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Re: City of Oxford Travesty

Cameron
I am sorry to hear about the dilemma the band is in.
the responserbilaty lies with the contest secretary of the band, all
registration cards and players list to be at the contest venue to be
checked, that is the rule
the Contest controller should have given the band the benefit of the doubt.
1. play the player and you could of been disqualified.
2. play with out the player and take the risk.

If the contest secretary made it clear before hand that the card was lost
and a letter from Lemington Spa contest varyfing the situation, their was
plenty of time from December to the Area date to rectify the situation.
the problem is that the name was not down on the signature form for the
contest, and by right should not played.
hope the situation solves it self and hope the band will be able to go to
the finals.
yours evan howells




----------
> From: Cameron Mabon <cmabon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: City of Oxford Travesty
> Date: 17 March 1998 15:43
> 
> Dear list-members
> 
> This is a long post. I would be grateful if you would read it all and
reply 
> with your thoughts. In writing this post, I think I can speak on behalf 
> of all of the members of the City of Oxford Band (Alastair is currently 
> on holiday and therefore does not have access to an email account), 
> although I have not been asked by them to write it.
> 
> Somewhat ironically, given the jubilant demeanour of my recent posts and 
> the nature of the contributions from Andy Wooler regarding registration,
the 
> City of Oxford band has been provisionally disqualified from Sunday's 
> Regional Championships in Basildon, pending an appeal to the regional 
> committee and, if necessary, the NCC.
> 
> The reason for the disqualification was that the band's principal 
> percussionist's name did not appear on the contest signature form. This 
> was simply an oversight on the part of our contest secretary (who, 
> incidentally, won the best cornet award on Sunday). When she drew up the 
> list, our percussionist's card was at the registry being re-done (after 
> having been lost by the authorities at the Leamington Spa contest in 
> December). Consequently, our contest secretary ommitted his name from the

> list by mistake.
> 
> The player in question has been the principal percussionist with the band

> for five years, and has not missed a contest in that time. His membership

> of the band extends further back than most in the band. This was not a 
> case of cheating or abusing the system. It was a simple and honest 
> clerical error. If our disqualification is upheld, we will lose our place

> at the Royal Albert Hall because of the smallest, most trivial of errors.

> 
> I accept that laws are there to be adhered to. The members of Rhos Silver

> Band, whose second section national title was taken last year, know all 
> too well that fielding unsigned players is a costly mistake (whether 
> deliberate or not). However, the error in the case of the City of Oxford 
> is insignificant compared to that of using unsigned players. Though we 
> may have inadvertedly broken a (rather pointless) rule when our 
> percussionist played on Sunday, I fervently hope 
> that the regional committee abide by the spirit of the law rather than 
> the letter of the law when they consider our appeal. It is a spirit 
> exemplified by the City of Oxford Band. How many other bands could boast 
> full attendance at all practices up to six weeks before a contest?
> 
> It goes without saying that I cannot provide an unbiased opinion, as I 
> am a member of the affected band, but it seems totally unfair that such a

> small mistake should cost us our life's ambition.
> 
> It would be a travesty if we 
> were to be disqualified, especially as James Scott (the adjudicator on 
> Sunday) said that the top two bands were well clear of the field. In 
> short, we thoroughly deserve our place at the RAH.
> 
> As I understand it, an appeal has been lodged with the regional 
> committee. Unfortunately, two members of that body are members of the 
> Morrells (Kidlington) band. This band is the traditional rival of the 
> City of Oxford, and may take a delight in seeing us disqualified. (A few 
> members of that band even said so at the contest on Sunday). We at City 
> of Oxford have no quarrel with the Morrells band (aside from a healthy 
> local rivalry) and it would be extremely mean spirited of the Kidlington 
> committee members to vote to uphold the disqualification out of spite. In

> addition, I am led to believe that at least one member of the committee 
> is from Redbridge Brass, who came third in the competition and would 
> therefore be given a place at the Royal Albert Hall if the decision is 
> upheld. Surely, a committee (at least partially) composed of people with 
> vested interests such as these cannot consider our appeal impartially? 
> 
> If the appeal is unsuccessful at regional level, we will lodge an appeal 
> with the National Contesting Council. I am confident that we should win, 
> given the paltry reason behind our disqualification.
> 
> In conclusion, I should like to say that words cannot adequately express 
> how frustrated the rest of the band and I are. To qualify for the Royal 
> Albert Hall has been our long-term ambition for years, and it now appears

> that our efforts may be rewarded with a slap in the face from band 
> beaurocracy. I think our appeal is a strong one, given the player's long 
> record with the band, the nature of our performance (earning two points 
> more than Redbridge Brass, last years Champions), the fact that we may be

> demoted if we are disqualified (see below!), and the fact that the
mistake 
> made was an insignificant and honest one.
> 
> I would be grateful for your opinions on this matter. Thank you for
taking 
> the time to read this long message.
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> A very sober and frustrated,
> 
> Cameron Mabon
> 2nd cornet, City of Oxford Band
> 
> P.S. There is a danger that, if we are disqualified permanently, the band

> will be demoted to the first section (because of some 'unusual' contest 
> results last year)!! This would result in the bizarre 
> situation of the other first section bands competing against arguably 
> the best Championship Section Band in the region (as we will be if we 
> continue to improve at the rate at which we have done so for the last few

> years)!!! The first section 
> areas would be a farce, and all because one trivial rule was broken 
> inadvertedly.
> 
> -- 
>   Cameron Mabon				 cmabon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>   Piano, cornet and duck-call
>   Fundamental Brass	       http://users.ox.ac.uk/~newc0349/fun
>   City of Oxford Band     http://www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/~cmabon/COSB.html
> 
> 
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