Nationals results ensure the Scots flag continues to fly high

The Cheltenham weekend may have come to an end with, sadly, no winning silverware for the Scottish bands, but there were some valiant performances – and highly satisfying results – by the representatives from north of the border.

The highest placed Scottish bands were Newmilns & Galston in third place in the Second Section, Coalburn Silver fourth in the First Section, Selkirk Silver sixth in the Third Section and Highland Brass eighth in the Fourth Section.

With six of the eight performances finishing in the top half, the bands which had travelled the furthest to get to the Nationals had kept the Scottish flag flying high!

And another piece of good news to come out of the weekend was the engagement of Coalburn Silver’s percussionists Megan McGaghey and Gary Allan.

Megan joined the band in 2016 and she convinced her boyfriend Gary to sign up too and he made his debut for Gilbert Vinter’s Spectrum at the Scottish Championships last year.

Gary proposed to Megan on the bandstand steps at the racecourse not long after the band had played – and she said yes! Many congratulations to both players!

Here are the full results from the Nationals:

First Section

1. Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter)
2. Sovereign Brass (Alan Gifford)
3. Seindorf Beaumaris (Bari Gwilliam)
4. Coalburn Silver (Gareth Bowman)
5. A W Parker [Drybrook] (Joshua Ruck)
6. Wardle Anderson Brass (Brad McCulloch)
7. Hebden Bridge (Christopher Binns)
8. Bathgate (Craig Anderson)
9. Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)
10. Horbury Victoria (Duncan Beckley)
11. Medway (Chris King)
12. York Railway Institute (Dr David Lancaster)
13. Manx Concert Brass (Ian Clague MBE)
14. Thoresby Colliery (Dean Jones)
15. Chalford (Steve Tubb)
16. Hitchin (Andrew Kershaw)
17. Harrogate (Craig Ratcliffe)
18. Regent Brass (Alan Duguid)
19. Sherborne Town (Dave Shead)
20. Bilton Silver [Rugby] (Jack Fisher)

Second Section

1. Whitworth Vale & Healey (Mike Golding)
2. Alder Valley Brass (David Hatton)
3. Newmilns & Galston (Alan Friel)
4. Soundhouse Brass (Lee Clayson)
5. Tewit Silver (Martin Hall)
6. Knottingley Silver (Kevin Belcher)
7. Irvine & Dreghorn (Stephanie Kennedy)
8. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett)
9. Diggle (Sean Conway)
10. Durham Miners' Association (Stuart Gray)
11. Meltham & Meltham Mills (Tom Haslam)
12. Chiltern Hills (Gordon Davies)
13. Chinnor Silver (Oliver Hallstead-Brooks)
14. Otterbourne (James Smith)
15. Valley Brass [Haydock] (David Chadwick)
16. Rolls-Royce (Derby) (Graham Cardwell)
17. Abergavenny Borough (Lana Tingay)
18. Foss Dyke (Gareth Westwood)
19. Denmead Brass (Estelle Flood)

Third Section

1. Porthleven Town (Tom Bassett)
2. Cross Keys Silver (Sion Rhys Jones)
3. Barton Community Band (Garry Oglesby)
4. Long Eaton Silver Prize (Sharon Stansfield)
5. Liverpool Brass Band (David McGlynn)
6. Selkirk Silver (Charlie Farren)
7. Verwood Town Band (Kevin Smith)
8. Clifton & Lightcliffe (John Clay)
9. Hungerford Town (Tim Crouter)
10. Wroughton Silver (Neil Webb)
11. Morecambe (Andrew Porter)
12. Simon Langton Brass (Andy Collins)
13. Shotts St Patrick' s (Andrew Shaw)
14. Hawk Green (Neil Hewson)
15. Jayess Newbiggin Brass (Andrew Griffiths)
16. Fairlop Brass (Kevin Jordan)
17. Stourport on Severn (Oliver Wilson)
18. Huddersfield & Ripponden (John Roberts)
19. Cleobury Mortimer Concert Brass (Matthew Ludford-King)
20. Newtown Silver (Steve Edwards)

Fourth Section

1. Newhall (Kevin Holdgate)
2. Brunel Brass Academy (Daniel Hall)
3. Oughtibridge (John Hopkinson)
4. Ramsey Town (Robert Quane)
5. North Lakes (Gareth Sykes)
6. Tadley Concert Brass (Paul Chapman)
7. Golborne Brass (Les Webb)
8. Highland Brass (Mark Bell)
9. Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)
10. Royal Oakeley (Paul Wilson)
11. Billingham Silver (Vaughan Evans)
12. Rivington & Adlington (Matt Whitfield)
13. Watford (Ian Graves)
14. Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford)
15. St Stythians (James Burns)
16. Thurcroft Welfare (Matthew Wright)
17. Putney & Wimbledon (Dr Sam Topp)
18. Saltash Town (Neil Ellis)
19. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith M2) (John Murray)
20. Penicuik Silver (Douglas Anderson)