About the Club

Club Traditions: Awards

The LARD Trophy

The LARD Trophy is awarded by the Junior Treasurer at the end of each term to the member of the boatclub who has consumed most items of boatclub lard during the term. Competition is often fierce - and Graham Fisher holds the all-time record for number of items consumed and number of consecutive terms holding the award.

Past Winners

Mich 1996	J. Leake
Lent 1997	R. Dewire
May 1997	D. Wilde
Mich 1997	G. Fisher
Lent 1998	G. Fisher
May 1998	G. Fisher
Mich 1998	G. Fisher
Lent 1999	G. Fisher
May 1999	R. Spencer
Mich 1999	J. Earl
Lent 2000	J. Earl
May 2000	J. Earl
Mich 2000	J. Glass
Mich 2002	J. Davies
Lent 2003	J. Davies
May 2003	J. Davies

The History of LARD, by the LARD King, Graham Fisher

The Lard King competition was instigated in the Michaelmas term of 1996, when Dan Wilde was Junior Treasurer. That term it was won by James Leake, with Rich Dewire taking the novice version of the award. The following term, Rich fulfilled that early promise, moving up to take the senior title. The trophy changed hands again the May term, Mr Wilde presenting first prize to himself.

I had been eating lard at a reasonable rate that first year, but I was hampered by having many fewer outings than the leading competitors. In the 97/98 academic year, I hit the ground running with an easy win in Mich term, then went on to retain the trophy for a total of five terms. In the May term of 1999, with the 2nd May VIII looking like a serious prospect, I declined to compete and Richard Spencer scooped top spot.

Since then, John Earl has repeatedly been the Lard King - but how will he prosper under the new system? Until now, the Lard King has been crowned based purely on the total number of items, but the computerisation of the cupboard will allow for a more accurately lardy set of criteria to be used. Personally, I think this is a good thing, as I was often aware that many of my rivals were rising up the charts purely on the basis of cans of drink, NutriGrain bars and suchlike.

Runners-up awards, "Lard Queen" and novice prizes have been variously awarded down the ages, often taking the form of blocks of lard (or beef dripping) or cans of Economy dog food. As yet, the main award has always been won by one of the senior men, but it is open to all members of the boat club - so who knows what the future holds?

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