A record number of 34 bands played at the 128th New Zealand Brass Band Championships in Christchurch during the weekend.
The Roxburgh band won the overall D-grade competition and two of three individual classes in its section, bringing home two cups, a trophy and a shield.
The band celebrated its 125th anniversary last October. It is the only brass band in Central Otago, with members drawn from as far away as Arrowtown, Tapanui and Lawrence.
It came second overall and won the D grade Own Choice section at last year's nationals but members were disappointed when there was no trophy to bring home with them.
The band decided to present a trophy for that section in honour of long-time band member Bevney Bennetts.
Roxburgh band manager Alex Gordon said Mrs Bennetts, of Roxburgh, celebrated her 80th birthday the Sunday before the competition.
He said the band had worked extremely hard and it had been one of its aims to bring the Bevney Bennetts trophy back from the titles.
‘‘She was asked to present the trophy on its first occasion to the winning band - which was Roxburgh -and she presented it to Allan Brown, our musical director,'' Mr Gordon said.
‘‘It was a bit of a Roxburgh takeover.
‘‘We won the section and brought the trophy back home again.
‘‘So it's ours until the next contest, which is in 12 months' time.''
Mrs Bennetts was a foundation member of The Dunedin Ladies Brass Band in 1940 and in 1950 was the first woman in the British Empire to win a national solo contest on the baritone, making her eligible to be a member of the New Zealand Brass Band.
‘‘But, as she would have been the only lady with the men going on tour, they didn't think it would be a good call.''
However, she moved to Roxburgh in 1950 and joined the Roxburgh band, becoming a life member in 1982.
In 2000, Mrs Bennetts received a 60-years longservice award for the Dunedin Ladies Brass Band and the following year she was recognised as a life member of the Otago Brass Bands Association.
Roxburgh band vicepresident Douglas Dance said after winning its grade this year, the band was on its way to going up to C grade.
‘‘You go up a grade if you win it three years in succession,'' Mr Dance said.
The two sections the band won were Own Choice, playing the piece Glasshouse Sketches and the Sacred category, performing Old 100th Psalm Tune.
The judge, Peter Adams, commented ‘‘the band had exceeded all expectations'' and deserved to be in a higher grade, Mr Dance said.
The other bands in the section were Motueka Municipal Band, New Brighton Silver Band, Rangiora Brass and Sumner Silver Band.
In the A-grade section this year, Ascot Park Hotel Brass, of Invercargill, did ‘‘extremely well'', coming equal third.
