2010 Midlands Regional Championship - Third Section: Runners & Riders

An excellent venue plays host to an old time classic on Saturday morning.

Saturday 13th March
Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College
Adjudicators: Paul Norley & Malcolm Brownbill
Test Piece: Labour and Love (Percy Fletcher)
First Draw: 10.00am
Second Draw: 12.00 noon
Commences: 11.00am

The Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College has proved to be an excellent venue for the Third and Fourth Sections, and Paul Norley and Malcolm Brownbill should enjoy their stint in the box on Saturday as 16 bands get to grips with ‘Labour & Love’.

High class

What the bands here make of the old piece will be interesting, as over the past decade the region has produced a host of high class qualifiers for the finals, including a top six finisher (including two winners) for the eighth time in the last nine years this year.

That is something to be proud off – and looking at the line up of contenders this time, quite a few seem to have the potential to go on and be a force to be reckoned with at Harrogate.

Student return

That was shown in some way at Butlins earlier this season, when three of the six Midland bands made it into the top six at Skegness. With two relegated bands from the Second Section and two promoted from the Fourth, plus the return of the students of the University of Warwick after a banding ‘back packing’ year off, the contest has the potential to become a cracker.

Last year’s winners Cubbington Silver return to see of they can make it back to Harrogate, and they should be short priced favourites at the bookies after coming 3rd there last September.

Butlins six

They should be pushed all the way by that trio of Butlins top six finishers – Amington, Burbage Buxton and Shirebrook, all three of whom will come to the contest brimming with confidence after their Skegness exploits.

Three other contenders also had an outing at Skegness too, with Hucknall & Linby showing that they should be confident of posting another top six finish here after coming 9th, Stamford dusting off the cobwebs to end in 12th and Thoresby Colliery Youth finding their feet at this level by ending in 15th . All three should be looking for a top ten finish or better at the weekend.

Avonbank (Evesham) will be in need of a decent result if they are to fend off any possibility of being drawn into a relegation fight following their 10th place last year, whilst City of Birmingham will look to claim their first top six finish since 2006.

Improve

Daventry will know they will have to improve on last year’s 14th place if they are not to be looking over their shoulder at possible relegation trouble, whilst former National Champion Long Eaton returns following their drop from the Second Section.  

Porthywaen Silver made a solid appearance last year in coming 7th and will look to push on after posting an encouraging 7th place at Pontins, whilst Rolls Royce (Derby) will be looking to make a real mark on what we believe is their first appearance at this level. In 1999 they were coming 25th in the Fourth Section.

Consistent

The consistent Rushden Windmill and John Fletcher will be hoping to push towards the top six this year after coming 11th last time out, whilst Steve Pritchard –Jones takes a break from the box in Yorkshire to lead West Mercia Constabulary as they look to make a speedy return to the Second Section following their relegation.

That just leaves the wonderful bunch of lads and lasses from the University of Warwick, who will be getting up at the crack of midday to study hard, watch Countdown and then shoot off to band practice as they hope to make it back to Harrogate. Don’t bet against them doing just that – they are a talented lot – and know how to celebrate.

As for a winner?

We have been putting our most experienced computer programmers to the test and come up with…

Amington, Burbage Buxton, Shirebrook MW, West Mercia Constabulary, Hucknall & Linby and Porthywaen, with our dark horse of Stamford Brass.

4BR Prediction:
1. Amington
2. Burbage Buxton
3. Shirebrook MW
4. West Mercia Constaublary
5. Hucknall & Linby
6. Porthywaen

Dark Horse: Stamford Brass

Amington
Conductor: Wesley Kendrick

Last 13 Years:
2009: 4th (W. Kendrick)
2008: Winners of Fourth Section (W. Kendrick) (prom)
2007: 3rd (W. Kendrick)
2006: 2nd (W. Kendrick)
2005: DNC
2004: 16th

Avonbank Evesham
Conductor: Andy Davison

Last 13 Years:
2009: 10th (N. Smith)
2008: 8th (G. Smallwood)
2007: 7th (N. Smith)
2006: 5th (N. Smith)
2005: 16th (A. McCrae)
2004: 11th (A. McCrae)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 7th in Second Section (rel)
2000: 5th
1999: 14th
1998: 15th
1997: 6th

Burbage (Buxton)
Conductor: Steve Critchlow

Last 13 Years:
2009: 13th (S. Critchlow)
2008: 5th in Fourth Section (S. Critchlow) (prom)
2007: 9th (S. Critchlow)
2006: 6th (S. Critchlow)

City of Birmingham
Conductor: Warren Belshaw

Last 13 Years:
2009: 9th (W. Belshaw)
2008: 12th (W. Belshaw)
2007: 9th (W. Belshaw)
2006: 4th (W. Belshaw)
2005: 12th (J. Cunningham)
2004: 9th (J. Cunningham)
2003: 10th (S. Platford)
2002: 8th
2001: 20th in Second Section (rel)
2000: 16th
1999: 19th
1998: 12th
1997: 9th

Cubbington
Conductor: Gary Smallwood

Last 13 Years:
2009: Winners (G. Smallwood)
2008: 17th (P. Johnson)
2007: Winners of Fourth Section (P. Johnson) (prom)
2006: 7th (P. Johnson)
2005: 8th (P. Johnson)

Daventry Brass
Conductor: Nigel Howard

Last 13 Years:
2009: 14th (N. Howard)
2008: 9th in Second Section (N. Howard) (rel)
2007: 9th (N. Howard)
2006: 12th (N. Howard)
2005: 3rd in Third Section (P. Northey) (prom)
2004: 10th (P. Northey)
2003: Winners of Third Section (P. Northey)
2002: 13th
2001: 13th
2000: 4th
1999: 17th in Second Section (rel)
1998: 18th
1997: 12th

Hucknell & Linby
Conductor: Paul Whyley

Last 13 Years:
2009: 5th (P. Whlyley)

Long Eaton Silver Prize
Conductor: Sharon Stansfield

Last 13 Years:
2009: 11th in Second Section (S. Stansfield) (rel)
2008: 7th (S. Stansfield)
2007: 6th (S. Stansfield)
2006: Winners of Third Section (S. Stansfield) (prom)
2005: 4th (S. Stansfield)
2004: 4th (S. Stansfield)
2003: 2nd in Fourth Section (S. Stansfield) (prom)
2002: 3rd
2001: 13th
2000: 17th
1999: 23rd
1998: 16th
1997: 17th

Porthywaen Silver
Conductor: Mark Parry

Last 13 Years:
2009: 7th (M. Parry)
2008: 10th in Second Section (S. Gittins) (rel)
2007: 12th (D. Thomas)
2006: 5th (D. Thomas)
2005: 5th (D. Thomas)
2004: 10th (D. Thomas)
2003: 11th (D. Thomas)
2002: 9th (D. Thomas)
2001: 8th (D. Thomas)
2000: 2nd in Third Section (N/K) (prom)
1999: 4th in Fourth Section (prom)
1998: 2nd
1997: Winners of Fourth Section

Rolls Royce (Derby)
Conductor: Graham Cardwell

Last 13 Years:
2009: 4th in Fourth Section (G. Cardwell) (prom)
2008: 11th (G. Cardwell)
2007: 4th (G. Cardwell)
2006: DNC
2005: DNC
2004: =16th (M. Heywood)
2003: 13th (N. Eden)
2002: 9th
2001: 14th
2000: 7th
1999: 25th
1998: 9th
1997: 8th

Rushden Windmill
Conductor: John Fletcher
 
Last 13 Years:
2009: 11th (J. Fletcher)
2008: 9th (J. Flecther)
2007: 10th (R. Graves)
2006: 8th (R. Graves)
2005: 11th (R. Graves)
2004: Winners of Fourth Section (R. Graves) (prom)
2003: 4th (R. Graves)
2002: 19th in Third Section (rel)
2001: 12th
2000: 3rd
1999: 15th
1998: 3rd
1997: 6th

Shirebrook MW Unison
Conductor: Mark Wilcockson

Last 13 Years:
2009: 3rd (M. Wilcockson)
2008: 4th (M. Wilcockson)
2007: 11th in Second Section (M. Wilcockson) (rel)
2006: 9th (M. Wilcockson)
2005: 12th (M. Wilcockson)
2004: 8th (M. Wilcockson)
2003: 17th (M. Wilcockson)
2002: 16th (M. Battersby)
2001: 17th in First Section (N/K) (rel)
2000: 18th (N/K)
1999: 6th in Second Section (prom)
1998: 5th
1997: 7th

Stamford Brass
Conductor: Robert Prew

Last 13 Years:
2009: 6th (R. Prew)
2008: 11th (M. Ford)
2007: 8th in Second Section (J. Fletcher) (rel)
2006: 11th (D. Hirst)
2005: 10th (G. Wyatt)
2004: 2nd in Third Section (G. Wyatt) (prom)
2003: 7th (R. Prew)
2002: 14th in Second Section (rel)
2001: 17th
2000: 17th
1999: 15th in First Section (rel)
1998: 17th
1997: 5th in Second Section (prom)

Thoresby Colliery Youth
Conductor: Christine Gent

Last 13 Years:
2009: 8th in Fourth Section (C. Gent) (prom)
2008: 3rd (C. Gent)
2007: 7th (C. Gent)
2006: =20th (C. Gent)

University of Warwick
Conductor: Simon Hogg

Last 13 Years:
2009: DNC
2008: 3rd (S. Hogg)
2007: 5th (S. Hogg)
2006: 12th (S. Hogg)
2005: 6th (S. Hogg)
2004: DNC
2003: 10th (S. Hogg)
2002: 15th
2001: DNC
2000: 13th
1999: 4th in Third Section (prom)
1998: Winners in Fourth Section (prom)
1997: DNC

West Mercia Constabulary
Conductor: Steve Pritchard-Jones

Last 13 Years:
2009: 9th in Second Section (S. Pritchard-Jones) (rel)
2008: 11th (D. Bishop-Rowe)
2007: 7th (D. Bishop-Rowe)
2006: 7th in Third Section (S. Pritchard-Jones) (prom)
2005: 5th (S. Pritchard Jones)
2004: 3rd (H. Gibbs)
2003: 12th (H. Gibbs)
2002: 4th
2001: 3rd in Fourth Section (prom)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC

Past Qualifiers:

2009: Cubbington Silver, Bakewell Silver
2008: Matlock, Wellington (Telford), University of Warwick
2007: Wem Jubilee, Wellington (Telford)
2006: Long Eaton Silver, Leicester Co-op Snibston Charnwood, Moulton '77 Brass
2005: Phoenix West Midlands, Arrow Valley, Daventry
2004: Shirland Welfare Training, Stamford Brass, West Mercia Constabulary
2003: Daventry Brass, Carlton Brass, Audley Brass
2002: Raunds Temperance, Carlton Brass, Arrow Valley
2001: Brass 2000, Raunds Temperance
2000: Warwick University, Porthywaen
1999: Whaley Bridge, Chapel en le Frith
1998: RJB Brass, Charnwood
1997: Kirkby Colliery, Chapel en le Frith
1996: Whaley Bridge, Derwent Brass, Kirkby Colliery
1995: Whaley Bridge, Croft Silver, Derwent Brass
1994: Glossop Old, Bedworth Brass, South Notts Hussars

Midlands Bands at the Finals:

2009: 3rd, 14th
2008: 1st, 5th, 18th
2007: 12th, 17th
2006: 1st, 4th, 10th
2005: 2nd, 4th, 8th
2004: 5th, 8th, 9th
2003: 3rd, 11th, 18th
2002: 5th, 7th, 8th
2001: 3rd, 13th
2000: 8th, 9th
1999: 12th, 16th
1998: 11th, 12th 

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