Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps explained

Troopers
Division:World Class
Founded:1957
Director:Mary Duerkop
Titles:

The Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps. Based in Casper, Wyoming, the Troopers was one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI).

History

The early years

James E. "Jim" Jones, a Casper, Wyoming building contractor and a veteran of the World War II United States Army Air Forces founded the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 1957 as an activity for local youth.[1] In his own youth, Jones had won the American Legion individual snare drum championship while a member of Casper's Sons of the American Legion drum and bugle corps, in which he had also been the corps manager from age fifteen. He decided to name the new corps the Troopers to honor the 11th Ohio Cavalry Regiment, a United States Army unit stationed at Fort Caspar, Wyoming Territory, to protect supply trains during the Indian Wars of the 19th Century. In order to fund the new corps, Jones took out a $4,000 loan to purchase drums and bugles.[2]

In its first season, the Troopers were sponsored by the Casper American Legion post, were strictly a parade corps, and made the corps' first appearance at the State American Legion Convention in Riverton, Wyoming.[3] In 1958, the corps entered its first field competitions. As it was necessary for the Troopers to travel extensively to compete in drum and bugle corps competitions, Jones chartered passenger buses to carry the Troopers across and around the country on trips that would last for several weeks, making the corps a "touring corps", a concept that was unusual at the time.[4]

Their first national contest was the 1961 American Legion Championships in Denver, where the corps finished fourth. The Troopers' first major victory was in the 1965 World Open in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1966, the Troopers won the VFW Nationals.[5] In 1967, the Wyoming State Legislature designated the Troopers as Wyoming's Musical Ambassadors.

The corps won the CYO Nationals three years in a row, from 1968 to 1970. In 1970, they won their second VFW National Championship in Miami Beach, added their third CYO title in Boston, and appeared on national TV during the halftime of a Minnesota Vikings NFL game.[6] In 1971, the Troopers were the stars of a television special, "The Troopers Are Coming", narrated by actor Walter Brennan.[7]

The Drum Corps International era

In 1971, at the urging of Jim Jones and Cavaliers founder Don Warren, the Blue Stars, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard, and the Troopers formed the Midwest Combine. This action was taken in reaction to the rigid, inflexible rules of the American Legion and VFW (the primary rule makers and sponsors of both corps and shows) and the low or nonexistent performance fees paid for appearing in the various competitions. The corps felt that not only were they having their creative potential as artistic performing groups stifled, but they were being financially starved. (A similar group of Eastern corps, the United Organization of Junior Corps, known as the "Alliance", was formed by the 27th Lancers, Garfield Cadets, Boston Crusaders, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, and Blue Rock.) The Combine members felt that the corps should be making their own rules, operating their own competitions and championships, and keeping the bulk of the profit that shows earned. For the 1971 season, the group of corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package.[8] In 1972, the Troopers, along with the nine other corps from the Midwest Combine and the Alliance, plus the Anaheim Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels, and De La Salle Oaklands became the founding members of Drum Corps International, which remains as the current sanctioning body for junior corps in North America. At the first DCI World Championships in Whitewater, Wisconsin, the Troopers finished in sixth place. For DCI's first four years, Troopers were an annual finalists. Jim Jones retired as the Troopers' director in 1987.[9]

In 2005, the DCI Board of Directors suspended the Troopers from competition for non-compliance with membership rules.[10] The corps was inactive for the 2006 season, while they reorganized. On October 3, 2006, the Troopers were reinstated as a Division I corps. The Troopers returned to competition for the 2007 season.[11]

In 2021, corps director Kristy Jackson stepped down after facing allegations of gross negligence.[12] Michael Gough replaced her in January of the same year. Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, Michael Gough stepped into the role of executive director, and Mary Duerkop, the former brass caption head, became corps director.

Show summary (1972–2025)

Source:[13]

style="background-color:#d0f0c0"
Pale green background indicates DCI World Class Semifinalist
Pale blue background indicates DCI World Class Finalist
YearRepertoire
Score Placement
1972 81.95 6th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1973 Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones / The Eagle Screams by Nelson Riddle / Black Saddle by Michael Hennagin / Wedding Dance (from Hassaneh Suite) by Jacques Press / Thanksgiving Hymn by Eduard Kremser / Day By Day (from Godspell) by Stephen Schwartz / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe86.15 2nd Place
Open Class
Finalist
1974 Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones / Yankee Doodle (Traditional) / Yellow Rose of Texas (Traditional) / The Virginian by Percy Faith / Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield / Thanksgiving Prayer by Eduard Kremser / Day By Day (from Godspell) by Stephen Schwartz / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe85.65 5th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1975 76.20 12th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1976 Roundabout by Jon Anderson & Steve Howe (Yes) / Alabama Jubilee by George L. Cobb & Jack Yellen / Land of Make Believe by Chuck Mangione / Looking for Space by John Denver / Jet by Paul & Linda McCartney (Wings) 82.75 13th Place
Open Class
1977 78.80 20th Place
Open Class
1978 74.25 20th Place
Open Class
1979 Variations on a Scene by Alan Broadbent / Aquarius & Let The Sunshine In (from Hair) by Galt MacDermot, James Rado & Gerome Ragni / The Ballad of Billy the Kid by Billy Joel / The Ecstasy of Gold by Ennio Morricone / Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones77.90 12th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1980 Theme from The Cowboys by John Williams / Shenandoah (Traditional) / Turkey in the Straw (Traditional) / Central Park by Chick Corea / The Ecstasy of Gold by Ennio Morricone / Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones76.65 14th Place
Open Class
1981 Theme from The Cowboys by John Williams / Turkey in the Straw (Traditional) / Central Park by Chick Corea / En Sueno by Albert Kunzelmann / Shenandoah (Traditional) / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe78.10 12th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1982 Wabash Cannonball (Traditional) / En Sueno by Albert Kunzelmann / Shenandoah (Traditional) / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe77.60 14th Place
Open Class
1983 25th Anniversary
Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe / Pops Hoedown by Richard Hayman / It Was a Very Good Year by Ervin Drake / How the West Was Won by Alfred Newman
76.85 15th Place
Open Class
Semifinalist
1984 85.20 13th Place
Open Class
Semifinalist
1985 86.70 9th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1986 American Salute by Morton Gould / Silverado by Bruce Broughton / Prayer of Thanksgiving (Traditional) / The Red Pony by Aaron Copland / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe83.50 11th Place
Open Class
Finalist
1987 He's Gone Away (Traditional) / American Overture by Morton Gould / Third Symphony by Aaron Copland / When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Louis Lambert (Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore)81.00 17th Place
Open Class
Semifinalist
1988 Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein / Corral Nocturne & Hoedown (from Rodeo) by Aaron Copland / Silverado by Bruce Broughton77.80 19th Place
Open Class
Semifinalist
1989 How the West Was Won
How the West Was Won, Cheyennes & No Goodbyes by Lionel Newman / Bound for the Promised Land by Ken Darby & Robert Emmett Dolan
78.00 18th Place
Open Class
1990 80.25 17th Place
Open Class
Semifinalist
1991 The Cowboys from Sunset / Lonesome Dove by Basil Poledouris / Oklahoma Crude by Henry Mancini / "Orange Blossom Special" by Ervin T. Rouse / Music from Dances With Wolves by John Barry / America the Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katharine Lee Bates74.90 21st Place
Open Class
1992 A Western Odyssey
Flag of Stars by Gordon Jacob / Cool, Clear Water by Bob Nolan / "Unsquare Dance" by Dave Brubeck / The Ecstasy of Gold by Ennio Morricone / Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones
76.10 19th Place
Division I
1993 The Last Crossing: East Moves West
Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar / Cheyennes (from How the West Was Won) by Alfred Newman / Western Overture by Thom Ritter George / Charles County Overture by Joseph Willcox Jenkins / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe
77.10 19th Place
Division I
1994 Southwestern Sketches
Sunrise by Fred Taylor / Scherzo by John Cheetham / Santa Fe Saga by Morton Gould / Symphonic Dance No. 3 - Fiesta by Clifton Williams
81.60 14th Place
Division I
Semifinalist
1995 80.70 14th Place
Division I
Semifinalist
1996 74.40 19th Place
Division I
1997 American Salute by Morton Gould / The Way West by Bronisław Kaper / Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein / America the Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katharine Lee Bates68.00 20th Place
Division I
1998 Forging a Frontier
The Getaway (from Silverado), The Family (from Tombstone) & McKendrick Attack (from Silverado) by Bruce Broughton / Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones
68.60 24th Place
Division I
1999 73.80 21st Place
Division I
2000 73.65 19th Place
Division I
2001 Tribute to An Uncommon Man
Outdoor Overture, El Salon Mexico & Down a Country Lane by Aaron Copland / Chorale & Shaker Dance by John Zdechlik
76.20 19th Place
Division I
2002 Red, White and Blue
Javelin by Michael Torke / American Elegy by Frank Ticheli / Into the Storm (from Stormworks) by Stephen Melillo
75.55 21st Place
Division I
2003 75.45 22nd Place
Division I
2004 74.925 23rd Place
Division I
2005 Gold Rush
The Gates of Gold (for Violin and Orchestra) by Joseph Curiale / Death by Triple Fiddle by Sam Bush & Mike Marshall / She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain (Traditional)
71.675 22nd Place
Division I
2006 Corps inactive
2007 Awakening
Joy (from Awakening) by Joseph Curiale / "Unsquare Dance" by Dave Brubeck / Ever Braver, Ever Stronger by Gordon Goodwin / American Faces by David Holsinger
77.55 20th Place
Division I
2008 Iron Horse Express
Ghost Riders in the Sky by Stan Jones / Canyon of Heroes by Sean O'Loughlin / The Ghost Train Triptych by Eric Whitacre / Sasparilla by John Mackey / Song of the Gandy Dancers by Richard Saucedo / The Great Revival by William Gordon
81.10 16th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2009 Western Side Story
Cave by Russell Peck / Maria & Somewhere (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim / Adelina de Maya by Joseph Curiale / America (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim / Spaghetti Western by Michael Daugherty / One Hand, One Heart (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim / Pentium by Peter Graham / West Side Story Reprise by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim
85.10 12th Place
World Class
Finalist
2010 83.35 15th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2011 83.20 14th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2012 This Was the Future
Galop from Souvenirs, Op. 28 by Samuel Barber / Music for Theater & The Heiress by Aaron Copland
77.65 18th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2013 Magnificent 11
Fanfare for the 11th by Robert W. Smith / Theme from The Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein / John Dunbar's Theme (from Dances with Wolves) by John Barry / Tribal Spirits by Paul Rennick / Battle Hymn of the Republic by William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe
86.05 13th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2014 A People's House
A People's House by Robert W. Smith / The Ramparts by Clifton Williams / Distant Images by Sandi & Paul Rennick / Lincoln by Robert W. Smith / Oh Shenandoah (Traditional) / America the Beautiful by Samuel A. Ward & Katharine Lee Bates
84.775 14th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2015 Wild Horses
Dreamer by John Debney / Open Spaces by Robert W. Smith / Wild Horses by Natasha Bedingfield, Andrew Frampton & Wayne Wilkins / Adrenaline City by Adam Gorb
83.800 13th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2016 Hero
Fanfare & Fire by Robert W. Smith / War Psalm by Paul Rennick / Walking with Heroes by Paul Lovatt-Cooper / Symphony No. 1, Mvt. 1 by John Corigliano / Fix You by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman & Will Champion (Coldplay)
83.275 14th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2017 Duels & Duets
Part I – The Foe – Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev
Part II – The Friend – Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev
Part III – The Lover – Black Heart Tango by Robert W. Smith & Paul Rennick / Nessun Dorma by Giacomo Puccini
Part IV – The Foil – The Foil by Robert W. Smith
81.275 17th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2018 The New Road West
Welcome to the Black Parade by Bob Bryar, Frank Iero, Ray Toro, Gerard Way & Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance) / Toward The Splendid City by Richard Danielpour / Canyon Echoes by Robert W. Smith / Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell / New Road West by Robert W. Smith
81.787 17th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2019 Beyond Boundaries
Divertimento for Band, Opus 42 by Vincent Persichetti / Enterprising Young Men (from Star Trek) by Michael Giacchino / Wondrous Light by John Estacio / To The Stars by Randy Edelman / Chorale VI Cantus – Song of Aeolus by Karl Jenkins / Main title, Krill Attack & Shuttle Escape (from The Orville) by Bruce Broughton
81.663 18th Place
World Class
Semifinalist
2020 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021Unleashed
The Triumph of Time by Peter Graham / Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan / Eclipse by Roger Waters, Nick Mason, Richard Wright & David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
No scored competitions
2022VorAcious
When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Louis Lambert (Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore) / Without Warning by Stephen Melillo / The Ecstasy of Gold by Ennio Morricone / Nothing Else Matters by James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich / Dance of the Earth by Igor Stravinsky / Original music by Tim Snyder & Paul Rennick
86.42512th Place
World Class
Finalist
2023To Lasso the Sun
L’ultima diligenza di Red Rock (from The Hateful Eight) by Ennio Morricone / Harrison's Dream by Peter Graham / Jesu, meine Freude by Johann Sebastian Bach / Theme (from Once Upon a Time in the West) by Ennio Morricone / As if a Voice Were in Them by Oliver Waespi / Final Duel (from Once Upon a Time in the West) by Ennio Morricone
89.47510th Place
World Class
Finalist
2024Dance with the Devil
The Other Side by Tim Snyder, Paul Rennick & Justin Shelton / Hyperlink by Peter Graham / House Of The Rising Sun by The Animals / Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (from) by Santa Esmeralda / Wait Of The World by Stephen Melillo
88.95010th Place
World Class
Finalist
2025The Last Sunset

Caption awards

At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semifinals, and finals in five captions. Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, the Troopers have won these captions:[14] High Visual Award

High Color Guard Award

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 1957-12-06 . Marching Unit Is Planned For Junior Drum Corps . 2 . .
  2. Book: Bahe, Michelle . Casper's Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps . 2018 . . 978-1-4671-2908-4 . 1024206190.
  3. News: 1958-06-25 . Troopers Make First Public Appearance At Riverton . Casper Morning Star . 12.
  4. Encyclopedia: 2003 . Troopers . A History of Drum & Bugle Corps . Drum Corps World . Chagnon . Pat . Vickers . Steve . 2 . 412–417 . 54892759.
  5. News: Davis . Eric . August 5, 1987 . Troopers, excellence become synonymous . . 23.
  6. News: 1979-08-02 . Popular Troopers Return to Open . The Marion Star . 38.
  7. News: 1971-07-07 . 'Here Come the Troopers' . 13 . .
  8. Web site: Boo . Michael . 2004-03-12 . Determination: Believing in the Midwest Combine . 2021-10-07 . Drum Corps International .
  9. News: Quarterman . Emily . April 24, 1988 . Casper Trooper prepare for new season without Jones . Casper Star-Tribune . A1, A14.
  10. Web site: Matteson . Cory . 2005-09-29 . Group wants Troopers to stop marching . 2022-04-23 . . en.
  11. News: Robinson . Christine . August 14, 2007 . Troopers: Victory comes after IRS troubles . Casper Star-Tribune . B1, B2.
  12. Web site: Gerst . Ellen . 2021-01-27 . Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps director resigns after allegations of unsafe culture, poor conditions . 2021-10-07 . Casper Star-Tribune . en.
  13. Web site: Troopers: Repertoire . 2022-04-23 . DCX: The Drum Corps Xperience.
  14. Web site: Caption Winners . 2022-03-22 . From The Pressbox.