PREVIEWS & PREDICTIONS: Butlins Mineworkers Open Championships 2017
As hundreds of bandsmen and women, along with family and supporters, prepare to descend on the Butlins holiday resort in Skegness for the thirteenth annual Butlins Mineworkers Open Contest, we take a look and those hoping to cash in on what is one of the largest cash prize contests available to bands. With £10,000 being the top prize in the championship section, it’s no wonder that this event continues to go from strength to strength each year.
While some will question the timing of such a contest, with most bands having just come off the back of one of the busiest, yet most lucrative times of the year, the record speaks for itself in terms of the number of bands attracted to the event.
Of course, the timing of the event from a Butlins Holiday Resort point of view is perfect; who else would they get to spend a weekend by the sea in Baltic temperatures? (and snow, if we are to believe the weather forecast!) Stan Lippeatt and the music panel have made a bold choice this year in an attempt to keep numbers healthy. For the first time, they have done away with set works for the top section and the fourth section, making it an own choice contest. The first, second and third sections remain set works. There is certain logic here in that the lower section bands will most likely want to get cracking on the Regional Championship test pieces and what better way to make a start?
Championship Section
Saturday 14th January (Test-Piece)
Venue: Centre Stage
Draw: 11.30am (commences after the 4th Section)
Set Work: Own Choice
Adjudicators: Peter Roberts and Richard Marshall
Sunday 15th January (Entertainment)
Venue: Centre Stage
Draw: Saturday Evening
Commences 10.30am
Adjudicators:
Music: Peter Roberts and Glyn Williams
Entertainment: Derek Southcott and Jim Davies
Whilst the lower sections continue to remain filled with a good number of bands, the championship section once again really struggles to attract a high number of entries. Even the attractive option of selecting an own choice test piece hasn’t helped draw the bands in this year. Only eight bands will be competing for the top prize. Perhaps the thought of preparing a set work for the Saturday, followed by an entertainment programme for the Sunday, keeps several bands away. However, if you want to go away with £10,000, you have to be prepared to work for it.
Flowers band have certainly done just that over the last six years, taking the title here five times. Only Virtuosi GUS managed to get in their way on one occasion, back in 2013. Last year, Flowers completed the hat-trick with GUS once again pushing them all the way. Woodfalls too will be hoping that they can be a thorn amongst the Flowers with some good performances here in the past, but never quite making the top spot. Redbridge and Friary Guildford will be flying the flag for the London region and both are strong contenders, finishing third and first at the Regional Championships last year respectively. Also from the London & Southern Counties region is Haverhill Silver, who return to the top section this year. Last year, they finished ninth here in the large first section and will be under no illusions that this is a tough contest. Jaguar Land Rover return for the first time since 2012 and will be hoping to improve on a poor result at the British Open year last. That just leaves Desford Colliery, who when this contest began (in its current format), were one of the bands to beat. Winners of this contest three times in the early years, they since then no longer hold the presence they once did. That’s not to say however they can be disregarded, as the unique formula of this contest means almost anything is possible.
Predictions:
1. Flowers
2. Virtuosi GUS
3. Woodfalls
4. Friary Guildford
Competing Bands:
1. Desford Colliery (LCITWF) (Michael Fowles)
2. Flowers (Paul Holland)
3. Friary Guildford (Chris King)
4. Haverhill Silver (Mark Ager)
5. Jaguar Land Rover (Dave Lea)
6. Redbridge Brass (Jeremy Wise)
7. Virtuosi GUS (Adam Cooke)
8. Woodfalls (Dr Robert Childs)
First Section
Saturday 14th January
Venue: Reds
Draw: 8.30am
Commences: 10.00am
Set Work: Fantasy for Brass Band (Malcolm Arnold)
Adjudicators: Derek Southcott and Mark Wilkinson
This year once again sees a tremendous number of entries, totalling 24. This will be a hard task for judges Derek Southcott and Mark Wilkinson. I’m sure no-one will envy having to separate out such a large group, but at least they have a classic of a test piece to sit through. Malcolm Arnold’s ‘Fantasy For Brass Band’ is a great test and will certainly help separate out each of the bands. Rhythmic accuracy and slick triple tonguing will be the order of the day here. So what of the competitors? We hope you’ll forgive us if we don’t mention every band competing, but just from looking down the list of entries, we know this will be a hard fought contest.
Last year’s winners Hebden Bridge return to defend their title, albeit with a different man at the helm. Yorkshire are sending strong competition to Skegness by way of Skelmanthorpe, Old Silkstone, Unite the Union and the recently promoted Stannington, all of whom are more than capable of making an impact, with Unite the Union band having happy memories of winning the first section championships with this piece back in 2001. Eccles Borough finished 2016 in fine style taking the title at Wychavon in both the first and championship sections. Also setting themselves up nicely for the trip to Butlins are Rushden Town, who won the LBBA second section title back in November on this test piece. Freshly promoted Cawston will be flying the flag for the Southern Counties, alongside Kidlington Concert Brass who are here off the back of a win at the LBBA contest, first section. Others looking to break into the top six will be Leicestershire Co-op who, following their relegation this year will be looking to repeat the good performance of this piece they gave at the LBBA Contest earning them a credible fourth place.
Predictions:
1. Eccles Borough
2. Skelmanthorpe
3. Kidlington Concert Brass
4. Rushden Town
5. Stannington
6. Unite The Union
Competing Bands:
1. Bedford Town (Steve Phillips)
2. Cawston (Leigh Sharpe)
3. City of Cambridge (Peter Bassano)
4. Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
5. Enderby (Simon Gresswell)
6. Foresters Brass (John Davis)
7. Gresley Colliery (David Purkiss)
8. Harborough (Brad Turnbull)
9. Hebden Bridge (Rob Savage)
10. Ibstock Brick Brass (Simon Willis)
11. Ireland Colliery (Chesterfield) (Richard Windle)
12. Kibworth (David Holling)
13. Kidlington Concert (Duncan Wilson)
14. Knottinglley Silver (Kevin Belcher)
15. Langley (Cliff Parker)
16. Leicestershire Co-operative SMW (Graham Jacklin)
17. Oldham (Lees) (John Collins)
18. Old Silkstone (Sam Fisher)
19. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
20. Rushden Town (Adele Hudson)
21. Skelmanthorpe (Jim Davies)
22. Stannington (Derek Renshaw)
23. Colchester (David Maddocks)
24. Unite the Union (City of Sheffield) (John Roberts)
Second Section
Saturday 14th January
Venue: Royal Arthur Suite
Draw: 8.30am
Commences: 10.30am
Set Work: Inclusion (Paul Sharman)
Adjudicators: Brian Rostron and Allan Holdsworth
The second section here at Butlins sees one of its largest entries in recent years, however, six bands down on 2016 which saw the popular, ‘Fire In The Blood’ chosen as the set work. Besses Boys were the band in form on the day and will be well up for defending their title at this years’ event. Crofton Silver will be a band looking to make an impact after their fabulous results last year which has seen them promoted to the second section for 2017. Joining them from Yorkshire will be Skelmanthorpe Prospect who gave the test piece ‘Inclusion’ a run out in Holmfirth back in November and finished mid-table. Batting for the Midlands will be the City of Coventry Band, who along with Hucknall & Linby, went head to head at the LBBA Contest, performing this test piece and finishing in second and third respectively.
Crossing the Pennines will be the Haydock Band who finished just outside of the podium places at the National Finals last year. They’ll be looking to push for a top 6 finish here, as will their regional neighbours, Pemberton Old ‘B’ who took the title at the Rochdale Contest back in October. Soham Comrades avoided the dreaded kiss of death predictions last year and came in under the radar to earn themselves a fantastic runner-up place here. They’ll certainly be one to take note of this time around.
Predictions:
1. Haydock Band
2. Hucknall & Linby
3. Skelmanthorpe Prospect
4. Besses Boys
5. Pemberton Old ‘B’
6. Soham Comrades
Competing Bands:
1. Besses Boys (James Holt)
2. Bodmin Town (John Maines)
3. City of Coventry Brass (Stephen Cooper)
4. Crofton Silver (Dean Jones)
5. Darwen Brass (Steve Hartley)
6. Ellington Colliery (Jonathon Fenwick)
7. Epping Forest (Keith Schroeter)
8. Haydock (Mark Quinn)
9. Hoover (Bolton) Craig Mann
10. Hucknall & Linby MC (Paul Whyley)
11. Milton Keynes Brass (tba)
12. Old Hall Brass (John North)
13. Pemberton Old Wigan DW ‘B’ (Mike Golding)
14. Pleasley Colliery Welfare (Geof Benson)
15. Skelmanthorpe Prospect (Philip Garlick)
16. Soham Comrades (Jayne Murrill)
17. Waterbeach Brass (Andrew Kershaw)
18. Yiewsley & West Drayton (Christopher Cole)
Third Section
Saturday 14th January
Venue: Crazy Horse
Draw: 8.30am
Commences: 11.00am
Set Work: The Lion and The Rose (Philip Wilby)
Adjudicators: Kevin Wadsworth and Philip Littlemore
Fourteen bands will tackle Philip Wilby’s piece, ‘The Lion and The Rose’ under the watchful eye of adjudicators Kevin Wadsworth and Philip Littlemore. This could be one of the tightest contests of the weekend with each band here able to put on a good show. Ensuring that un-forces errors are kept to a minimum here could be the difference between winning and finishing somewhere in the top six.
Greenfield will be one of the bands with high expectations going into the weekend following their third place here last year which set them up for a decent twelve months ahead, albeit, not at the Regional Championships. Dronfield are another band who last year just missed out on the podium places, and with a new MD at the helm, will be hoping to finish inside the top six. They’ll be pushed all the way by fellow Yorkshire band Dodworth Colliery who are still settling down to life back in the third section following their relegation back in 2015. One of the newest bands competing this weekend is East Coast Brass, who whilst they have never had much success here, have done brilliantly at the National contests and so will be hoping to improve on previous years in Butlins at the weekend. Looking closely though, we believe it could be a Midlands band who brings home the silverware this year, and that’s not just because they are sending more bands than any other region by way of Amington, Audley Brass, Shirland Welfare and Stamford Brass, but because Ifton Colliery are in fine form at the moment and that is where our money is placed, followed closely by Farnworth & Walkden.
Predictions:
1. Ifton Colliery
2. Farnworth & Walkden
3. Greenfield
4. Dodworth Colliery
5. Maltby Miners
6. Dronfield Genquip
Competing Bands:
1. Amington (Malcolm Read)
2. Audley Brass (Tom Hancock)
3. Brighton and Hove City Brass (Matthew Hackett)
4. Dinnington Colliery (Lyndon Bolt)
5. Dodworth Colliery MW (Eliot J. Darwin)
6. Dronfield Genquip (Simon Kerwin)
7. East Coast Brass (Paul Speed)
8. Farnworth & Walkden (Matt Shaw)
9. Greenfield (Tom Haslam)
10. Ifton Colliery (Scott R. Lloyd)
11. Maltby Miners Welfare (Terry Clifford)
12. Shirland Welfare (Lyndon Cooper)
13. Stamford Brass (Robert Prew)
Fourth Section
Saturday 14th January
Venue: Centre Stage
Draw: 8.30am
Commences: 9.30am
Set Work: Own Choice
Adjudicators: Paul Norley and Brett Baker
Judges Paul Norley and Brett Baker will no doubt be looking forward to their time in the box at the weekend (presuming it has central heating!) as they will be listening to a variety of test pieces from the eleven bands entered into the fourth section this year. Of course, it would be a safe bet to suggest that many of the bands will be looking to perform St Andrew’s Variations ahead of the Regional Championships approaching, but, there may just be some surprise gems in there making this, and interesting contest.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Butlins without the appearance of Banovallum Brass, who for the last nine years, have only ever competed here and nowhere else. Last year saw them just miss out on a podium place too and so they could well be looking to go one better at the weekend. Title defenders Sale Brass are back once again and will be oozing confidence following a good year of results that began here twelve months ago. Thurcroft will be hoping that they can repeat the result from last year which saw them take third place which they then followed up with a credible fifth place at the Regional Championships. From the Midlands, Kirkby Colliery Welfare ended the year on a high with a podium finish at Bolsover and they’ll be looking to take this result into the New Year. Also from the Midlands will be Whitwell Brass with their new MD, Ryan Stacey making his conducting debut and so good look to him. Whitwell Brass are no strangers to silverware at Butlins, with several podium places achieved over the various years at this contest. The most in-form band however hails from London in the way of Crystal Palace. We’ve tipped them this year to be the band to beat this year in the fourth section.
Predictions:
1. Crystal Palace
2. Sale Brass
3. Kirkby Colliery
4. Great Yarmouth Brass
5. Banovallum Brass
6. Thurcroft Welfare
Competing Bands:
1. Banovallum Brass (Horncastle) (Steve Ingham)
2. BMP Europe Ltd. (Goodshaw) (Joshua Hughes)
3. Crystal Palace (Michael Gray)
4. Great Yarmouth Brass (Colin Swaep)
5. Kirkby Colliery Welfare (Neville Buxton)
6. Sale Brass (Alan Seymour)
7. Sherwood Forest Brass (Christine Lippeatt)
8. Syston (Chris Banks)
9. Thurcroft Welfare (Matthew Wright)
10. Whitwell Brass (Ryan Stacey)
11. Woodbridge Excelsior (Chris Lewis-Garnham)
Youth Section
Sunday 15th January
Venue: Reds
Pre-drawn:
Commences after Unregistered Section
Set Work: Own Choice
Adjudicator: Martin Heartfield
Competing Bands:
1. Enderby Youth (Trevor Hounsome)
2. Gresley Colliery Youth (Duncan Jackson)
3. Bavarian Youth Brass (Benjamin Markl)
4. Shirland Youth (Lyndon Cooper)
5. Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans)
Unregistered Section
Sunday 15th January
Venue: Reds
Pre-drawn
Commences: 12.00 noon
Set Work: Own Choice
Adjudicator: Martin Heartfield
Competing Bands:
1. Shirland Training (Jack Newborough)
2. Wigston Enterprise (Matthew Davis)
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