Competitions, or contests, as they are termed, have their beginning in the reed and brass era but their popularity grew considerably at the time that pure brass bands were emerging. Whilst not all bands take part in them, the contest stage for many is the most important feature of the brass band movement. It is the reason that players spend so many hours perfecting their art, it provides them the opportunity to test their musical skills against others and, of course, the chance to bring home the silverware.

As far as we can tell, the first Cornish brass band contest was organised by the Society of Oddfellows and took place at Tehidy, in 1863. It was the forerunner of many such events held in towns and villages across Cornwall attracting audiences of several thousands.

The Clay Country can boast many such contests and we hope that we have recorded them all in this project. If you know of others, or if you can fill in any of the missing results, then please let us know. Of those included, two stand supreme: the Mid-Cornwall Bandsmen’s Festival at Stenalees and the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival at Bugle. The latter still takes place and its reputation extends far beyond the Tamar. It is an event of which the Clay Country is justly proud and it is hoped that it will continue to contribute to Cornwall’s rich brass band history for many years to come.