NSW Triumphs in Australasian Challenge
By John Sadler, Public Relations Officer, PDC of Philas
The Australasian Challenge was first introduced at the Canberra Stampshow 2002. Teams of six from each of the Australian states plus the North and South Islands of New Zealand competed for the Ed Druce Memorial Trophy.
Each team must include a novice and a youth member, with the entries limited to a maximum of five frames per exhibitor. A novice was defined as someone had not previously exhibited.
For the first Challenge the ACT did not enter a team, as they would provide the judges for the competition. This was subsequently changed for all successive Challenges, thus allowing the ACT to participate. Each competitor provided one judge.
The subsequent Challenges held in 2004 and 2006 were also in Canberra. This latest Challenge was held in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
The initial Challenge was won by Western Australia with 501 aggregate points. NSW was unable to find a novice and finished last with 394 points.
At the 2004 Challenge NSW greatly improved to third position with 462 points, with the ACT blitzing the field with 475. In 2006 we came second, with 488, to the North Island of New Zealand (492).
Over the years some of the smaller participants had experienced difficulty in fielding a full team. Hence the definition of a novice was relaxed to allow anyone who had previously exhibited only at State level could be included.
In all previous Challenges there has only been one aggregate point score of 500 or more, and that was Western Australia in 2002.
The keenness of the various competitors in this latest Challenge is amply illustrated by there being three teams topping the 500 points aggregate.
| The team results were | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 520 points | |||
| North Island (of New Zealand) | 508 | |||
| Victoria | 507 | |||
| South Australia | 489 | |||
| Tasmania | 480 | |||
| Queensland | 471 | |||
| South Island (of New Zealand) | 467 | |||
| Australian Capital Territory | 458 | |||
| Western Australia | 390 | |||
Western Australia had their score adversely affected by being unable to field a Youth entrant.
| The successful NSW team comprised | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Gray | The Stamp Booklets of Australia 1904 – 1935 | 91 | LG | |
| Geoffrey Lewis | New Orlearns Postal History – Stampless Mail | 90 | LG | |
| Andrew Brockett | British Guiana Air Mails (Novice Entry) | 77 | V | |
| John Sadler | Australian Air Mails 1914 – 1934 | 91 | LG | |
| Linda Lee | Women in Society | 86 | G | |
| Andrew Verdich | Moving Mail (Youth Entry) | 85 | LV | |
Congratulations are in order for all of the team members, plus their Captain/Coach David Collyer.
The results of all Australians exhibiting at Tarapex 2008 are available on the Australian Philatelic Federation website www.apf.org.au.