The Armidale School has regained the Dick Hodgson Shield following success in a majority of matches in five different sports against Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in Tamworth late yesterday.
Although rain washed out tennis, the two regional boarding schools competed in rugby, football (soccer) and chess at Farrer, in basketball at the Tamworth Sportsdome, and clay target shooting at the Loomberah Clay Target Club.
TAS won the chess and all three football matches (Opens, 15s and 13s), with Farrer winning both basketball games and also the clay target shooting.
The event culminated with the schools’ First XVs playing under lights for the Jim Levy Shield. After 5-5 at half time, TAS took out the match 26-15, with the tablelanders also winning the Seconds, 16A, 15A, 14A and 13As games, while Farrer taking the Third and Fourth XV games and beating the Armidalians in the 16Bs.
“The greater the variety of sports, the more of an event it becomes, and it was great to have a third game of football this year,” TAS Director of Co-curricular Will Caldwell said.
“Our boys enjoy the opportunity to be part of the event, and the fact that our boys were lining up to play in a Fourths rugby team that we often can’t field shows the support for this annual fixture.”
Points are accrued for the Dick Hodgson Shield, named after a former TAS sportsmaster and currently held by Farrer.
