Recession, what recession?
There has been no stopping the flow of prize money into the coffers of bands over the last few weeks, with the resurgent Fairey (Geneva) Band adding another £6,000 to their bulging coffers with their win at the English National Championships in Preston.
New leaders
That victory sees them move up from 5th to 1st place in the 2010 Money List table with nearly £13,000 to their name – more than enough to squirrel away a few bob as they save towards the expense of representing England at the European Championships in Montreux next year.
There are now 29 bands that have won £2,000 or more in prize money so far this year from all over Europe, with a further 27 having won over £1,000.
2 Grand Club
Five bands make it into the ‘2 Grand Club’ for the first time, with Black Dyke’s runner up spot at Preston adding £3,000 to the £1,698 they won at the Europeans in Linz to put them in the top ten.
Other new entrants come in the shape of Buzingen (23rd), Heman (24th), Groningen (26th) and Pro Rege (28th) thanks to healthy payouts at EuroBrass and the French Open.
Movers up the table include Rothwell Temperance (11th – 7th) thanks to their podium finish at Preston, Redbridge (20th – 14th), thanks to their decent returns at the French Open and Mount Charles (22nd – 17th) thanks to a runner up spot at the Bugle Contest.
There are now 29 bands that have won £2,000 or more in prize money so far this year from all over Europe, with a further 27 having won over £1,0004BR
Anomaly
One strange anomaly however was raised at Preston, where the British Federation of Brass Bands gave the winners £1,000 towards their European expenses.
Representatives from Cory, Tredegar and Co-operative Funeralcare may wonder if they may qualify for the same financial bonus if they join the BFBB?
20/20
Elsewhere the lucrative march & hymn contest season is under way (a form of 20/20 contesting), with handy prize money already won at Hebden Bridge and Easingwold, which has boosted the coffers of contest specialists Marsden in particular.
There were also big payouts at both ends of the country with handy prizes won at the West Lothian Entertainment Contest (Whitburn) and Bugle (Camborne), whilst the Euro exchange rate came in handy at the French Open for the likes of Redbridge, even though they didn’t return over the English Channel as champions.
Further contests
There are further March & Hymn tune contests to come as well as 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.
2010 4BR Money List:
1. Fairey (Geneva) — £12,850
2. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) — £10,500
3. Cory — £8,166
4. Eikanger Bjorsvik — £7,641
5. Desford — £7,100
6. Tredegar — £6,000
7. Rothwell Temperance — £5,675
8. Brighouse & Rastrick — £5,450
9. Manger Musikklag — £5,300
10. Black Dyke — £4,698
11. Co-operative Funeralcare — £4,550
12. Foden’s — £4,335
13. Marsden Silver — £4,095
14. Redbridge — £3,560
15. Oldham (Lees) — £3,175
16. Sandefjord Brass Symposium — £2,878
17. Mount Charles — £2,718
18. Ashton under Lyne — £2,710
19. Delph — £2,625
20= Austria Brass Band — £2,547
20= Brass Band Oberosterreich — £2,547
22. Leyland — £2,525
23. Brass Band Buizingen — £2,507
24. Brass Band Heman — £2,478
25. Dronfield — £2,400
26. Brass Band Groningen — £2,395
27. East London Brass — £2,300
28. Pro Rege — £2,065
29. Jackfield Elcock Reisen — £2,000
