Not quite the result we had hoped for but another thoroughly absorbing days contesting at The Strule Arts Centre, Omagh in the annual BBNI Spring Festival Contest held on Saturday 18th April 2026. It was the first test piece contest with the new partnership of band and MD, Keith Anderson, and we managed to deliver a fine musical performance of St. James’s – A New Beginning, that earned us a creditable 4th place in the Championship Section. We have to really pay credit to all our soloists who delivered on stage with playing of genuine quality. Feel free to check out the recording below.

Special mention to our guests players Billy Gilmore and Andy McQuiggan and a particularly big shout out to Andrew Milligan of 1st Old Boys who stood in at very short notice for our E flat bass player Niamh Burgess who was unable to attend the contest due to a family bereavement.

Thanks once again to the BBNI for hosting another successful event and congratulations to all the competing bands. Well done to Laganvale, CWA Brass and St. Marks for winning their respective sections.

The full contest results were as under:

Championship Section – Rothman Trophy
1st – Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band – Conductor: Charles Fyffe – 92 points
2nd – 1st Old Boys Brass Band – Conductor: Jonathan Corry – 91 points
3rd – Downshire Brass – Conductor: Michael Alcorn – 88 points
Third Carrickfergus Band – Conductor: Keith Anderson – 87 points
Strabane Concert Brass – Conductor: Brendan Coyle – 86 points
Murley Silver Band – Conductor: Kevin Teers – 84 points

Best Soloist – Harry Gault Memorial Trophy – Alan Haworth – 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Best Percussion – Percussion Shield – Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band
Best Trombone Section – Denis Gillespie Memorial Trophy – Downshire Brass
Winning Conductor – Harry Britain Memorial Cup – Charles Fyffe – Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band
Best Soprano on the Day – Harry Lloyd – 1st Old Boys Silver Band

Second Section – Founders Cup
1st – CWA Brass – Conductor: Stephen Cairns – 90 points
2nd – Roughan Silver Band – Conductor: Stephen Crooks – 88 points
Ballyduff Silver Band – Conductor: William Hill – 85 points
Comber Silver Band – Conductor: Paul Hamilton – 84 points

Best Soloist – Ross Aiken Memorial Trophy – Jackie Moore – CWA Brass
Best Horn Section – Jonathon Carroll Memorial Trophy – CWA Brass
Winning Conductor – Burch Trophy – Stephen Cairns – CWA Brass

Third Section – 46th Old Boys Cup
1st – St Mark’s Silver Band – Conductor: Bob Quick – 88 points
Dynamic Brass – Conductor: Andrew McGuiggan – 85 points
Wellington Memorial Silver – Conductor: Ryan Parkes – 84 points

Best Trombone Section – Clive McBride Memorial Trophy – St. Mark’s Silver Band

Youth Section – Tom Mercer Memorial Trophy
1st – 1st Old Boys Youth Band – Conductor: Mike Whan – 90 points