The third and final leg of the 2019 Welsh League series took place in Stanwell School in Penarth on the weekend where 26 bands battled it out for the SEWBBA accolades but also to see who would ultimately be crowned Welsh League Champions.

It proved to be an excellent day of competitive action hosted by organisers Kapitol Promotions on behalf of the South East Wales Brass Band Association, with a high standard of playing in each section, excellent facilities and plenty of brass band traders on hand for some early Christmas presents.

Top flight victory

City of Cardiff claimed the honours in the joint Championship/First Section conducted by Christopher Bond ahead of Ebbw Valley and Tongwyynlais Temperance.

Their own-choice programme opened with 'Somewhere Out There' followed by 'Armenian Fire Dance', 'One Day I'll Fly Away', 'Cute' and 'An American Tale' to close.

Ebbw Valley's Bethan Cooke took the 'Best Trombone' prize with Tim Jones of BTM winning the 'Best Instrumentalist' award for his rendition of 'Little Red Bird'. BTM also won the 'Best Basses' award and 'Best Section 1 Band' prize.

There was no overall Welsh League Champion this year as no band played in at least two Welsh League contests of the series, but fourth placed BTM and Pontardulais in fifth shared the First Section Welsh League Champion title.

Newport's clean sweep

There was a clear-cut winner in the Second Division race as Newport Borough under Robin Hackett made it a clean-sweep of all three contests to take the Welsh League title for the second year in a row.

They took the contest honours ahead of Abertillery Town and Mid Rhondda (Thomas Coaches) with an own-choice set that opened with 'The Cossack' march, 'The Witch of the Westmerlands' and 'Under the Broadwalk', which gave flugel player Amy Hackett the 'Best Instrumentalist' award.

The Welsh Area champion closed with the 'Finale' from 'The World's Greatest Storyteller' and 'Balkan Dance', whilst MD Robin Hackett was also presented with the prestigious Eric James Welsh Conductor of the Year Trophy.

Taff Vale success

There was another contest success for Taff Vale Brass in the Third Section as the Welsh Area champion and National Championship runner-up secured victory under MD Gareth Ritter with a set that opened with 'They Shall Come from the East' followed by 'Hungarian Dance'.

The Welsh love song 'Myfanwy' was followed by 'Sing, Sing, Sing' to close as the band also claimed the 'Best Horn Section' prize.

City of Cardiff M2 was runner-up, with RAF St Athan Voluntary in third, with their outstanding principal cornet Claire Bourne taking the 'Best Instrumentalist' award. The result saw RAF St Athan claim the Welsh League title ahead of joint runners-up Severn Tunnel and Taff Vale.

Cwmtawe win but GCG triumph

There was a keenly fought battle in the Fourth Section, where the honours on the day were claimed by Cwmtawe led by Wayne Pedrick, but the overall Welsh League title for a second year in a row went to second placed Gwaun Cae Gurwen conducted by Robert Burnett. His contribution to Welsh banding was marked with a presentation of a Life Membership certificate.

Cwmtawe opened with 'Home of Legends', followed by 'Alaw' and 'Fly Me to the Moon' before closing with 'The Lord of the Rings — The Return of the King'.

Crosskeys Silver principal cornet Ellis Davies took the 'Best Instrumentalist' award for his suave account of 'The Lazy Trumpeter'.

Third place at the contest went to Crosskeys Silver, whilst it was also good to note the return of the Newbridge Celynen Band to the local contesting fold after a decade away.

Youth Section:

There were encouraging signs for the next generation or even two of Welsh banding talent, with a cracking Youth Section event that saw four bands give excellent performances.

The City of Cardiff organisation certainly enjoyed a fine day with their youth ensemble M3 gaining a Gold Award under Carol Flanery-Davies and their learner ensemble M4 conducted by Rebecca Cole gaining a Bronze Award.

M3's rising sop star Sol took the 'Best Instrumentalist' award with their percussion team also adding a 'Best Percussion' prize.

There were well deserved Silver Awards for Ebbw Valley Academy and Rhondda Fach Youth whose cornet player Nathan won the 'Best Instrumentalist' prize.

Relfecting on a fine climax to the Welsh contesting season, contest organisers Kapitol Promotions thanked everyone who took part in the contest, as well as the hard-working event crew, adjudicators Christopher Bond, Nigel Seaman and David Hirst and comperes David Hayward and Alan Bourne.

There was also special vote of thanks to RAF St Athan Voluntary Band, who helped run the Youth Section.

There was no overall Welsh League Champion this year as no band played in at least two Welsh League contests of the series, but fourth placed BTM and Pontardulais in fifth shared the First Section Welsh League Champion title4BR

Results:

Championship/First Section:

Adjudicator: David Hirst

1. City of Cardiff M1 (Christopher Bond)
2. Ebbw Valley (Nigel Seaman)
3. Tongwynlais Temperance (Carl Saunders)
4. BTM (Jeff Hutcherson)
5. Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins)
6. Markham & District (Matt Rowe)

Best First Section Band: BTM
Best Instrumentalist: Tim Jones (Euphonium) — BTM
Best Trombone: Bethan Cooke (Trombone) — Ebbw Valley
Best Bass Section: BTM

Second Section:

Adjudicator: David Hirst

1. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett)
2. Abertillery Town (Joshua Ruck)
3. Mid Rhondda Thomas Coaches (Alan Gibbs)

Best Instrumentalist: Amy Hackett (flugel) — Newport Borough

Third Section:

Adjudicator: Christopher Bond

1. Taff Vale (Gareth Ritter)
2. City of Cardiff M2 (Martyn Ford)
3. RAF St Athan Voluntary (Alan Bourne)
4. Severn Tunnel (Gavin Clemons)
5. Briton Ferry Silver (Jeff Pearce)
6. Ynyshir (Dean Evans)
7. Upper Rhondda (Graham Shepherd)

Best Instrumentalist: Claire Bourne (cornet) — RAF St Athan Voluntary
Best Horn Section: Taff Vale
Youngest Player in Sections 4/3: Noah Jones (Ynyshir)

Fourth Section:

Adjudicator: Christopher Bond

1. Cwmtawe (Wayne Pedrick)
2. Gwaun Cae Gurwen (Robert Burnett)
3. Crosskeys Silver (Sion Rhys Jones)
4. Cwmbran (Adrian Browning)
5. Oakdale Silver (Kerry Bowden)
6. Newbridge Celynen (Geraint Barnes)

Best Instrumentalist — Ellis Davies (Principal Cornet, Crosskeys Silver)

Youth Section:

Adjudicator: Nigel Seaman

M3 (Carol Flanery-Davies) — Gold
Ebbw Valley Academy (Bethan Cooke) — Silver
Rhondda Fach Youth (Angela Westacott) — Silver
M4 (Rebecca Cale) — Bronze

Best Instrumentalist: Soprano Cornet (M3)
Best Cornet: Rhondda Fach Youth
Best Percussion: M3

2019 Welsh League Champions:

First Section:
Champion Bands (Joint): BTM, Pontardulais Town
Runner-up: Markham & District

Second Section:
Champion Band: Newport Borough
Runner-up: Mid Rhondda (Thomas Coaches)

Third Section:
Champion Band: RAF St Athan Voluntary
Runners-up: Severn Tunnel, Taff Vale

Fourth Section:
Champion Band: Gwaun Cae Gurwen
Runner-up: Cwmtawe