Wychaven Competitors Confirmed
The list of confirmed competitors for the Wychavon Festival of Brass has been announced. The event will take place on November 2nd in Evesham. Bands in the Championship Section will be competing for a qualification place for the 2025 British Open Spring Festival in addition to the generous prize funds and trophies on offer for all competitors. Chairperson Val Trim commented, "Once again there is sure to be a great variety in the performances given by the bands. To help bands further we have now amended the rules to allow the use of a compere and visual aid operative."
A full line-up of bands is below. Any further bands wishing to enter should go to: www.festivalofbrass.co.uk
Championship Section:
Adjudicator: Christopher Bond
1. Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr)
2. Bedworth Brass (Jonathan Mott)*
3. Fulham (Sam Hairsine)*
4. A W Parker (Drybrook) (Joshua Ruck)*
5. Tyldesley Brass (Neil Samuel)*
6. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
7. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
8. Gresley Colliery (Craig Stevens)*
9. Langley Band (Cliff Parker)*
10. Blidworth Welfare (Gary Perrin*
11. Sandhurst Silver (Josh Geddes)*
12. Lydbrook (Gareth Ritter)*
13. Sovereign Brass (Alan Gifford)*
14. Parc & Dare (Dewi Griffiths)
15. Enderby (TBC)
16. Flixton (Adie Smith)*
17. Wantage (Chris King)
18. Haverhill Silver (TBC)
19. Newstead Brass (Martin Heartfield)*
20. Brunel Brass (Daniel Hall)*
* Eligibility for the Spring Festival invitation
First Section:
Adjudicator: Andrea Price
1. Northop Silver (Carwyn Evans)
2. Tyldesley Brass (Neil Samuel)
3. Harborough (Ben Smith)
4. Wotton-under-Edge (Jim Bennett)
5. Bedworth Brass (Jonathan Mott)
6. Crofton Silver (Dean Jones)
7. Langley (Cliff Parker)
8. Michelmersh Silver (Kevin Smith)
9. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
10. Haydock (Mark Quinn)
11. Parc & Dare (Dewi Griffiths)
12. Freckleton (Adam Taylor)
13. Flixton Band (Adie Smith)
14. Lydbrook (Gareth Ritter)
15. Bedford Town (Craig Patterson)
16. Jackfield (Ryan Richards)
17. Mossley (Duncan Byers)
18. Epsom & Ewell Silver (Tariq Ahmed)
19. Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
Second Section:
Adjudicator: Chris Wormald
1. Abertillery Town (Stephen Sykes)
2. Cinderford (Steve Kane)
3. Denmead Brass (Estelle Flood)
4. City of Birmingham (Saphran Ali)
5. Stourport-on-Severn (Oliver Wilson)
6. Ocean Brass (Andy Wareham)
7. Staines Brass (Gareth Trott)
8. Waterbeach Brass (David Minchin)
9. Cross Keys Silver (Sion Rhys Jones)
10. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett)
11. Avonbank Evesham (TBC)
Third Section:
Adjudicator: Mike Lovatt
1. Ynyshir Brass (Rob Burnett)
2. Cheltenham Silver (Adrian Jowett)
3. Cubbington Silver (Kieron Howe)
4. Verwood Town (Kevin Smith)
5. Putney & Wimbledon (Sam Topp)
6. Welwyn Garden City (William Douglas)
7. Greenalls Clock Face Brass (Will Haw)
8. Lydney Town (Thomas Dunne)
9. Cleobury Mortimer Concert Brass (David Nicholson)
10. Towcester Studio (Neil Brownless)
11. Bideford Town (Mark Durham)
12. Pillowell Silver (Ian Whitburn)
13. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 2 (John Murray)
14. Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford)
15. Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)
16. Shipston Town (Alex Band)
Fourth Section:
Adjudicator: Chris Wormald
1. Blaenavon Town (Alun Williams)
2. Gresley Colliery Community (Matt Pope)
3. Reading Spring Gardens (Matthew Ruel)
4. Pillowell Silver (Ian Whitburn)
5. Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford)
6. Croft Silver (Henry Dunger)
7. Shaftesbury Town Silver (Martin Hill)
8. University of Warwick Brass (Tom Stoneman)