Foden's maintained their remarkable stranglehold on the Tameside Whit Friday honours by claiming the overall championship title for the seventeenth time since the turn of the new millennium.
Under MD Michael Fowles they once again opted for their traditional choice of William German's 'The President' march as they sought to top their record, set in 2014, of winning at 11 venues.
Seven of the best
Although that was beyond them this time around, victories at Broadoak, Droylsden, Heyrod, Stalybridge Celtic, Stalybridge Labour Club, Tame Valley and The Albion, with runners-up spots at Carrbrook, Hurst Cross and Mossley gave them an unbeatable overall aggregate and a financial boost of nearly £6, 500.
However, Foden's knew they had been hard pushed for their success, with Ashton under Lyne, Northop Silver and Elland Silver all snapping at their heels.
Foden's Band Manager, Mark Wilkinson was therefore delighted with the outcome, and told 4BR that victory was never taken for granted and that plenty of focused pre-contest preparation had once again gone into their success.
Prep work
"We take the event very seriously and always work hard with our preparations,"he said.
"We were pleased with our consistent playing throughout the night and delighted to have secured our seventeenth victory in eighteen years with performances that were always focused under Mike's baton.
We would also like to thank each venue for their efforts in running such a fantastic contest, and congratulate the various sponsors, audiences, helpers and Tameside Council for a superb evening. We look forward to returning next year."
Northop runners-up
Whilst Foden's were unstoppable, the race for the podium places was much closer, with a resurgent Northop Silver taking second place under John Doyle.
Playing the 'The President', the North Wales band claimed victories at Denton and Mossley along with runner-up spots at the two Dukinfield venues of The Albion and Tame Valley alongside Stalybridge Celtic.
With a third at Hurst Cross and a fourth place at Broadoak, it meant a financial windfall of £2,645 including the central runner-up prize of £1,000 with other cash prizes awaiting confirmation to round off an encouraging first half of the season under the baton of their effervescent MD.
There was also delight for the emerging top section force Elland Silver, as they claimed a well-deserved overall podium finish on their travels from West Yorkshire with 'Knight Templar'.
New Sectional awards
Tameside Council had certainly provided a greater deal of competitive impetus this year with proactive thinking seeing the introduction of a new much more democratic spread of sectional awards for bands that competed at six or more contests.
Eccles Borough under Mareika Gray took the spoils in the First Section, whilst Lee Skipsey led BD1 Brass to success in the Second Section. Pilling Jubilee took the monetary award in the Third Section with Parr Band (St Helens) picking up the extra money in the Fourth.
Success
Although Ashton under Lyne narrowly missed on a podium finish in the Open Section, they did more than enough to secure the keenly fought local honours against arch rivals Mossley (£600) with Stalybridge Old (£400) in third.
Stalybridge also finished with the best aggregate for Third Section bands, but as the rules state that a band can only be awarded a monetary prize in the overall Championship (and it is that of the highest value) Hoover Bolton became the additional beneficiary.
There was also delight for Macclesfield Youth as with their corps of drums took the Youth title and prize generously sponsored once again by Premier Kia. Defending champion Mossley Hollins was runner-up.
Albion builds on debut
Around the circuit 2017 debutant venue The Albion saw an increase in numbers as did Carrbrook, although the inclement weather did affect some contests.
However, the great atmosphere and excellent organisation made for yet another highly enjoyable day of competition for bands and audiences alike. Unfortunately one band was disqualified from a contest for abusing the hard working contest officials. It is hoped the band has since apologised for its behaviour and given assurances that there will be no repeat in the future.
Throughout the weekend the results were scrutinised with a great deal of patience by the hard-working team of volunteers to be officially confirmed following the Bank Holiday break.
We were pleased with our consistent playing throughout the night and delighted to have secured our seventeenth victory in eighteen years with performances that were always focused under Mike's batonMark Wilkinson
Official Results:
Tameside Open Championship:
1. Foden's — £2,000
2. Northop Silver — £1,000
3. Elland Silver — £750
4. Ashton under Lyne
5. Eccles Borough
6. Roberts Bakery
Local Championship:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £750
2. Mossley — £600
3. Stalybridge Old — £400
Highest Placed Bands in Sections 1-4
First Section: Eccles Borough — £500
Second Section: BD1 Brass — £400
Third Section: Hoover Bolton — £350
Fourth Section: Parr Band — £300
Youth Championship:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £200
2. Mossley Hollins — £100
Venues:
Albion Hotel:
(38 Bands)
Adjudicator: Nigel Lawless
1. Foden's — £350
2. Northop Silver — £175
3. Elland Silver — £125
Highest Placed First Section:
Haslingden & Helmshore — £100
Highest Placed Second Section:
Middleton — £100
Highest Placed Third Section:
Stalybridge Old — £75
Highest Placed Fourth Section:
Lostock Hall Memorial — £50
Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £200
2. Mossley — £150
3. Marple — £100
Youth:
1. Enderby Youth — £100
2. Mossley Hollins — £50
Broadoak:
(29 Bands)
Adjudicator: Duncan Beckley
1. Foden's — £500
2. Mossley — £250
3. Elland Silver — £150
4. Northop Silver — £120
Highest Second Section:
Middleton — £80
Highest Third Section:
Stalybridge Old: £80
Highest Fourth Section:
Cadishead Public — £70
Highest Local:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £70
2. Tintwistle — £50
Highest Placed Junior:
1. Mossley Hollins — £50
2. Hattersley Brass — £30
Deportment:
1. BD1 — £50
2. Junior Deportment: Mossley Hollins — £30
First Band to Play: Stockport Silver
Carrbrook:
(34 Bands)
Adjudicator: John Davies
1. Roberts Bakery — £600
2. Foden's — £300
3. Eccles Borough
Highest Second Section:
1. Bessel Bots — £150
Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £125
Highest Fourth Section:
1. Parr Band — £100
Highest Local:
1. Glossop Old — £80
Highest Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £60
2. Enderby Youth — £50
Deportment: Fanfare Union — £50
First to play: Fanfare Union — £20
Stewards Award: Mossley Hollins — £20
Denton:
(36 Bands)
Adjudicator: Mike Lyons
1. Northop Silver — £250
2. Elland Silver — £150
3. Marple — £100
Highest First Section:
1. Mossley — £100
Highest Second Section:
1. BD1 Brass — £80
Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £80
2. Pilling Jubilee — £30
Highest Fourth Section:
1. Parr — £50
2. Whaley Bridge — £30
Highest Placed Junior:
1. Mossley Hollins — £60
2. Macclesfield Youth — £25
Best Cornet: Elland Silver
Best Trombone Section: Northop Silver
Best Junior Cornet: Mossley Hollins — £50
Best Fourth Section Basses: Parr — £30
Best Local: Ashton under Lyne — £80
Deportment: Cheshire Constabulary — £15
Prize Draw: Northop Silver
First Band to Play: Hattersley Brass
Droylsden:
(30 Bands)
Adjudicator: Ryan Breen
1. Foden's — £400
2. Ashton under Lyne — £150
3. Elland Silver — £50
Highest First Section:
1. Silk Brass — £150
2. Mossley Band — £75
3. Hebden Bridge — £25
Highest Second Section:
1. BD1 Brass — £100
2. Meltham & Meltham Mills — £50
3. Tintwistle
Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £75
2. Pilling — £25
3. Hoover (Bolton)
Highest Fourth Section:
1. Cadishead Public — £50
2. Stockport Silver — £25
3. Lostock Hall Memorial
Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton under Lyne
2. Mossley
Youth:
1. Mossley Hollins — £75
2. Macclesfield Youth
Dukinfield: Tame Valley
(42 Bands)
Adjudicator: Brian Rostron
1. Foden's — £400
2. Northop Silver
3. Elland Silver
Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Tintwistle — £100
Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Hoover (Bolton) — £50
Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Parr — £50
Highest Placed Local:
1. Glossop Old
2. Ashton under Lyne
3. Mossley
Youth:
1. Enerby
2. Macclesfield
Heyrod:
(37 Bands)
Adjudicator: Martin Heartfield
1. Foden's — £600
2. Glossop Old — £280
3. Eccles Borough — £200
Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Valley Brass — £100
Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Hoover (Bolton) — £50
Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Parr — £50
Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £100
Highest Placed Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £140
Best Cornet: Ashton under Lyne — £50
Deportment: BD1 Brass
Hurst Cross:
(29 Bands)
Adjudicator: Richie Howard
Highest Championship Section:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £300
2. Foden's — £150
3. Northop Silver — £100
Highest First Section:
1. Blackburn & Darwen — £100
2. Mossley — £100
Highest Second Section:
1. BD1 Brass — £100
Highest Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £100
Highest 4th Section:
1. Cadishead Public — £100
2. Stockport Silver — £50
Highest Placed Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £50
Highest Local:
1.
First Band to Play: St John's Mossley — £25
Last Band to Play: St John's Castle (Droylsden)
Deportment: Mossley Hollins — £25
Stalybridge Labour Club:
(35 Bands)
Adjudicator: Paul Norley
1. Foden's — £400
2. Blackburn & Darwen — £200
3. Elland Silver — £100
Highest Placed First Section:
1. Roberts Bakery — £50
Highest Placed Second Section:
1. BD1 Brass — £50
Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £50
Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Parr — £50
Highest Placed Youth:
1. Enderby Youth — £50
2. Mossley Hollins — £30
Highest Placed Local:
1. Mossley — £100
2. Ashton under Lyne — £50
First band to play: White Peak Brass — £25
Deportment: Roberts Bakery — £20
Junior Deportment: Hattersley Brass — £20
Stalybridge Celtic:
(37 Bands)
Adjudicator: C. Evans
1. Foden's — £400
2. Northop Silver — £250
3. Elland Siver — £150
Highest Placed First Section:
1. Hebden Bridge — £100
Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Tintwistle — £100
Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £75
Highest Placed Fourth Section:
1. Parr — £75
Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £100
2. Tintwistle — £50
Highest Placed Youth:
1. Enderby — £100
2. Macclesfield Youth — £50
Best Cornet: Foden's — £50
First band to play: White Peak Brass — £25
Mossley:
(36 Bands)
Adjudicator: Garry Hallas
1. Northop Silver — £750
2. Foden's — £300
3. Eccles Borough — £200
Highest Placed Second Section:
1. Marple — £125
Highest Placed Third Section:
1. Stalybridge Old — £75
Highest Placed Fourth Section
1. Parr — £75
Highest Placed Local:
1. Ashton under Lyne — £250
2. Glossop Old — £150
Highest Placed Youth:
1. Macclesfield Youth — £100
Best Cornet: Marple — £25
Deportment: St John's Mossley — £50
First Band to play: Mossley — £50
Highest Placed Band to participate in the Whit Walks: Mossley — £30
