BLEU
RAEDERS RETURN WITH NATIONAL HONORS
Tuesday July 25, 1972
Jefferson Bleu Raeders Drum and Bugle Corps has proven
to the rest of the country that it is not to be taken
lightly. In a two week period, the corps won three first
place awards in Illinois, took third in Iowa and placed
second, fifth and ninth in Wisconsin.
The corps left New Orleans
June 28 for competitions in the mid-west with the
top corps in the country. The Raeders placed second
to the former national champion Racine Kelties Corps
in their first contest in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June
30. The next night the Raeders competed in Dubuque,
Iowa, and took third.
Raeder members felt their
first taste of victory in Dixon, Illinois, July 2
when they won the “Petunia Festival Championship”.
There, they received a traveling championship flag.
The next night in Racine, Wisconsin, Raeders got
cold feet—the temperature was in the forties—and
managed only a fifth place.
July 4 was a day of celebration
for the corps; it won its second first place in Wheaton,
Illinois. In for the North National Championship
schuled for July the Raeders practice corps’
Schedule consisted of sleeping,
eating and practicing which no one minded. And it
was well worth it. The Raeders placed ninth in the
first national championship in which they entered.
There are few corps in the country who claim this
accomplishment.
The corps’ last performance
on the trip was the best one. Though this is when
the members should have been the most exhausted,
the Raeders performed the most spirited and exciting
shows of their tour and their score proved it, when
they defeated their nearest rival by more than three
points.
Thus within ten days the Raeders
earned more than $4,000 in prize money, invitations
to at least five more contest for this season and
a nationally recognized name.
On July 31, the Raeders will
leave again for competition. This time they will
take in both the east coast and Midwest for several
national championship shows.