Cory remains top of the Band Supplies/4BR/Denis Wick World Ranking for another year, but the gap between them and their rivals is closing.
That was perhaps due to 2022 not perhaps being the most outstanding 12 months in the Welsh band's recent history, as other major titles were brilliantly won by the likes of Brighouse & Rastrick and Foden's, but it still included a European Championship and Welsh Area victory — so not so bad after all!
What would others give for that as a record — and we are sure they are determined to improve on it in 2023. Foden's are now their closest rivals, but Brighouse & Rastrick and Tredegar also enjoyed excellent contesting years on which they hope to build too amongst others.
With the Norwegians back in business in February there could be some major movements in the top 10, whilst the Areas will also be a busy month for our 'Statto'.
The rankings are a rolling three year structure so former results 'decay' in value as each year passes.
Could 2023 then be the year that Cory are finally toppled or will they shrug 2022 off as a bit of a blip and return to winning ways at all the majors as they have done twice before in recent years under Philip Harper?
Top 10 bands:
1. Cory
2. Foden's
3. Brighouse and Rastrick
4. Tredegar
5. Black Dyke
6. Valaisia Brass Band
7. Flowers
8. Eikanger-Bjørsvik
9. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
10. Stavanger
This is traditionally the time when we look at the bands that have had the best and worst of the past contesting year.
In terms of points gained over the year, the 20 highest-climbing bands of 2022 were:
2021 to 2022: Band, Total, Points
4 to 3: Brighouse and Rastrick, 521.29
2 to 2: Foden's, 484.18
5 to 4: Tredegar, 279.19
36 to 12: Aldbourne, 171.97
25 to 16: Hammonds Saltaire, 75.11
47 to 23: Rothwell Temperance, 65.57
6 to 6: Valaisia Brass Band, 65.56
15 to 10: Stavanger, 60.49
20 to 17: the cooperation band, 47.92
28 to 21: Hauts-de-France Brass Band, 39.81
39 to 27: Northop Silver, 37.40
14 to 11: Grimethorpe Colliery, 35.80
31 to 24: Brass Band Schoonhoven, 32.88
67 to 34: Oldham Band (Lees), 30.46
45 to 33: Krohnengen, 22.19
93 to 41: Kleppe Musikklag, 22.00
52 to 37: Brass Band Berner Oberland 17.59
16 to 15: Brass Band Willebroek, 17.06
163 to 55: Stannington Brass, 15.44
341 to 65: Flesland Musikklag, 12.75
Conversely, the bands that weren't so successful in 2022 are below. It should be noted, however, that they need to be pretty good in the first place to be on this list, as points lost are relative to those achieved in previous years.
2021 to 2022: Band, Total, Points
1 to 1: Cory, -243.66
10 to 14: Paris Brass Band, -131.46
8 to 8: Eikanger-Bjørsvik, -105.45
11 to 13: Whitburn, -87.79
7 to 7: Flowers, -85.32
12 to 19: WFEL Fairey, -83.38
9 to 9: Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, -74.71
13 to 18: Desford Colliery, -72.78
3 to 5: Black Dyke, -67.59
17 to 22: Manger Musikklag, -60.75
18 to 20: Burgermusik Luzern, -49.90
29 to 48: Woodfalls, -29.37
22 to 35: Ratby Co-operative, -28.64
21 to 29: GUS, -23.41
23 to 31: Fountain City, -21.92
30 to 42: Reg Vardy, -21.54
27 to 32: NASUWT Riverside, -16.10
35 to 50: Concord, -13.59
37 to 52: Tongwynlais Temperance, -13.55
19 to 26: Friary Brass, -13.05
Finally, the ten highest new entries into the top 200 since the start of 2022 are:
New entries
65th Flesland Musikklag, 13.24
81st Marsden Silver, 10.38
88th Young Brass Band Willebroek, 9.67
94th Brunel Brass, 9.05
110th Brass Band Luzern , 6.33
127th Third Carrickfergus, 4.82
128th Longridge, 4.80
135th Haydock, 4.36
141st Chalford, 3.98
143rd Campbeltown Brass, 3.78
