2010 London & Southern Counties Regional Championship - Runners & Riders: Third Section
17-Mar-201014 bands will look to get just the right mix between hard graft and that loving feeling to get to Harrogate.
Saturday 20th March
Adjudicator: Derek Broadbent
Test Piece: Labour & Love (Percy Fletcher)
Draw: 9.00am
Commences: 10.00am
14 bands will battle it out in the Third Section on Saturday on a piece of yellow edged musical ephemera that has a catchy title if nothing else.
Healthy
‘Labour & Love’ is a classic British brass band composition, but then again, fish & chips is a classic British ‘healthy’ meal. Neither is good for your long-term health if you are force fed them too often.
They say yesterday’s news is tomorrow’s chip wrapper, so you never know – bands may get some further use out of Percy Fletcher’s composition after they play it on the weekend.
The piece is however proving to be a tricky old test though, and it will take a solid, well prepared band to overcome its dated technical as well as musical hurdles.
Nod
Whoever get the nod from Derek Broadbent, will head to Harrogate hoping to do a bit better than qualifiers in the last two years (11th & 17th last year) as up until 2007 the region produced one winner, a runner up and 12 top ten finishers in a decade – not bad going at all.
Of those, BAE Systems Brass last qualified in 1999 and will look to build on last year’s 9th place under Kevin Woodger.
Betteshanger Welfare returned last year to come 6th and posted a 9th place finish at Folkestone, so they will know they will have to up their form if they are to make a mark.
The improving Chalgrove, who won the Fourth Section here in 2007, will be looking to improve on last year’s 8th after coming a fine 4th at Pontins late last season.
Fine job
Simon Jones is doing a fine job at Fulham and the band should fancy their chances after coming 4th last year and a slightly unlucky 7th at Pontins as well as 5th at the Leicester contest.
Hangleton meanwhile came runner up in 2008, but has been a bit inconsistent over the last few seasons, coming 10th last year, whilst Hemel Hempstead won the Fourth Section title in 2008 and gained promotion by coming 4th last year. A solid 13th at Butlins shows that they could well be a bit of a dark horse.
Hitchin will surely be one of the favourites following their fine runner up spot at Skegness earlier this season, whilst Hungerford Town will want to return immediately to Harrogate following their solid 11th place last September.
Improvement
Jubilee Brass (Oxford) has really shown improvement in the last few years (they were coming 22nd in the Fourth Section in 2001), and gained promotion last year, whilst Norfolk Wherry came into this section in the opposite direction after relegation from the Third. Double winners in 2005 and 2006, they will want to taste that success again.
Tadley Concert is making solid progress and will want to build on last year’s 7th, whilst Wantage Silver ‘B’, is a fast rising band that showed fine form in coming 4th at the Fourth Section National Finals last September.
That leaves Watford, who found its feet last year and put in a very decent showing at Butlins where they came 10th earlier this season, and Woodbridge Excelsior who last qualified in 2003 and will want to improve on last year’s 12th place.
As to a winner?
Hard one to call of course, but we think Hitchin should be the band to beat, with Fulham joining them at Harrogate if they can show that Pontins form once again. Chalgrove, Watford and Hemel Hempstead could be in the mix with Hungerford Town for a top six place with our dark horse of Wantage Silver ‘B’.
4BR Prediction:
1. Hitchin
2. Fulham
3. Chalgrove
4. Watford
5. Hemel Hempstead
6. Hungerford Town
Dark Horses: Wantage Silver ‘B’
BAE Systems
Conductor: K. Woodger
Last 14 Years:
2009: 9th (K. Woodger)
2008: 14th (K. Woodger)
2007: 4th (K Woodger)
2006: DNC
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: 11th in Second Section (K. Woodger)
2003: 6th (K. Woodger)
2002: 10th
2001: 9th
2000: 6th in Third Section (prom)
1999: 2nd
1998: 4th
1997: N/K
1996: 11th
Betteshanger Welfare
Conductor: David Cutting
Last 14 Years:
2009: 6th (D. Cutting)
2008: DNC
2007: 14th (T. Vinall)
2006: 5th (D. Burridge)
2005: 8th (D. Burridge)
2004: 6th (D. Burridge)
2003: 14th (D. Burridge)
2002: 16th in First Section (K. Dennison) (rel)
2001: 8th (K. Dennison)
2000: 13th (G. Harvey)
1999: 11th
1998: 8th
1997: N/K
1996: 3rd
Chalgrove
Conductor: Terry Brotherhood
Last 14 Years:
2009: 8th (M. Pegram)
2008: 13th (M. Pegram)
2007: Winners Fourth Section (M. Pegram) (prom)
2006: 8th (M. Pegram)
2005: 13th (I. Young)
2004: 14th (S. Sizeland)
2003: 8th (S. Sizeland)
2002: 6th (M. Fricker)
2001: 26th (N. Hall)
2000: 4th (N. Hall)
1999: 17th
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Fulham Brass
Conductor: S. Jones
Last 14 Years:
2009: 4th (S. Jones)
2008: 10th (S. Jones)
2007: 11th (P. McLaughlin)
2006: 5th (P. McLaughlin)
2005: 3rd in Fourth Section (P. McLaughlin) (prom)
2004: 3rd (P. McLaughlin)
2003: 5th (P. McLaughlin)
2002: 21st (W. Elsom)
2001: 19th (K. Forsyth)
2000: 17th (K. Forsyth)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: 15th
Hangleton
Conductor: R. Baker
Last 14 Years:
2009: 10th (M. Pollard)
2008: 2nd (M. Pollard)
2007: 12th (M. Pollard)
2006: 6th (J. Williams)
2005: 7th (J. Williams)
2004: 14th (C. Nonoo)
2003: 13th (C. Nonoo)
2002: 8th in Fourth Section (C. Nonoo) (prom)
2001: 11th (C. Nonoo)
2000: 11th (C. Nonoo)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Hemel Hempstead
Conductor: D. Klein
Last 14 Years:
2009: 4th in Fourth Section (G. Weeks) (prom)
2008: Winners (G. Weeks)
2007: DNC
2006: 13th in Third Section (G.Weeks) (rel)
2005: 17th (G. Weeks)
2004: 8th in Fourth Section (G. Weeks) (prom)
2003: 7th (G. Weeks)
2002: 7th (G. Weeks)
2001: 25th (G. Weeks)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: DNC
Hitchin
Conductor: C. Patterson
Last 14 Years:
2009: 5th (C. Patterson)
2008: 9th (M. Hurrell)
2007: 15th in Second Section (I Graves) (rel)
2006: 14th (I. Graves)
2005: 2nd in Third Section (M. Hurrell) (prom)
2004: 10th (G. Carney)
2003: 5th (G. Carney)
2002: 7th (G. Carney)
2001: 9th (G. Carney)
2000: 13th in Second Section (G. Carney) (rel)
1999: 15th (G. Carney)
1998: 9th (G. Carney)
1997: 10th (B. Rumford)
1996: 14th in First Section (A. Widger) (rel)
Hungerford Town
Conductor: T. Crouter
Last 14 Years:
2009: 2nd (T. Crouter)
2008: 12th (T. Crouter)
2007: 3rd in Fourth Section (T. Crouter) (prom)
2006: 3rd (T. Crouter)
2005: 14th in Third Section (T. Crouter) (rel)
2004: 16th (T. Crouter)
2003: 9th (T. Crouter)
2002: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom)
2001: 12th
2000: 7th
1999: 15th
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: 20th
Jubilee Brass (Oxford)
Conductor: C. Sadler
Last 14 Years:
2009: 3rd in Fourth Section (C. Sadler) (prom)
2008: 7th (C. Sadler)
2007: 4th (C. Sadler)
2006: 19th (C. Sadler)
2005: 16th in Third Section (K. Membury) (rel)
2004: 11th (K. Membury)
2003: 16th (K. Membury)
2002: 3rd in Fourth Section (K. Membury) (prom)
2001: 22nd (K. Membury)
2000: 6th (K. Membury)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Norfolk Wherry Brass
Conductor: K. Hegarty
Last 14 Years:
2009: 16th in Second Section (L. Purdy) (rel)
2008: 13th (G. Barber)
2007: 5th (G. Barber)
2006: Winners of Third Section (A. Craze) (prom)
2005: Winners of Fourth Section (A. Craze) (prom)
Tadley Concert Brass
Conductor: P. Chapman
Last 14 Years:
2009: 7th (P. Chapman)
2008: 2nd in Fourth Section (P. Chapman) (prom)
2007: 6th (P. Chapman)
2006: 12th (P. Chapman)
2005: 11th (P. Chapman)
2004: 11th (P. Chapman)
2003: 12th (P. Chapman)
2002: 16th (P. Chapman)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: DNC
Wantage Silver B
Conductor: D. Dullforce
Last 14 Years:
2009: 2nd in Fourth Section (D. Dullforce) (prom)
2008: 4th (D. Dulforce)
2007: 8th (D. Dullforce)
2006: 13th (D. Dullforce)
2005: 17th (P. Uzzell)
2004: 21st (P. Uzzell)
2003: 11th (D. Dullforce)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: DNC
Watford
Conductor: R. Graves
Last 14 Years:
2009: 13th (R. Graves)
2008: 5th in Fourth Section (R. Graves) (prom).
2007: 11th (M. France)
2006: 4th (M. France)
2005: 19th (M. France)
2004: 19th (M. France)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
Woodbridge Excelsior
Conductor: C. Lewis
Last 14 Years:
2009: 12th (G. Shaw)
2008: 8th (A. Duguid)
2007: 13th (A. Duguid)
2006: 8th (A. Duguid)
2005: 15th (E. Howells)
2004: 6th (E. Howells)
2003: 2nd in Fourth Section (E. Howells) (prom)
2002: 5th (E. Howells)
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: N/K
1996: DNC
Past Qualifiers:
2009: St Sebastian Wokingham, Hungerford Town
2008: Littleport Brass, Hangleton, Brighton and Hove City
2007: Epsom and Ewell, Thundersley
2006: Norfolk Wherry Brass, LBG
2005: Jersey Premier Brass, Hitchin, St. Sebastian Wokingham
2004: Sandhurst Silver, Chinnor and Littleport Brass
2003: Ware Brass, Fulbourn and Teversham, Sandhurst Silver
2002: Castleton Brass, Yiewsley and West Drayton
2001: Cantium Brass, Becontree Brass
2000: Stonesfield Silver, Cantium Brass
1999: Woking, Marconi
1998: Brent Brass, Broseley Brass
1997: Littleport Brass, Chichester City
1996: Stantonbury, Chinnor, Cawston
1995: Fairlop Brass, Cawston
London bands at the Finals:
2009: 11th, 17th
2008: 11th, 12th, 13th
2007: 8th, 15th
2006: 9th, 12th
2005: 1st, 13th, 17th
2004: 7th, 15th
2003: 5th, 18th, 20th
2002: 9th, 13th
2001: 7th, 11th
2000: 5th, 11th
1999: 6th, 8th
1998: 2nd, 5th