After one of the busiest contesting weekends of the year, the money has been flying into some band’s back pockets quicker than a liberal democrats expenses claim.

Two contests

Two contest events dominated the calendar – the Whit Friday cash bonanza in Saddleworth and Tameside and the All England Masters International money fest in Kettering.

The difference between the two in terms of ‘pounds per bars played’ though is quite startling.

Hepworth’s march performances gave them £7,500 for their efforts, whilst Co-operative Funeralcare’s ‘Epic’ bagged them the sum of £4,000.

the cognoscenti may love the longer form of the game, but the crowds and money are to be found following the short and sweet stuff4BR

Short and sweet

Like test match cricket versus 20/20 bish-bang wallop – the cognoscenti may love the longer form of the game, but the crowds and money are to be found following the short and sweet stuff.

Hepworth’s decision not to opt to try and boost their funds further on ‘Eden’ at Preston later this month will have disappointed not just the organisers, so they now have to wait until the British Open before they can possibly add further deposits to the £10,500 they currently boast for their 2010 winnings.

Movement

The only real movement behind them came from Fairey (Geneva), who boosted their 2010 prize pot thanks to Glossop’s answer to the money making Warren Buffet, Garry Cutt. They now stand just shy of £7,000 for the season.

Form

Tredegar continued their impressive money making form by adding an extra £2,000 to their pot at Kettering with the potential for more to come before the end of the summer.

Brighouse & Rastrick enjoyed a decent march day out and now have nearly £5,500 to their name for the year, although Foden’s failure to win the Tameside title for a ninth successive time meant their Whit Friday winnings were down this year.

Other bands with decent Whit Friday returns included Marsden, Ashton under Lyne and Oldham (Lees) who are the top non championship band in the current list.

24

In all 24 bands have now won over £2,000 for the year, with a further 24 winning over £1,000.

Big prizes coming up are to be found at the English Nationals, the raft of March & Hymn tune contests and the only televised brass band contest in the UK, at the National Eisteddfod of Wales from Ebbw Vale.

If you think your band should appear in the 4BR Money List please let us know your winnings for the year.

Current 2010 4BR Money List:

1. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) — £10,500

2. Cory — £8,166

3. Eikanger Bjorsvik — £7,641

4. Desford — £7,100

5. Fairey (Geneva) — £6,850

6. Tredegar — £6,000

7. Brighouse & Rastrick — £5,450

8. Manger Musikklag — £5,300

9. Foden’s — £4,335

10. Co-operative Funeralcare — £4,200

11. Rothwell Temperance — £3,675

12. Oldham (Lees) — £3,175

13. Marsden Silver — £3,135

14. Sandefjord brass Symposium — £2,878

15. Ashton under Lyne — £2,710

16= Austria Brass Band — £2,547
16= Brass Band Oberosterreich — £2,547

18= Delph — £2,525
18= Leyland — £2,525

20. Redbridge — £2,500

21. East London Brass — £2,300

22. Mount Charles — £2,218

23= Dronfield — £2,000
23= Jackfield Elcock Reisen — £2,000