Foden’s created a special piece of Whit Friday banding history this year by claiming the overall Tameside title courtesy of an unprecedented set of eleven individual contest victories.

Obama

Under the baton of Michael Fowles, the Sandbach band claimed their thirteenth Whit Friday crown since the turn of the Millennium, with a series of performances of ‘The President’ march that would have put a smile on the face of Barack Obama, let along their delighted players.

Foden’s decided to concentrate all their efforts on the 11 Tameside contests and it was a decision that proved both highly successful and lucrative.

Victories

Victories at Audenshaw, Broadoak Hotel, Carrbrook, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Heyrod, Hurst Cross, Stalybridge Labour Club, Stalybridge Celtic and Upper Mossley saw them claim £5,750 in podium prize money to go with the £2,500 overall championship title payout.

With some extra individual bits and bobs too add to the pot, it meant Foden’s pocketed a hefty £8,250 for their night’s work. It is understood that Foden’s achievement is the first time a ‘clean sweep’ has occurred since Tameside Council created its central prize fund.

Detailed prep

Not surprisingly then, Band Manager Mark Wilkinson was a happy man, telling 4BR that the success was not just down to great march performances on the night, but plenty of detailed pre-contest preparation too.

"We are extremely pleased to have been crowned Tameside Champions for the 13th time in 14 years and to have won all 11 venues in Tameside which we believe is a first," he said.

"As always we take our preparation for the contests very seriously and have spent four hours getting the march in perfect shape — both indoors and outdoors.

Not only that, we spend a great deal of time planning our route, so the success is certainly shared between Michael Fowles, the players and the map readers!"

Welcome

He added: "It’s always a pleasure to perform at the Tameside contests, and the band thanks all the organisers, helpers and supporters at each venue who make us welcome and do so much to make it a great event."

Rothwell runner-up

For the second year, Rothwell Temperance secured the overall runner-up prize of £1,000 to also make it a profitable evening’s work.

Led by David Roberts, their top six performances of ‘The Wizard’ which counted towards the overall prizes, saw the Yorkshire outfit gain four second places at Aldwinians, Broadoak Hotel, Droylsden and Upper Mossley to go with two fourth places at Heyrod and Stalybridge Labour Club .

Local pride

There was joy for local favourite Ashton-under-Lyne, who finished third overall after they competed at all eleven venues under Philip Chalk.

The North West Area First Section champion delivered excellent renditions of ‘The Wizard’ that saw them finish second at Denton and Heyrod, to go with a trio of third place finishes at Aldwinians, Hurst Cross and Stalybridge Labour Club and a fourth at Carrbrook.

Significance

That meant Ashton also guaranteed themselves an extra £750 to go with the evening’s contest winnings, whilst their overall performance meant that Mossley, who finished seventh overall, claimed the £750 Local Champion title ahead of Stalybridge Old (£600) and TIntwistle, £400.

With the warm, balmy weather ensuring the crowds certainly came out to support the events, the excellent work of the contest organisers coupled with the cooperation of the police and local authority, disruption and incidents of bad behaviour were kept to a minimum.

It’s always a pleasure to perform at the Tameside contests, and the band thanks all the organisers, helpers and supporters at each venue who make us welcome and do so much to make it a great eventFoden's

Official Results:
Tameside Open Championship:

1. Foden's — £2,500
2. Rothwell Temperance — £1,000
3. Ashton-under-Lyne — £750
4. Pemberton Old DW
5. Blackburn & Darwen
6. East Yorkshire Motor Services

Local Championship:

1. Mossley — £750
2. Stalybridge Old — £600
3. Tintwistle — £400

Contest Venues

Audenshaw:
37 Bands
Adjudicator: Paul Holland

1. Foden's — £600
2. Rothwell Temperance — £300
3. Ashton-under-Lyne — £175
4. Blackburn & Darwen
5. Pemberton Old DW
6. Mossley

Highest Placed 2nd Section:
1. Mossley — £100
2. Elland Silver — £75

Highest Placed 3rd Section:
1. Darwen Brass — £100
2. Stalybridge Old — £75

Highest Placed 4th Section:
1. Ifton Colliery — £100
2. Pilling Jubilee — £75

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £125

Highest Placed Junior:
1. Mossley Hollins — £100
2. Wirral Schools — £50

First to Play: Long Eaton — £75
Deportment: Penrith Town — £75

Broadoak Hotel:
38 Bands
Adjudicator: Duncan Beckley

1. Foden's — £500
2. Rothwell Temperance
3. Mossley
4. Northop Silver

Highest 2nd Section:
1. Silk Brass

Highest 3rd Section:
1. Hawke Green Marple

Highest 4th Section:
1. Ifton Colliery

Highest Local:
1. Tintwistle
2. Stalybridge

Highest Placed Junior:
1. Wardle Acadamey
2. Macclesfield Youth

Deportment:
Junior Deportment:

First Band to Play: Blackburn & Darwen

*Bands awarded highest place and receive highest monetary value as opposed to multiple awards

Carrbrook:
41 Bands
Adjudicator: John Davies

1. Foden's — £600
2. Blackburn & Darwen
3. Pemberton Old DW
4. Ashton under Lyne
5. Elland Silver
6. EYMS

Highest 2nd Section:
1. Elland Silver
2. Mossley

Highest 3rd Section:
1. brass band Constantijn Huygens

Highest 4th Section:
1. Valley Brass

Highest Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne

Highest Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins

Denton:
45 Bands
Adjudicator: Mike Lyons

1. Foden's — £250
2. Ashton-under-Lyne
3. Eccles Borough
4. Pemberton Old DW
5. Blackburn & Darwen
6. EYMS

Highest 1st Section:
1. Wakefield Metropolitan

Highest 2nd Section:
1. Eccles Borough

Highest 3rd Section:
1. Stalybridge Old
2. Nelson Brass

Highest 4th Section:
1. Northop Brass
2. Ifton Colliery

Highest Placed Junior:
1. Wardle Academy
2. Macclesfield Youth

Cornet: Foden's — £40
Trombone Section: Pemberton Old DW
Junior Cornet: Wardle Academy — £50

Best 4th Section Basses: Northop Brass

Best Local: Mossley

Deportment: Wardle Academy
Prize Draw: Cadishead
First Band to Play: Marsh-Gibbon Silver

Droylsdon:
38 Bands
Adjudicator: Ryan Breen

1. Foden's — £500
2. Rothwell Temperance
3. Mossley
4. Skelmanthorpe
5. Northop

Highest 2nd Section:
1. Mossley
2. Eccles Borough

Highest 3rd Section:
1. Darwen Brass
2. Old Hall Brass

Highest 4th Section:
1. Ifton Colliery
2. Stacksteads

Highest Local:
1. Mossley
2. Ashton-Under-Lyne

Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins
2. Wirral Schools

Dukinfield:
42 Bands
Adjudicator: Dave Chapman

1. Foden's — £400
2. Jaguar Land Rover
3. EYMS

Highest Placed 1st Section:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne
2. Roberts Bakery

Highest Placed 2nd Section:
1. Eccles Borough

Highest Placed 3rd Section:
2. Darwen Brass

Highest Placed 4th Section:
1. Valley Brass

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne
2. Mossley
3. Stalybridge Old

Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins
2. Wirral Schools

Heyrod:
34 Bands
Adjudicator: Andrew McLaughlin

1. Foden's — £600
2. Ashton under Lyne
3. Blackburn & Darwen
4. Rothwell Temperance
5. Elland Silver
6. Skelmanthorpe

Highest Placed 1st Section:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne

Highest Placed 2nd Section:
1. Elland Silver

Highest Placed 3rd Section:
1. Hawke Green Marple

Highest Placed 4th Section:
1. Valley Brass

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Wirral Schools

First Band to Play: Stalybridge Old
Best Cornet: AShton-under-Lyne

Deportment: Haslingden & Helmshore
Junior Deportment: Macclesfield Youth

Hurst Cross:
39 Bands
Adjudicator: Richie Howard

1. Foden's — £300
2. Thoresby Colliery
3. Ashton under Lyne
4. Pemberton Old DW
5. Eccles Borough
6. Skelmanthorpe

Highest 1st Section:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne
2. VBS Poynton

Highest 2nd Section:
1. Eccles Borough

Highest 3rd Section:
1. Hawke Green Marple

Highest 4th Section:
1. Greenfield
2. Ifton Colliery

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins
2. Macclesfield Youth

Highest Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne

First Band to Play: St John's Mossley
Last Band to play: Eccles Borough

Deportment: Macclesfield Youth

Stalybridge:
45 Bands
Adjudicator: Adrian Morris

1. Foden's — £1,000
2. Pemberton Old DW — £350
3. The Band of the King's Division — £150

Highest Placed 2nd Section:
1. Eccles Borough — £75

Highest Placed 3rd Section:
1. Stalybridge — £75

Highest Placed 4th Section:
1. Valley Brass — £75

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins School — £100

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne — £300
2. Stalybridge — £200
3. Greenfield
4. Mossley

First band to play: Mossley

Cornet: Macclesfield Youth
Euphonium: Rothwell Temperance

Deportment: Camping & Caravan Club

Stalybridge Celtic:
42 Bands
Adjudicator: C. Evans

1. Foden's — £400
2. Pemberton Old DW
3. East Yorkshire Motor Services

Highest Placed 1st Section:
1. VBS Poynton

Highest Placed 2nd Section:
1. Mossley

Highest Placed 3rd Section:
1. Hawke Green

Highest Placed 4th Section:
1. Ifton Colliery

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne
2. Mossley

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth
2. Wirral Schools

Cornet: Foden's — £25

Upper Mossley:
40 Bands
Adjudicator: M. Tweedle

1. Foden's — £600
2. Rothwell Temperance
3. VBS Poynton

Highest Placed 2nd Section
1. Elland Silver

Highest Placed 3rd Section:
1. Stalybridge Old

Highest Placed 4th Section
1. Valley Brass

Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton-under-Lyne
2. Mossley

Highest Placed Youth:
1. Wardle Academy

Cornet: Denton Brass
Deportment: Macclesfield Youth