2006 Welsh Regional Championships - Third Section

The Welsh certainly know how to entertain, but which of the bands here will unlock the secrets of Gilbert Vinter’s great old piece?

Saturday 18th March
Adjudicators: Nigel Seaman
Test Piece: Entertainments – Gilbert Vinter
Commences: 11.30am
Draw: 10.30am

No photo? Please send a JPEG to: general@4barsrest.com stating the conductors name, your band, your region and section. 

Beaumaris B
Conductor: P. Hughes

Last Ten Years:
2005: DNC
2004: 3rd (P. Hughes)
2003: 6th (P. Hughes)
2002: DNC
2001: Winners 3rd Section
2000: Winners 4th Section
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

Great to see Beaumaris B return back after missing last year. Knowing how well they train their young players there it should come as no surprise that they will be strong contenders now that they are back too. If they have put the hard graft in then they should be confident of claiming a finals place.   

Blaenavon Town
Conductor: Alun Hathaway

Last Ten Years:
2005: 9th in Second Section (rel) (M. Jones)
2004: 10th (G. Edwards)
2003: 4th (B. Davies)
2002: Winners 3rd Section (prom) (B. Davies)
2001: 4th 3rd Section (B. Davies)
2000: 6th 3rd Section (B. Davies)
1999: 2nd 4th Section (prom)
1998: N/K 4th Section
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

The band from the World Heritage Site have fallen away a little in the past two years and after winning the Third Section in 2002 and showing quite well the following year, they fell back to 10th in 2004 and were relegated last year. They will be hoping for something better this time around and there have been promising noises coming from the bandroom of late (they are not far from 4BR world headquarters that's why!).  

Harlech
Conductor: C. Evans

Last Ten Years:
2005: DNC
2004: 8th (H. Evans)
2003: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (H. Evans)
2002: 9th 3rd Section (rel) (H. Evans)
2001: 9th 3rd Section (H. Evans)
2000: 11th 3rd Section (H. Evans)
1999: Winners (prom)
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

A return to the Regional Championships for Harlech too after missing out last year. No real form guide for us to go on, but they were pretty good in the Fourth Section and held their own in 2004. Lets hope they return stronger this year and put up a good challenge.   

Holywell
Conductor: G. Thomas

Last Ten Years:
2005: 3rd in Fourth Section (prom) (D. Davies)
2004: 5th (D. Davies)

Holywell were 3rd in the Fourth Section here last year and just missed out on a trip to the National Finals. They did gain promotion though and at Brass at the Guild Hall earlier this season they came 8th against a pretty strong line up of bands. That should give them a bit of confidence ahead of their challenge here.  

Ogmore Valley
Conductor: Ivor Barnett

Last Ten Years:
2005: 5th (I. Barnett)
2004: 3rd (I. Barnett)
2003: 2nd (I. Barnett)
2002: 11th (T. Charlton)
2001: 10th (T. Charlton)
2000: 10th 3rd Section (rel) (T. Charlton)
1999: 8th 3rd Section
1998: 13th 3rd Section
1997: 6th 3rd Section
1996: N/K

The popular Ivor Barnett has been doing sterling work down in Ogmore for the past few years and his hard work and dedication has certainly paid off. They have just fallen away in the last two years and came 5th last time out, but we are sure Ivor will bring his experience to bear and pull them back towards those important qualification places once more.    

Porthaethwy Menai Bridge
Conductor: C. Williams

Last Ten Years:
2005: 4th (C. Williams)
2004: 5th (G. Saynor)
2003: 3rd in Fourth Section (prom) (C. Williams)
2002: 2nd in Fourth Section (G. Saynor)
2001: 8th in Fourth Section (P. Jones)
2000: DNC
1999: 9th 3rd Section (rel)
1998: 7th 3rd Section
1997: 6th 3rd Section
1996: N/K

4tht place last year was testament to a fine performance from the band from North Wales and under their talented MD they will certainly be looking to improve on that result and hopefully challenge for a qualification place at least. Plenty of good young players in ther anks they could well feature come results time.    

Radyr and Morganstown Mellingriffith
Conductor: Gareth Ritter

Last Ten Years:
2005: 3rd (G. Hann)
2004: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (G. Hann)
2003: 7th (G. Hann)
2002: 5th (G. Hann)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC

The rise and rise of Radyr and Morganstown continues at pace it seems, and under the baton of the talented Gareth Hann they just missed out on a trip to the finals last year. The equally talented Gareth Ritter takes over this year and he will be keen to make his mark and continue the rise of one of the most famous names in Welsh banding.  

Royal Oakeley
Conductor: J. Jones

Last Ten Years:
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (prom) (J. Jones)
2004: DNC
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: Winners Second Section (J. Jones)
2000: Winners Third Section (J. Jones) (prom)
1999: 3rd Third Section (J. Jones)
1998: 10th Third Section (J. Jones)
1997: 2nd Fourth Section (J. Jones) (prom)
1996: Winners Fourth Section (J. Jones)

It was nice to report that Royal Oakeley were back in the contesting fray once more after three years away last year, and they certainly came back with a bang by winning the Fourth Section. They then went on to come a well merited 11th place at Harrogate. If they have continued to make good progress then they could well add to their6 Regional title wins.  

Severn Tunnel
Conductor: S. Crawford

Last Ten Years:
2005: 6th in Fourth Section (prom) (A. Ayres)
2004: 4th (A. MacDonald)
2003: 6th (R. Griffiths)
2002: 9th (J. Williams)
2001: 9th (A. Fleming)
2000: 5th (J. Williams)
1999: 13th
1998: N/K 4th Section
1997: DNC
1996: N/K

The band that bears the name of the railway tunnel into Wales has been moving in the right direction here in the past few years and gained promotion to the Third Section after coming 6th here last yar in the Fourth Section. That may not have been their best ever performance here, but we are sure they will also want to make their mark in the higher section. We wish them well.    

Past Qualifiers:

2005: Newtown Silver, Newbridge Celynen
2004: Newtown Silver, Royal Buckley
2003: Newbridge Celynen, Conway Town
2002: Blaenavon Town, Briton Ferry
2001: Beaumaris B, Cwmbran
2000: Royal Oakeley, Lalnrug
1999: Rhyl, Ynyshir Welfare
1998: Ebbw Vale, Newtown
1997: Deiniolen, Pontardulais
1996: Deiniolen, Rhyl Silver
1995: Deiniolen, Rhyl Silver

Welsh bands at the Finals:

2005: 5th, 18th
2004: 11th, 19th
2003: 6th, 17th
2002: 4th, 19th
2001: 8th, 14th
2000: 14th, 16th
1999: 10th, 15th
1998: 10th, 14th

4BR Prediction:

This should be a good contest to go and listen to, although the test piece will certainly be a stern examination for all the nine bands here. Whether they can overcome the technical difficulties remains to be seen, but they will surely have fun trying.

Of the bands here, they all seem well enough matched so it could be a close run contest for Nigel Seaman to separate the bands out. Of those though Porthaethwy Menai Bridge should be the band to beat with Rady and Morganstown and Beaumaris B pushing them closely. After that Royal Oakely, Holywell and Ogmore Valley should make up the top six with our dark horses being Harlech

1. Porthaethwy Menai Bridge
2. Radyr and Morganstown
3. Beaumaris B
4. Royal Oakeley
5. Holywell
6. Ogmore Valley

Dark Horses: Harlech

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