Despite a fraught early morning start for the scaba contest organisers as they sought to gain entry to the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone, eventually a great day of contesting was enjoyed by a healthy turnout of competing bands.

Brave decision

A brave decision was taken to delay the start of the day, but with the co-operation of the competing bands and adjudicators the contest eventually got off to a great start with the bands in the Third Section.

Adjudicator Peter Roberts was impressed by the standard of own choice selections he heard to start the day off, with victory in the end going to Amersham directed by Paul Fisher.

Nigel Hall wasn't quite as impressed with what he heard in the Second Section that followed however, feeling that some bands had overblown, but there was still plenty to be impressed about he said with the winning performance from Hitchin directed by Craig Paterson.

Peter returned to the box for the First and Championship Sections and came out enthused about what he had heard and engaged with the audience in a enlightening (and amusing) 14 point analysis!

Outstanding performances

He has been pleasantly surprised at the standard in the First Section stating that there had been some outstanding performances, with Chichester City in particular impressing him the most as they took the title under the command of conductor Russ Young.

Peter was even more impressed by what he had heard in the tight Championship tussle, as Wantage A conducted by Phil Bailey took the honours ahead of regular Belgian visitors Kortrijk, with recently crowned National First Section champions, Friary Guildford in third.

After these words no wonder a smile was seen returning to the face of the contest organisers after what had been a long, fraught, but eventually highly enjoyable day.

Result:

Championship Section:
Adjudicator: Peter Roberts

1. Wantage Silver A (Phil Bailey)
2. Kortrijk (Lieven Maertens)
3. Friary Guildford (Chris King)
4. Soham Comrades (Keith Schroeter)

Best Instrumentalist: Steve Chapman (Solo Cornet) – Wantage Silver A
Best Percussion Section: Kortrijk
Best Euphonium: Steve Perry (Soham Comrades)
Best Bass Section: Kortrijk
Conductors Prize: Chris King (Friary Guildford)

First Section:
Adjudicator: Peter Roberts

1. Chichester City (Russ Young)
2. Thundersley Brass (Roland Morris)
3. BAE Systems Brass (Keith Woodger)
4. Yiewsley & West Drayton (Christopher Cole)
5. Denham Hendon Brass (Gordon Davies)
6. Epping Forest (Denis Desmond)
7. Horsham Borough (Linda Cole)
8. Epsom & Ewell Silver (Ted Howard)
9. Fairlop Brass (Kevin Jordan)

Best Instrumentalist: Shaun Street (Solo Cornet) – Chichester City
Best Euphonium: Geoff Penfold – Chichester City
Best Bass Section: Thundersley Brass
Conductors Prize: Keith Woodger (BAE Systems Brass)

Second Section:
Adjudicator: Nigel Hall

1. Hitchin (Craig Paterson)
2. Colchester (Peter Ivey)
3. Shanklin Town Brass (Malcolm Lewis)
4. Betteshanger Colliery (Steve McIntyre)
5. Oxted (Martin Beaumont)
6. Uckfield Concert Brass (Nick Morris)
7. St Sebastian Wokingham (Lee Woodward)
8. Medway Concert Brass (Garrie Harvey)
9. Hangleton (Richard Baker)
10. Cranbrook Town (Ian Lanceley)

Best Instrumentalist: Alice Bailey (Flugel) — Hitchin
Best Horn Section: Colchester
Best Horn: Isla Mason (Betteshanger Colliery)
Best Percussion Section: Hitchin
Conductors Prize: Malcolm Lewis (Shanklin Town Brass)

Third Section:
Adjudicator: Peter Roberts

1. Amersham (Paul Fisher)
2. Sussex Brass (Hastings) (Steve Hollamby)
3. Snowdown Colliery Brass (Keith Twyman)
4. Charles Church Camberley (Robert Cherry)
5. Lingfield Silver (Roy Fuller)

Best Instrumentalist: Marion Mayhew — Amersham
Best Back Row Cornets: Amersham
Best Bass Section: Charles Church Camberley
Best Percussion Section: Amersham
Conductors Prize: Steve Hollamby (Sussex Brass (Hastings))

Youth Section:
Adjudicator Peter Roberts

1. Shanklin Town Youth (Malcolm Lewis)

Best Instrumentalist: Robert Bartlett – Shanklin Town Youth
Conductors Prize: Malcolm Lewis
Highest Placed Member Band: Shanklin Town Youth

Band of the Year 2010: Shanklin Town Youth