The first Band Supplies — 4barsrest.com Rankings of 2017 confirm Cory as the leading band in the world for the tenth year in succession — five of which have been under current Musical Director Philip Harper.
It was at the end of 2007 that British Bandsman magazine Editor Kenneth Crookston made the first presentation of the World Rankings Trophy to Cory conductor Dr. Robert Childs, but even then few would have guessed that we were witnessing one of the most remarkable periods of dominance in recent banding history.
Passing the baton
Previous years had seen the 'baton' passed around a fair bit, with the end-of-year leaders having been Black Dyke (2005 and '06), Yorkshire Building Society (2004), Fairey (2003), Foden's (2002), Yorkshire Building Society (2001), Foden's (1999 and 2000) and Fairey (1996, '97 and '98).
It is also worth remembering that if it hadn't have been for a time penalty at Brass in Concert in 2007, Grimethorpe Colliery would have topped the rankings at the end of that year!
Record high
During 2016 Cory posted a record high rankings score of 2,567.93 (1st December), while the Welsh band's current lead of 1,243.39 points over nearest challenger Brighouse & Rastrick looks less than likely to be overturned during the next 12 months.
Everyone knows that 2016 was a famously good year for Cory, but which were the other bands that made good progress during the past 12 months?
The following table shows the 20 most successful bands in terms of points gained since 31st December 2015:
2016 was a good year for:
2015/2016
Band Total +/-
1 to 1: Cory, 2,420.81 (585.60)
3 to 2: Brighouse & Rastrick, 1,177.42 (303.30)
31 to 13: Valaisia Brass Band, 193.58 (141.22)
2 to 3: Black Dyke, 1,071.35 (128.26)
16 to 9: Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, 293.34 (102.67)
28 to 18: Buizingen, 159.46 (96.75)
8 to 5: Fairey, 482.37 (67.49)
13 to 10: Brass Band Willebroek, 293.12 (65.51)
34 to 24: Paris Brass Band, 100.54 (54.77)
27 to 20: Brass Band Schoonhoven, 116.96 (48.67)
40 to 27: Hepworth, 72.67 (38.27)
20 to 19: Stavanger, 130.02 (28.42)
25 to 23: Desford Colliery, 102.54 (25.75)
81 to 37: Noord Limburgse, 38.73 (25.68)
54 to 31: Jaguar Land Rover, 47.48 (24.56)
55 to 32: Aldbourne, 45.79 (23.01)
165 to 49: Provinciale Brassband Groningen, 25.39 (21.55)
77 to 42: Rainford, 30.78 (17.13)
51 to 36: Llwydcoed, 38.82 (14.40)
119 to 55: St. Dennis, 21.23 (14.26)
Dropped points
Contesting is, of course, all about winners and losers, and the following 20 bands are the ones that saw their points totals drop by the most during 2016.
It should be noted that to get to the top of this list you have to have been a pretty good band in the first place.
As a general principle, bands' totals half every 12 months if they don't pick up any new points. Put simply, the more points you have the quicker you lose them.
For Tredegar, this is the third year in succession that it has topped this list, which is as much a comment on how high the band had climbed at the end of 2013 as it is on the Welsh champion's current contesting form.
2016 was a disappointing one for:
Band Total +/-
5 to 7: Tredegar, 397.94 (-197.69)
7 to 8: Foden's, 344.00 (-108.22)
6 to 6: Flowers, 436.34 (-106.630
4 to 4: Grimethorpe Colliery, 782.23 (-89.43)
11 to 16: Leyland, 173.51 (-82.56)
10 to 14: Burgermusik Luzern, 188.43 (-77.86)
9 to 11: Eikanger-Bjørsvik, 209.59 (-70.34)
12 to 17: Co-operative Funeralcare, 171.36 (-61.89)
18 to 26: Rothwell Temperance, 84.77 (-48.62)
24 to 35: Camborne Town, 42.06 (-41.68)
17 to 21: Reg Vardy, 113.04 (-35.58)
21 to 28: Manger Musikklag, 63.19 (-30.38)
33 to 52: Zone One Brass, 22.44 (-25.21)
23 to 29: Brass Band Treize Etoiles, 61.74 (-24.09)
38 to 58: Nord-Pas-de-Calais, 19.58 (-22.59)
29 to 40: Burry Port Town, 35.33 (-22.10)
32 to 44: Kirkintilloch, 29.64 (-20.74)
26 to 30: Hammonds Saltaire, 55.33 (-19.91)
44 to 78: Jaren Hornmusikkforening, 13.77 (-18.59)
35 to 46: EYMS, 27.65 (-17.52)
While the above lists tend to focus on bands nearer the top end of the table, this one shows the bands previously outside the top 200 that have made the most progress during the year.
Ten best new entries
102nd: Central Coast Brass, Australia, 8.97
112th: Stannington Brass, Yorkshire, 7.23
119th: Brass Band Sachsen, Germany, 6.35
125th: Pemberton Old Wigan DW 'B', North West, 6.14
126th: Italian Brass Band, Italy, 5.97
137th: Footscray-Yarraville City, Australia, 5.35
141st: City of Bristol, West, 5.13
163rd: Chapeltown Silver, Yorkshire, 3.85
164th: Abergavenny Borough, Wales, 3.77
166th: Diggle North West, 3.69
Current Rankings
Finally, the latest Band Supplies — 4barsrest.com Rankings see very few changes near the top, with the bulk of the autumn contests season finished in November. Contests taking place since the last update were:
Wessex BBA — won by Verwood Concert Brass;
Northern Ireland Brass Band League — won by Laganvale.
The next update will include the results of the Butlins Mineworkers Festival and the first of this year's continental national championships, which will take place in France at the end of January.
Positions as of 1 January 2017
1. Cory
2. Brighouse & Rastrick
3. Black Dyke
4. Grimethorpe Colliery
5. Fairey
6. Flowers
7. Tredegar
8. Foden's
9. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
