ARTICLES

London and Southern Counties Regional Championship

Note:
4BR trawl many past results to bring you this preview and therefore we occasionally make mistakes. If you do spot one, then please email us the correct information and we'll amend the article as soon as possible.

Fourth Section:

Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre
Sunday March 17th
Adjudicator: John Maines
Commences: 10.30am

Competing Bands: Castle Point Brass (T. Davey): Chalgrove (M. Fricker): Charles Church Camberley (G. Hughes): Fakenham Town Band (D. Wakefield): Fulbourn and Teversham RBL (P. Mott): Fulham Brass (W. Elsom): Godalming (D. Wright): Grays Town Band (tba): Great Yarmouth Brass (M. Zipfel): Hangleton (C. Nonoo): Hemel Hempstead (G. Weeks): Hilgay Silver (R. Smith): Hook Norton Brass Band (R. Glynn): Hungerford Town (T. Crouter): Jubilee Brass (Oxford) (K. Membury): King's Lynn Town (K. Mann): Letchworth Garden City (T. Welch): Martlesham Brass (P. Benyon): New Buckenham Silver (A. Broadbent): Oxford Templars Brass (D. Pegram): Potter's Bar Town (R. Cregan): Royston Town (G. Smith): Sandhurst Silver (R. Burke): Somersham Town (D. Wilson): Tadley Concert Brass (P. Chapman): Thundersley Brass (D. Hirst): Ware Brass (K. Durbin): Waterbeach Brass (C. Bell): Woodbridge Excelsior (E. Howells)

What a task eh? 29 bands, 29 performances and 29 positions to allocate. It's a thankless task, but one that has someone with a lot of experience behind him to try. John Maines is either a masochist or just a bloke who loves bands, but whatever he is, he will have to have the constitution of an ox to get through this one.

There will be 4 places up for grabs for the trip to Torquay, but as a pre match analysis it's damn near impossible for us to tell who will come out on top. All we can say is good luck to everyone (and fingers crossed you don't get an early draw). We'll make our prediction at the end, but here's what we could find out about the bands.

Castle Point came 25th in 2000 and 23rd last year, so they are heading in the right direction, albeit slowly, whilst Chalgrove have an up and down record in the last three years that reads 17th in '99, 4th in 2000 and 26th last year. They were 3rd at the Wantage contest, so it may be a repeat of 2000?

Charles Church Camberley also have a up and down experience here with 17th in 1999, 5th in 2000 and 20th last year, although they came 10th at the Folkestone competition last year. Fakenham Town meanwhile were 3rd at the East Anglia contest and 15th here last year, they first at the contest.

Fulbourn and Teversham RBL have improved enormously since they were 31st in 1999. They were 9th in 2000 and runners up last year when they went on to compete at the national finals and come 13th. Fulham Brass came 11th at the Folkestone contest and in the last two years have secured 17th and 19th place last year. Godalming meanwhile where 11th in 1999, before falling away in the last two years to come 20th in 2000 and 24th last year.

Grays Town Band are a band we couldn't find out a record for, so apologies to all concerned, whilst Great Yarmouth came 7th in 1999, 22nd in 2000 and 8th last year. Hangleton were 14th at the Folkestone contest, as well as 5th at the same contest in a different section (it appears the bands there were able to compete in two different sections) and they also came 6th at Hove. Two 11th places in the last two years shows consistency at least.

Hemel Hempstead were 25th last year, whilst Hilgay didn't compete last year after two years in the third section in which they came 9th in 1999 and 13th in 2000. They also won the East Anglia contest. We don't know anything at all about Hook Norton, except it's a great name for a band, and we wish them well.

Hungerford came 2nd at the Wessex contest and have a consistent enough record here with 15th place in 199 followed by 7th in 2000 and 12th last year. Jubilee Brass meanwhile had a pretty good 2000 when they came 6th but fell away last year to come a very lowly 22nd. They were however 2nd at Wantage. King's Lynn were 2nd at the East Anglia contest and have improved somewhat since coming 27th in 1999. They then came 8th in 2000 and 12th last year. Letchworth have also been improving every year and have a record that reads 17th in 1999, 13th 2000 and 8th last year. Meanwhile Martlesham Brass have also done the same and came 29th in 2000 and 20th last year.

We don't know anything of both New Buckenham Silver and Oxford Templars, so we wish them well none the less, whilst Potters Bar return to the contest after a one year absence following they 11th place in 1999 and 31st place in 2000. Royston Town will be hoping for a return to good form as they will be looking to improve on their position of 27th last year and 28th in 2000. 17th in 1999 is their best in the last few years.

Sandhurst Silver are the reigning champions, and they are a band that has improved immensely since coming 25th in 1999 and 16th in 2000. They went on last year to come 19th at the National Finals, 8th and 4th at Folkestone and 6th at Hove. Will they be able to repeat last year's performance? Somersham Town meanwhile are another band that has improved, although a little slower and they came 28th in 1999, 24th in 2000 and 16th last year.

Tadley Concert are another mystery band for us - so good luck whoever you are, whilst Thundersley Brass are another band on the upward slope of improvement at the contest and have a record that reads 25th, 23rd and 14th since 1999. Ware Brass were 3rd here last year and went on to come a fine 3rd place at the National Finals. They were 16th in the 3rd section in 1999 and came a lowly 18th here in 2000, so their improvement has been startling to say the least.

Waterbeach Brass will be looking to maintain their record here and came 12th in 1999, missed 2000 and returned to come 5th last year. Fingers crossed then. And finally good luck to Woodbridge Excelsior who we know nothing but the fine name. Lets hope they can make a mark.

2001 Result:

1. Sandhurst Silver
2. Fulbourn and Teversham
3. Ware Brass
4. Amersham
5. Waterbeach Brass
6. Haslemere Town

4BR Prediction:

1. Ware Brass
2. Hangleton
3. Sandhurst Silver
4. Hilgay
5. Fakenham
6. Chalgrove

Dark Horse: Letchworth

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