The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Valley Boys recovered from a humbling fifth place finish on Boxing Day to win their fourth consecutive New Year’s Day Junkanoo parade, according to unofficial results announced last night.

With a circus theme, the group received 80.23 points, finishing ahead of the Boxing Day winners, One Family, who received 78.91.

Shell Saxons Superstars were third with 77.17 points, Roots fourth with 76.58 and A category newcomers, Genesis Warhawks, received 67.96 points.

Penalties proved decisive in determining the results, Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) Chairman Silbert Ferguson said, although the penalty scores were not released before press time last night.

“I’m a little bit disappointed that we didn’t read the penalty scores,” he said. “In a parade as tightly contested as these last two parades, especially (the) A category, one penalty, which is one person in a cloth costume, they can destroy your group. As we have tightened the scores in these parades over the last three parades, we recognise how important these penalties are. The penalties played a major role in the final results.”

Valley Boys won the best music, banner, free dance, off the shoulder and overall performance categories.

Roots won the step down, group costume and the Shirley Street performance categories while One Family won the lead costume and choreograph categories.

In the B category, Colours continued their domination of the parades, winning with 76.53 points.

Despite the impact of Hurricane Matthew - which damaged Junkanoo shacks, destroying tools and costumes - most Junkanoo groups were able to participate in what Mr Ferguson said were two of the best-attended parades on record.

The Boxing Day Parade was a sell out while 80 per cent of tickets were sold for the New Year’s Day Parade, which is likely a record, he said.

“In my seven years, I have asked for the public support and they have truly responded,” Mr Ferguson said. “They have supported us because they know every single person who purchases a ticket, that is how we pay our prize money.

“Our prize package we are faced with every year is now $383,000 and we have to have enough people sitting in those seats to be able to pay these groups their prize money. “This year … we couldn’t ask for more. (The 80 per cent ticket sales) is the highest percentage of sales that we have had for a New Year’s Day parade in my seven years (as chairman of the JCNP). Our average has been around 60 per cent.”