Whitburn’s Grand day out ends in Shield victory

Whitburn Band was the only Scottish representative among the seven-strong contingent to bring back the spoils from south of the border when it took the Grand Shield title in Blackpool.

It was Whitburn’s performance of the set test piece The World Rejoicing by Edward Gregson that caught the ear of adjudicators Dr Robert Childs and David Hirst to take the honours. Adding to the band’s delight was principal horn player Andrew McMillan winning the best instrumentalist prize.

Taking the stage with musical director Prof Nicholas Childs, Whitburn played off the no.16 spot, beating Hepworth Band (Ryan Watkins) into second place. Both bands are now invited to take compete in the British Open Brass Band Championships in Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Saturday 9 September.

The full results of the Grand Shield, Senior Cup and Senior Trophy competitions in the Spring Brass Band Festival in the Winter Gardens in Blackpool were:

Grand Shield

Test-piece: The World Rejoicing (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs and David Hirst

1. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)
2. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
3. Reg Vardy (Russell Gray)
4. Oldham Band (Lees) (John Collins)
5. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Allan Withington)
6. The GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)
7. City of Bradford (Gareth Brindle)
8. Friary Brass (Nigel Taken)
9. NASUWT Riverside (Michael Fowles)
10. Wingates (Andrea Price)
11. Ratby Co-operative (Mareika Gray)
12. Milnrow (Lee Skipsey)
13. City of Hull (Dean Jones)
14. Camborne Town (Ian Porthouse)
15. Skelmanthorpe (Martin Heartfield)
16. Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
17. Dalmellington (Erik Janssen)
18. Wantage (Jonathan Pippen)
19. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
20. Ashton under Lyne (Martyn Evans)

Best instrumentalist: Whitburn principal tenor horn (Andrew McMillan)

Senior Cup

Test-piece: A London Overture (Philip Sparke)
Adjudicators: John Doyle and Andrew Porter

1. Llwydcoed (Joshua Ruck)
2. Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)
3. St Dennis (Darren R Hawken)
4. Redbridge (Chris Bearman)
5. City of Cardiff [Melingriffith] M1 (Christopher Bond)
6. Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks)
7. The Kirkintilloch Band (Hedley Benson)
8. Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)
9. Brass Band of Central England (Howard J. Evans)
10. Kingdom Brass (Thomas Wyss)
11. Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
12. Acceler8 Band (Jef Sparkes)
13. Verwood Concert Brass (Kevin Smith)
14. Roche Brass (Keith Maxwell)
15. Shepherd Group (Richard Wilton)
16. Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)
17. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)
18. Woodfalls (Stephen Sykes)
19. Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)
20. Aveley & Newham (Will Wilkins)

Best instrumentalist: Elland Silver cornet (Lewis Barton)

Senior Trophy

Test-piece: The Accursed Huntsman (Cesar Franck arr. Edrich Siebert)
Adjudicators: Dr Brett Baker and Mark Wilkinson

1. Thundersley Brass (Melvin White)
2. Amersham (Paul Fisher)
3. Stannington Brass (Sam Fisher)
4. Tylorstown (Robert Westacott)
5. Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr)
6. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
7. Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)
8. Eccles Borough (Jon Davis)
9. Longridge (Mark Peacock)
10. Yorkshire Imperial (Garry Hallas)
11. Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm)
12. Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter)
13. Pontardulais (Paul Jenkins)
14. Enderby (Stephen Phillips)
15. Parc & Dare (Dewi Griffiths)
16. Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby)
17. Filton Concert Brass (Nathan Jenkins)
18. Vernon Building Society (Adam Delbridge-Smith)
19. Thoresby Colliery (Simon Oates)
20. Bo'ness & Carriden (Charlie Farren)
21. Hatfield & Askern Colliery (Stan Lippeat)

Best instrumentalist: Thundersley tenor horn (Keith Schroeter)

The bottom four bands in the Grand Shield are relegated to the Senior Cup and replaced by the top four from the Senior Cup. The same applies between the Senior Cup and Senior Trophy.