Almost seven years after their last major championship title, Fairey (Geneva) has regained that old winning feeling after claiming the English National Championship in Preston.

Fearsome

Directed by Russell Gray, they produced an exceptional performance of John Pickard’s fearsome ‘Eden’ test piece to take the trophy, the £4,000 first prize plus £2,000 worth of add-ons, and the invitation to represent England at the 2011 European Championship in Montreux.

Adjudicators Kevin Wadsworth, David Horsfield and Derek Broadbent were in no doubt that the Stockport band fully deserved their victory, telling 4BR they felt it was a ‘superb performance full of musical and technical quality’.

Adjudicators were in no doubt that the Stockport band fully deserved their victory, telling 4BR they felt it was a 'superb performance full of musical and technical quality'4BR

Montreux

As the delighted Fairey (Geneva) players celebrated on stage at the Guild Hall, it was confirmed that they would definitely be heading to Switzerland next year as the English champions – an appropriate venue given the name of their new sponsors.

Band Chairman Martin Gernon told 4BR: "This has been coming for some time now – and this victory is down to the real hard work the band has put in under Russell Gray on the piece. The recent Whit Friday victories under Garry Cutt gave us a huge confidence boost, and that has been carried on here. Fairey’s is definitely back and hopefully there is now more success to come."

End of drought

The victory was the first major title the band has won since their National Championship success in London in 2003, and stalwart player and former principal cornet, Brian Taylor, was delighted that the long drought had come to an end.

"I’ve enjoyed some great times with this band over the years," he said. "This is right up there though and it’s such a great pleasure for me to be able to see all the hard work by the younger players paying off."

Disappointment

There was to be disappointment for two of the pre contest favourites though, as reigning champions Black Dyke, who produced a high class performance could only end as runner up, whilst Foden’s had to be content with sixth place under the direction of James Gourlay.

The adjudicators felt that the Queensbury band had ‘left the gate open’ after a rendition that did contain some early moments of unease in exposed solo lines, that perhaps robbed the music of the ‘simple ease’ the judges said they were looking for in the opening third of the piece.

For Foden’s it was revealed that it was more a question of interpretation and poor tuning that sunk their chances of regaining the title they won in 2006.

Gate open

The gate to Montreux was therefore open wide enough for Fairey (Geneva) to drive through with a performance that benefited hugely from the wonderfully spacious, lyrical reading of MD, Russell Gray, and a highly impressive piece of trombone work from Les Webb who took the coveted ‘Best Soloist’ prize.

The win provided the Scotsman with his second major success on the test piece that has now become something of a speciality after directing Leyland to victory on it at the 2005 National Finals.

High quality

In what was a short, high quality contest, it was Rothwell Temperance under David Roberts who took the final podium place with a bold and colourful rendition, whilst there was joy for fourth placed Reg Vardy and Ray Farr, who returned to form after the disappointment of their recent Masters appearance.

Fifth place was taken by local favourites Leyland under the baton of Philip Harper, whilst the remaining bottom three places saw Hammonds Saltaire provide further evidence of their impressive rebuilding under Morgan Griffiths to come 7th, with Skelmanthorpe beating off the challenge of Pemberton Old to come 8th.

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Saturday 26th June
Test Piece: 'Eden' — Professor John Pickard
Split Draw: 9.30am and 11.15am
Commence: 11.30am

Adjudicators: Derek Broadbent, David Horsfield, Kevin Wadsworth

Results

1. Fairey (Geneva) (Russell Gray), 7
2. Black Dyke (Dr Nicholas Childs), 2
3. Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts), 5
4. Reg Vardy (Ray Farr), 9
5. Leyland (Philip Harper), 6
6. Fodens (Dr James Gourlay), 3
7. Hammonds Saltaire (Morgan Griffiths), 1
8. Skelmanthorpe (John Roberts), 4
9. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Mark Bentham), 8

Best Instrumentalist: Les Webb, Solo Trombone, Fairey (Geneva)
Youngest Player: Keiron Johnson (13), Reg Vardy