006: Felling, Easington Colliery
2005: Easington Colliery, Langbaurgh Brass
2004: Kirbymoorside, Barrow Shipyard
2003: BHK (UK) Ltd Horden, Barrow Shipyard
2002: Gateshead Brass, Harrogate
2001: Harrogate, Broughton's Brass
2000: Cottingham, Boldon
1999: Gregg's Bakery, Rowntree
1998: Cottingham, Boldon Colliery
1997: Skipton, Vickers Barrow
1996: East Yorkshire Brass, Skipton
1995: EYMS, Boldon Colliery   

North of England Bands at the Finals:

2009: 2nd, 13th
2008: 3rd, 17th
2007: 7th, 10th
2006: 15th, 17th
2005: 11th, 14th
2004: 10th, 12th
2003: 1st, 6th
2002: 8th, 18th
2001: 15th, 16th
2000: 12th, 17th
1999: 7th, 16th
1998: 7th, 15th 

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