Welcome rain didn’t dampen the spirits of more than 1000 Old Boys and their partners who returned to Armidale for various activities from Friday to Sunday for Old Boys Weekend.
Festivities started with the annual Old Boys Golf Day, before the focus then moved to the Hoskins Centre for the second Old Boys v School debate, where three 20 Year leavers narrowly defeated the TAS Firsts team, arguing the topic that TAS Boys Aren’t What They Used to Be. Around 80 people then gathered for the Jock Perkins Memorial Art Show, jointly hosted by the 5 Year leavers and the Perkins family, in memory of their classmate who died last year from cancer.
Sporting competitions began early on Saturday, with two new additions to the program – Hockey out at the UNE hockey fields (which the Old Boys won in a penalty shootout) and Chess in the Archdall Room, which TAS won 2-1. TAS won the tennis, the Old Boys won the Shooting, the Football was a draw, and the Touch Football also went to the Old Boys, ensuring the OBU retained the Croft Cup for competition between the former and current students.
Former Royal Australian Navy Commander Rod Fayle addressed a near-capacity Annual Union Dinner in the Dining Hall, and reunion functions for 5, 10, 20 and 30 year leavers at various locations in Armidale on Saturday night. A well-attended Chapel Service and the OBU AGM rounded out the weekend, on Sunday morning.
TAS OBU President Mark Berry said thanked TAS Headmaster Murray Guest and the whole school community for their support of the event.
“Special thanks must also go to the TAS boys for helping make the weekend such a success – those who competed against the Old Boys and in many cases, had to front up for other sporting commitments later in the day, those who supported them on the sidelines, and those who volunteered their time as tour guides, car parking attendants and waiters at the dinner,” he said.
“The weekend says a lot about how much the school means to both past and current students, and the weekend was a great celebration of this.”
Ben Moffatt played against his father Tim in the TAS v Old Boys hockey match
TAS debaters John Dennis, Patrick Williamson and Sam Doyle made their case against 20 year leavers Jonathon Heath, Andrew Roberts and Liam Smyth
Charles Wyatt, Lachlan Tonkin and Harry Gwynn-Jones defeated Old Boys Jim Schwilk, Paul Barratt and Rob Busby (front right) at chess
