1999 : The Championship Section

This year 1999 was the first in which the band were in the Championship Section. All eyes were on the Area Contest in February, where the band would be competing against the old Rothwell Temperance Band, now called "The Rothwell Band (Leeds)", for the first time. The band were also playing against world famous bands such as Black Dyke, Brighouse and Rastrick and Yorkshire Building Society, the last two of which had already qualified for the finals in London as they had done so well there in 1998.

The band came third in the contest, and because Brighouse were second, qualified to play in the Royal Albert Hall in October. (Contest Report)

In July, the band again led the parade for the Rothwell Carnival, by now a traditional fixture of the year.

In October, the band travelled to London to play in the National Finals in the Albert Hall. They again played well, and came an excellent sixth, ahead of many top bands. (Contest Report)

This picture shows the band outside the back of the Royal Albert Hall, just after they had played.