Southern District Striking Contest heats

Saturday 16th March saw six teams meet for the Southern District Striking Contest heats – four rang for the Arthur Ashby Cup and two for the Horsley Cup. It was brilliant to see so many more teams enter this year than last.

Whilst the teams rang, the Association handbells were put to good use helping people with their first changes on handbells. James from Sawley, who had never rung changes before, rang a plain course of Plain Bob Minor, others tried Plain Hunt and Oxford.

Thanks to the Breaston ringers for the fabulous jacket potatoes for tea, followed by the results from Melbourne ringer Christian Peckham.

In his general comments, Christian said that he had rung at Breaston a few times and the bells were not easy to get right. However, all the ringing was a very respectable Sunday service standard. He marked in whole faults, quite harshly, which is why the scores are lower than could be expected.

Arthur Ashby Cup:
1st – Derby St Peter 188 points (peal speed 3h3m)
2nd – Breaston 177 points (peal speed 2h58m)
3rd – The Seals (Overseale and Netherseale) 140 points (peal speed 2h55m)
4th – Sawley / Long Eaton 122 points (peal speed 2h46m)

Horsley Cup:
1st – Derby Cathedral 211 points (peal speed 2h49m)
2nd – Derby St Peter 160 points (peal speed 3h5m)

Well done to Derby St Peter's and  Breaston who will go through to the final of the Arthur Ashby Cup and to Derby Cathedral who will go through to the final of the Horsley Cup.

The day concluded with the vote of thanks and three leads of Bristol Major on handbells.

M Elizabeth Cotton

Southern District Secretary