Contesting
As well as providing high quality entertainment to the public through our concert work, the Senior Band also compete as part the prestigious Yorkshire Contesting
Region and at many other brass band contests throughout the UK.
The Drighlington Brass Band are currently reigning Yorkshire Regional Champions (1st Section) and as of January 2007 are promoted into the Championship Section to compete alongside the best brass bands in the world!
Brass Band contesting is a valuable tool for helping any band assess how well they are performing when compared to the scene in general. Most bands enter at elast one contest of varying level and format each year and compete against other bands of a similar grading.
The National Championships of Great Britain
The main contest for many bands each year is the National Championships of Great Britain where the aim is be to crowned the National Champions of Great Britain in one of five sections. These sections are also used by many of the other contests to help organise and categorise the various playing capabilities of the bands entering.
The five sections, Championship and 1st Section down to 4th Section are similar in style to the Football Leagues where the Championship Section would equate to the Premiership, 1st Section the First Division and so on. Promotion and relegation occurs through the regional qualifying contests held in March/April of each year and is based on an average score over the last 3 years (1 point for a win, 2 points for second and so on). The two, or sometimes three, bands with the least points on average are usually the ones promoted to the next section whilst the bands with the most points are relegated to the section below allowing up and coming bands the chance to raise their game.
The bands placed first and second (sometimes third and fourth as well depending on how many enter) from each region qualify to compete at the National Finals held in September/October and compete against each other for the crown of National Champions for their section.
Once promoted or relegated a band is awarded the average points for the section they are entering for the first year (15 bands in the section means they would be awarded 7.5 points).
You can find out more about the National Championships, and in particular the Yorkshire Regional Champions at http://www.regional-contest.org.uk/.
Brass Band contesting is a valuable tool for helping any band assess how well they are performing when compared to the scene in general. Most bands enter at elast one contest of varying level and format each year and compete against other bands of a similar grading.
The National Championships of Great Britain
The main contest for many bands each year is the National Championships of Great Britain where the aim is be to crowned the National Champions of Great Britain in one of five sections. These sections are also used by many of the other contests to help organise and categorise the various playing capabilities of the bands entering.
The five sections, Championship and 1st Section down to 4th Section are similar in style to the Football Leagues where the Championship Section would equate to the Premiership, 1st Section the First Division and so on. Promotion and relegation occurs through the regional qualifying contests held in March/April of each year and is based on an average score over the last 3 years (1 point for a win, 2 points for second and so on). The two, or sometimes three, bands with the least points on average are usually the ones promoted to the next section whilst the bands with the most points are relegated to the section below allowing up and coming bands the chance to raise their game.
The bands placed first and second (sometimes third and fourth as well depending on how many enter) from each region qualify to compete at the National Finals held in September/October and compete against each other for the crown of National Champions for their section.
Once promoted or relegated a band is awarded the average points for the section they are entering for the first year (15 bands in the section means they would be awarded 7.5 points).
You can find out more about the National Championships, and in particular the Yorkshire Regional Champions at http://www.regional-contest.org.uk/.
Contest Results for Drighlington
Yorkshire Regional Championships
Yorkshire Regional Championships
| Year | Section | Position |
| 1984 | Fourth Section | 3rd |
| 1985 | Fourth Section | 3rd |
| 1986 | Fourth Section | 1st |
| 1987 | Third Section | 2nd |
| 1988 | Second Section | 3rd |
| 1989 | Second Section | 4th |
| 1990 | Second Section | 1st |
| 1991 | Championship | 9th |
| 1992 | Championship | 10th |
| 1993 | Championship | 7th |
| 1994 | Championship | 8th |
| 1995 | Championship | 4th |
| 1996 | Championship | 6th |
| 1997 | Championship | 9th |
| 1998 | Championship | 10th |
| 1999 | Championship | 13th |
| 2000 | First Section | 2nd |
| 2001 | First Section | 6th |
| 2002 | Championship | 12th |
| 2003 | Championship | 13th |
| 2004 | First Section | 2nd |
| 2005 | First Section | 6th |
| 2006 | First Section | 1st |
| 2007 | Championship | ?? |
Other Contests
Throughout the year there are many other contests held covering a wide variety of formats and styles including (but not limited to):
-
March Contests
Most common in the North of England are March & Hymn Contests where the bands parade down the street and form outside of the contest venue to perform a March and a Hymn Tune, these are very popular during the summer months attracting large crowds. A variation on this format are the famous Whit Friday marches in Saddleworth and Tameside, an event which if you have never been you are really missing something magical. For more information on Whit Friday marches visit the Saddleworth and Tameside official websites.
- Entertainments Contests
Entertainments Contests are where the bands usually perform a short concert (approximately 25 minutes) and generally, though not always, at least solo item.
- National Festivals of Music
These contests are generally hosted by large corporations or entertainment companies who provide a seperate grading system especially for their contest. They can be compared to the FA Cup in that they run alongside the main National Gradings. These can include the Eisteddfod in Wales as well as the Pontins Prestatyn Brass Band Championships and Butlins Mineworkers Championships. The most famous of these contests is probably the Spring Festival and Grand Shield which acts as the qualifying stage for the British Open Championships. At these contests the bands perform a set piece of music aimed at sorting the men from the boys (excuse the gender specifics).