The History of Champions

History of Festival of Champions

Period: Aug 1, 1976 to Oct 12, 2013

FOC

The Beginning of Excellence

Oct 1, 1976

In 1976, the Murray State University Festival of Champions was started under David Wells, the director of the Marching Thoroughbreads

Results of the first contest

Oct 12, 1976

Grand Champion: Murray High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Hopinsville High School

Anything can happen

Oct 1, 1977

Grand Champion: Murray High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Christian County High School

A name change makes all the difference

Aug 1, 1978

Before the 1978 season, the Marching Thoroughbreads became the Racer Band.

Third time isn't a charm

Oct 1, 1978

Grand Champion: Lafayette High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Murray High School

The beat goes on

Oct 1, 1979

Grand Champion: Christian County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Murray High School

Another year another champion

Oct 1, 1980

Grand Champion: George Rogers Clark High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Christian County High School

A winner is crowned

Oct 1, 1981

Grand Champion: Columbia High School
Reserved Grand Champion: George Rogers Clark High School

Here we go again

Oct 1, 1982

Grand Champion: Center Grove
Reserved Grand Champion: Christian County High School

Champions demand excellence

Oct 1, 1983

Grand Champion: North Hardin High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Lone Oak High School

It happens again

Oct 1, 1984

Grand Champion: Center Grove
Reserved Grand Champion: North Hardin High School

Third time is a charm for some

Oct 1, 1985

Grand Champion: Center Grove
Reserved Grand Champion: Cicero-North Syracuse

Happy 10th Birthday FOC

Oct 1, 1986

Grand Champion: Glasgow High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins

Another year with excellence

Oct 1, 1987

Grand Champion: Oldham County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins

Hall of Fame

Oct 1, 1988

Grand Champion: Henderson County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenburg Central

The Regin of Lafayettte

Oct 1, 1989

Grand Champion: Lafayette High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenberg Central

The continuing regin of Lafayette

Oct 1, 1990

Grand Champion: Lafayette High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Greenwood High School

The rise of Lafayette

Oct 1, 1991

Grand Champion: Lafayette High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenberg North High School

Lafayette gets another win

Oct 1, 1992

Grand Champion: Lafayette High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenberg North High School

The last year for Lafayette?

Oct 1, 1993

Grand Champion: Lafayette High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Elizabethtown High School

The fall of Lafayette

Oct 1, 1994

Grand Champion: Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Daviess County High School

Still keeping the beat

Oct 1, 1995

Grand Champion: Calloway County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Christian County High School

Happy 20th Birthday FOC

Oct 1, 1996

Grand Champion: Daviess County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Union City High School

Another school becomes a champion

Oct 1, 1997

Grand Champion: Elizabethtown High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Central Hardin High School

Another year of marching excellence comes and goes

Oct 1, 1998

Grand Champion: Daviess County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Boone County High School

A new year comes

Oct 1, 1999

Grand Champion: Boone County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Elizabethtown High School

Marching into a new millenium

Oct 1, 2000

Grand Champion: Daviess County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenberg North High School

A new reginning champion?

Oct 1, 2001

Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Christian County High School

The regin of Madisonville-North

Oct 1, 2002

Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Murray High School

A new band is king of the FOC

Oct 1, 2003

Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Daviess County High School

How long can one band be on top?

Oct 1, 2004

Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenberg North High School

Is the end near?

Oct 1, 2005

Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Murray High School

Happy 30th Birthday FOC

Oct 1, 2006

Grand Champion: Daviess County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins

A new regin starting?

Oct 1, 2007

Grand Champion: Daviess County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Marshall County High School

A local win

Oct 1, 2008

Grand Champion: Calloway County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins

A new school wins

Oct 1, 2009

Grand Champion: Marshall County High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Calloway County High School

History repeating?

Oct 1, 2010

Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Muhlenberg North High School

A new scchool gets crowned champion

Oct 1, 2011

Grand Champion: Eastern High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Murray High School

Another local win

Oct 1, 2012

Grand Champion: Murray High School
Reserved Grand Champion: Madisonville-North Hopkins

The tradition will live on...

Oct 12, 2013

Grand Champion: Madisonville North Hopkins
Reserved Grand Champion: Daviess County