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2003 Yorkshire Regional Qualifying Championships
First Section
St. George's Hall, Bradford
Sunday 2nd March
Starts at approx 11.45am
Adjudicator:
Malcolm Brownbill
The First Section is a very hard contest indeed,
with any number of the bands here more than capable of winning through
to the Finals in Dundee.
Over the years though Yorkshire bands haven't done too well once
they have won their qualifying place and only ASDA Stocksbridge
in 2001 and Todmorden Old in 1998 have gone on to claim the top
prize at the Finals since the section was formed in 1992.
Plenty of real decent bands for Malcolm Brownbill to enjoy, plus
a fine test piece in the Butterworth bit of Brahms. The real difficult
thing for bands here to do is to gain promotion and then make a
mark in the top section. Only Carlton Main have won here since 1992
and gone on to win at the top level, and that was seven years later
in 1999 under strangely controversial circumstances.
Wakefield will be hoping to make it a double, but others may well
have something to say about that, and at least one of the bands
who were relegated from the Championship Section may be the ones
to beat. It should make for an interesting contest.
Competing Bands:
Barnsley Building Society
Conductor: C. Hirst
Last Year: 9th
Last Seven Years:
2002: 9th
2001: DNC
2000: 5th
1999: Winners
1998: 6th
1997: 7th
1996: N/K
9th last year under the same MD was a touch disappointing perhaps,
but they didn’t compete in 2001, so it’s all relative.
The band won here in 1999 and have more than held their own since
1997. Much more of the same perhaps?
Chapeltown Silver Prize
Conductor: A. Holland
Last Year: 3rd
Last Seven Years:
2002: 3rd
2001: 3rd
2000: 10th
1999: 4th
1998: 9th
1997: 8th
1996: 8th
Perhaps the unluckiest band in Yorkshire during the past few years
with two consecutive third places meaning they have just missed
out on trips to the Finals. A good solid band then and with a change
of MD this year, a possible change of luck may be on the cards.
Hade Edge (J & E Dickinson)
Conductor: S. Wood
Last Year: Winners 2nd Section
Last Seven Years:
2002: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
2001: 2nd 2nd Section
2000: 11th 2nd Section
1999: 9th (rel)
1998: 10th
1997: 5th
1996: 4th
Last year’s 2nd Section Champions of Great Britain move up
a section to see if Simon Wood’s direction can pay dividends
at a higher level. They have been here before, but were relegated
in 1999. Two years later they are back and determined to make a
mark. One to watch.
Holme Silver (Disposables UK Group)
Conductor: S. Tighe
Last Year: 6th
Last Seven Years:
2002: 6th
2001: 8th
2000: 8th
1999: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
1998: 9th 2nd Section
1997: 8th 2nd Section
1996: 3rd 2nd Section
The experienced Stephen Tighe takes over the baton from Ian Scott
at this years championship and they will be hoping to continue their
improvement of recent years since being promoted to the section
following their win in the 2nd Section in 1999. Three solid years,
so now the push for a prize?
Horbury Victoria
Conductor: I. Shires
Last Year: 2nd 2nd Section
Last Seven Years:
2002: 2nd 2nd Section (prom)
2001: 2nd 2nd Section
2000: 2nd 3rd Section (prom)
1999: 10th 3rd Section
1998: 7th 3rd Section
1997: 6th 3rd Section
1996: 8th 3rd Section
The other promoted band from the 2nd Section, and another who could
really do well here. Ian Shires, the flugel player with Grimethorpe
has been the catalyst and his band displays admirable qualities
of balance and good intonation. This should hold them in good stead
to put in a solid performance.
Kippax
Conductor: I. Colley
Last Year: 2nd
Last Seven Years:
2002: 2nd
2001: 7th
2000: 9th
1999: 6th
1998: 11th Championship (rel)
1997: 11th Championship
1996: 2nd 1st Section (prom)
Kippax were runners up here last year and went on to come 10th
at the National Finals under the continued good work of Ian Colley.
Sine 2000 they have improved their result here each year so there
is only one place left to go. Could this be a winning performance
then and a possible return to the Championship Section?
Knottingley Silver
Conductor: K. Belcher
Last Year: 5th
Last Seven Years:
2002: 5th
2001: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
2000: 2nd 2nd Section
1999: 7th 2nd Section
1998: 3rd 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 4th 3rd Section
1996: 9th 3rd Section
Knottingley were 5th last year and put in a really good show in
their first year in the First Section. They have had a rapid rise
through the ranks in recent years, including one victory and two
promotions. Will fancy their chances of doing well again we think.
Stannington Brass
Conductor: J. Hopkinson
Last Year: 7th
Last Seven Years:
2002: 7th
2001: 6th 2nd Section (prom)
2000: 5th 2nd Section
1999: 2nd 2nd Section
1998: 11th 2nd Section
1997: 5th 2nd Section
1996: 6th 2nd Section
7th last year was a solid return for the band that gained promotion
from the 2nd Section in 2001. That promotion had come after a few
years of near misses and so they will be keen to maintain their
status in the higher division. Should be more than capable of doing
that.
Wakefield Metropolitan
Conductor: B. Dyson
Last Year: Winners
Last Seven Years:
2002: Winners
2001: 11th
2000: 8th
1999: 5th
1998: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
1997: 4th 2nd Section
1996: 6th 1st Section (rel)
Last years winners were something of a surprise package, as they
only could manage 11th place the year before and 8th before that.
However, the win took them to Torquay where they came 15th at the
Finals. They haven’t been promoted, but another good result
this year could well lead them to the Championship Section.
Yorkshire Co-operatives
Conductor: J. Roberts
Last Year: 13th Championship (rel)
Last Seven Years:
2002: 13th Championship (rel)
2001: 11th Championship
2000: 4th 1st Section (prom)
1999: 2nd 1st Section
1998: 7th 1st Section
1997: 10th 1st Section
1996: 10th Championship (rel)
Yorkshire Co-operatives return to the First Section after spending
two years battling it out against the big boys in the Championship
Section. They certainly didn’t disgrace themselves and came
13th last year to go with 11th the year before. The last time they
were relegated they spent three years getting back, so they will
be hopeful that this time it won’t take as long. A good bet
for a high placing.
Past Winners:
2002: Wakefield Metropolitan
2001: ASDA Stocksbridge
2000: ASDA Stocksbridge
1999: Barnsley Building Society
1998: Rothwell Temperance
1997: Jayess ‘87
1996: Priest Lindley
1995: Stocksbridge Engineering
1994: Yorkshire Traction
1993: Lockwood
1992: Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
Winning Conductors:
2002: B. Dyson
2001: D. Renshaw
2000: D. Renshaw
1999: I. Craddock
1998: D. Roberts
1997: A. Eastwood
1996: N. Jowett
1995: G. O’Connor
1994: J. Hudson
1993: M. Tweedle
1992: B. Rostron
Test Pieces:
2002: Royal Parks – G. Lloyd
2001: The Undaunted – E. Ball
2000: Music for the Common Man – K. Downie
1999: Kenilworth – A. Bliss
1998: Purcell Variations – K. Downie
1997: Ballet for Band – J. Horovitz
1996: Spectrum – G. Vinter
1995: Land of the Long White Cloud – P. Sparke
1994: Maoriana – A. Butterworth
1993: The Forest of Dean – D. Bourgeois
1992: Celebration – E. Gregson
Adjudicators:
2002: Roy Roe
2001: Roy Sparkes
2000: Nicholas Childs
1999: James Gourlay
1998: Goff Richards
1997: David Read
1996: Alan Lawton
1995: John Berryman
Past Qualifiers:
2002: Wakefield Metropolitan, Kippax
2001: ASDA Stocksbridge, Pennine Brass
2000: ASDA Stocksbridge. Drighlington
1999: Barnsley BS, Yorkshire Co-operatives
1998: Rothwell Temperance, Todmorden Old
1997: Jayess ’87, Rothwell Temperance
1996: Priest Lindley, Kippax
1995: Stocksbridge, Barnsley BS
Yorkshire Bands at the Finals:
2002: 10th, 5th
2001: 1st, 4th
2000: 6th, 11th
1999: 3rd, 4th
1998: 1st, 8th
Last Years Result:
1. Wakefield Metropolitan – B. Dyson 190pts
2. Kippax – I. Colley 188pts
3. Chapletown Silver – A. Dennis 187pts
4. Peter Hawke Lindley – N. Jowett 185pts
5. Knottingly Silver – K. Belcher 184pts
6. Holme Silver – I. Scott 183pts
7. Stannington Brass – J. Hopkinson 182pts
8. Yorkshire Evening Post – I. Radcliffe 181pts
9. Barnsley Building Society – C. Hirst 180pts
4BR Prediction:
The First Section is notoriously hard to predict, mainly due to
the fact that so many of the bands are so well matched. Even so,
we will have to put our necks on the line and make fools of ourselves,
so here goes:
1. Yorkshire Co-operatives
2. Chapletown Silver
3. Kippax
4. Knottingley Silver
5. Hade Edge
6. Holme Silver
Dark Horse: Horbury Victoria
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