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2004 Yorkshire Regional Championships
Second Section:
Saturday 6th March
Test Piece: Kaleidoscope
– Philip Sparke
Adjudicator: Sidney Swancott
Yorkshire has a very good record of producing bands that have
gone on and actually won the National title in the Second Section,
and last year, Hatfield Coal Power under Graham O’Connor went
from Bradford to Dundee and won the big ‘un. Prior to that
Hade Edge won in 2002, Holme won in 1999 and there has also been
Chapletown in 1994. In fact since 1998, at least one of the two
qualifiers has come in the top four, so whoever gets through this
time will travel to Dundee with high hopes of doing well.
Lots of good solid bands on display for this one from Armthorpe
right through to YBS Concert, so picking a winner will be a difficult
task for both Sidney Swancott and 4BR. A fine choice of test piece
in the form of Philip Sparke’s colourful “Kaleidoscope”
will be a stern test, although it will leave scope for musicality
and interpretation from more daring MD’s.
It could well come down to a close fight between three or four
bands with the talent to go with their ambitions and those who have
mastered the basics required in a test piece that will stretch the
bands to the full. Should be well worth taking the time listening
to then.
Armthorpe Elmfield
Conductor: Hayden Griffiths
Last Eight Years:
2003: 11th (Hayden Griffiths)
2002: 5th 3rd Section (prom)
2001: Winners 3rd Section
2000: 3rd 3rd Section
1999: 13th 3rd Section
1998: 8th 3rd Section
1997: 12th 2nd Section (rel)
1996: 13th 2nd Section
Armthorpe didn’t set the pulses racing last year here on “Celestial
Prospect” as they found the difference in standard between
coming up from the Third Section to
the Second just a bit too difficult. They came 10th at the Miners
Championships late last year as well.
Still, with the experienced Hayden Griffiths at the helm they will
be determined to make more of a mark this year. They need a decent
result or relegation may be on the cards.
Barnsley Building Society
Conductor: John Hopkinson
Last Eight Years:
2003: 9th in First Section (rel) (Chris Hirst)
2002: 9th in First Section
2001: DNC
2000: 5th in First Section
1999: Winners in First Section
1998: 6th in First Section
1997: 7th in First Section
1996: N/K
Barnsley lost their position in the First Section after coming
9th last year under Chris Hirst. That was the first
time in many a year that the former winners had dropped back down
a division.
John Hopkinson has been brought in to see if he can get them back
to winning ways and it will be interesting to see if they reverse
the trend. The recovery starts here.
 Elland Silver
Conductor: Morgan Griffiths
Last Eight Years:
2003: 9th (David Essex)
2002: 10th
2001: 8th
2000: 6th
1999: 10th
1998: 8th
1997: 6th
1996: 2nd 3rd Section (prom)
The lively bunch from Elland have made a very interesting choice
of MD in the form of superstar euph
player Morgan Griffiths. He knows what it takes to win at the highest
level, so will his experience rub off here?
Last year Elland came a lowly 9th –place so they need a decent
result to stave off the threat of relegation. We think they could
well feature.
Frickley/South Elmsall
Conductor: Jeremy Wade
Last Eight Years:
2003: 5th (Jeremy Wade)
2002: 3rd 3rd Section (prom)
2001: 5th 3rd Section
2000: 9th (rel)
1999: 12th
1998: Winners 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 5th 3rd Section
1996: 10th 3rd Section
Jeremy Wade and his charges made a fine impression here last year
when they came 5th in their first year in this
section.
The former winners of the Third Section have made steady progress
over the past few years and came 5th at the Miners Championships
late last year, so they should be able to more than hold their own
here, and a possible qualification spot may be on the cards.
 Hebden Bridge (Walkley Clogs)
Conductor: Ian Craddock
Last Eight Years:
2003: Winners of Third Section (prom) (Ian Craddock)
2002: Winners of Third Section
2001: 10th of Third Section
2000: 8th of Third Section
1999: 3rd of Third Section
1998: 10th of Third Section
1997: 2nd 4th Section (prom)
1996: N/K
The double Third Section Champions finally get the chance to take
on the bands in the Second Section, and we are sure they will be
confident of doing well under conductor Ian Craddock.
Hebden went on to come 9th at the National Finals in Dundee, and
so will be hoping to make a third consecutive trip to Finals in
Harrogate later this year.
Meltham & Meltham Mills
Conductor: Stuart Fawcett
Last Eight Years:
2003: 4th (Stuart Fawcett)
2002: 6th
2001: 5th
2000: 10th
1999: 7th 3rd Section (prom)
1998: 4th 3rd Section
1997: 13th (rel)
1996: 11th
One of the most famous old names in the brass banding world have
been there or thereabouts in recent years at
the contest.
Stuart Fawcett has been developing the band in the right direction
and they came 5th at Pontins late last year. 5th, 6th and finally
4th a twelve month ago – surely the time has come for them
to make that final leap and gain at least a qualification spot.
We will have to wait and see.
Rockingham
Conductor: Frank Hoyland
Last Eight Years:
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
A welcome return to the contest for a band that were Second Section
National Champions back in 1982 and went on to win the Pontins Championship
in 1987 and win a number of high profile contests at the highest
level.
We couldn’t find from our records when the last time they
performed at Bradford, but we think it was 1991. They seem to have
come back with confidence though and they came 7th at the Mineworkers
Championship late last year. Welcome back.
South Yorkshire Police
Conductor: Andrew Dennis
Last Eight Years:
2003: 8th (Nigel Horne)
2002: 4th
2001: 10th 1st Section (rel)
2000: 6th 1st Section
1999: 4th (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 7th
1996: 7th
Our friends from the South Yorkshire Police force will be looking
for an improvement this year after they could only come home in
8th place twelve months ago.
They have also changed their MD, with Andrew Dennis taking over
the helm from Nigel Horne. A change of fortune and a return to the
form that took them to 4th place in 2002 is what is needed.
Strata Brass
Conductor: David Horn
Last Year: 7th
Last Eight Years:
2003: 7th (David Horn)
2002: 8th
2001: 4th
2000: 8th
1999: N/K
1998: N/K
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
David Horn continues his good work with Strata Brass and in the
last two years they have started to edge their way back to the qualification
places.
A busy band, they came 15th at Pontins late last year and 4th at
the Mineworkers, so they will be hoping for fortunes to continue
to improve at Bradford to start 2004 in fine style.
 West Yorkshire Police
Conductor: Barry Thompson
Last Eight Years:
2003: 6th (Barry Thompson)
2002: 5th
2001: 3rd 3rd Section (prom)
2000: 5th 3rd Section
1999: 6th 3rd Section
1998: N/K
1997: N/K
1996: N/K
The other Police band on show here have hovered around the podium
places since gaining promotion from the Third Section in 2002.
5th and 6th places are pretty good returns for a band that doesn’t
contest as much as their rivals, and with the very experienced Barry
Thompson at the helm, they could well push further up the prize
list this year.
Wetherby & District
Conductor: Glynn Kearsley
Last Eight Years:
2003: 3rd in Third Section (prom) (Glyn Kearsley)
2002: 4th
2001: 6th
2000: Winners 4th Section (prom)
1999: DNC
1998: 5th 4th Section
1997: 6th 4th Section
1996: 7th 4th Section
Wetherby gain the chance to take on the bands in the higher section
after being promoted following their third place here last year.
Glyn Kearsley continues at the helm and since 2000 they have improved
their results each year at the contest. Winners of the 4th Section
in 2000, this has been followed by ever improving returns, so it
will be interesting to see how their fare this time out.
Yorkshire Building Society Concert
Conductor: Michael Hannan
Last Eight Years:
2003: 3rd (Michael Hannan)
2002: 9th
2001: 12th 1st Section (rel)
2000: 6th 1st Section
1999: 7th 1st Section
1998: 2nd (prom)
1997: 2nd
1996: 10th
YBS Concert out in a very good show last year under the baton of
former Black Dyke solo cornet player Michael Hannan. They were good
value for it too and will be looking to improve in that result this
time around.
They came 14th at Pontins late last year, so a good result could
kick-start 2004 off for them.
Results archive:
Full results of previous year's contests together with a results summary can
be found in our results archive.
Past Qualifiers:
2003: Old Silkstone, Hatfield Coal Power
2002: Hade Edge, Horbury Victoria
2001: Knottingly Silver, Hade Edge
2000: Pennine Brass, Knottingly Silver
1999: Holme Silver, Stannington
1998: Wakefield Metropolitan, YBS Concert Brass
1997: Todmorden Old, YBS Concert Brass
1996: Rothwell Temperance, Tingley Thornhill
1995: Hade Edge, South Yorkshire Police
Yorkshire bands at the Finals:
2003: 1st, 13th
2002: 1st, 14th
2001: 4th, 5th
2000: 2nd, 9th
1999: 1st, 13th
1998: 4th, 15th
4BR Prediction:
Difficult one this as there are plenty of decent outfits here who
are more than capable of taking home with them the top prize, or
to start booking hotel reservations for Harrogate. A good set work
should test the bands to the full, so it could well come down the
interpretation Sydney Swancott likes the best. Should make for an
interesting competition.
On that basis then we opt for Meltham and Meltham Mills to do
the business for us with a close run win from the likes of Frickley/South
Elmshall, Elland, Strata, Hebden Bridge and YBS Concert. Our dark
horse choice is going to be the returning Rockingham.
1. Meltham and Meltham Mills
2. Frickley/South Elmshall
3. Elland Silver
4. Strata Brass
5. Hebden Bridge
6. YBS Concert
Dark Horses: Rockingham
© 4BarsRest
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