Holland TOWC

The club was first formed in 1970, by a group of regulars at the Red Lion Inn in Barton
under Needwood, so that they could enter a team in a local fete.
The Red Lion were very successful over the next couple of years winning all of the local
fetes and galas that they entered. After a brief period of a year or so when the club
stepped up a level and became involved with another team called Norton Juxta, in 1974
they moved base to the Holland Sports Club in Barton, where the team became known as
the 'Holland Sports Tug of War Club', and they affiliated to the tug of war association.
From 1974 until 1976 the team competed regularly and at a good standard, becoming a
well respectd Midlands club. After their team folded some members of the Brickmakers
Arms tug of war club from Walsall Wood, came over to Barton to join the Holland team.
Holland regularly turned out two teams each week. In 1977 the team made the trip to
Jersey in the Channel Islands to compete in the Open Club World Championships. Early In
1978 the team were improving week by week, but, following a competition where the team
beat St.Pats from Leicester for the first time ever, going on to make the final of the 680
kilos where the team lost to Sheen 2-1, there was a break up between the older factions
of the team, to the effect that they all left. The younger members of the team, (5 in
all) carried on training, and Bill Kerry and Steve Gardner decided to keep the team going.
After several months of training and trying to find new members the team eventually went
out again early in 1979. With just enough members for a team and half of them novices,
the team didnt win too many pulls for a while, but what the team lacked in ability was
more than made up for by their intense enthusiasm! By 1987, ten seasons of pulling had
passed since the break up of the old team and things were starting to happen. There was
by now a new sense of experience, strength and ability within the squad, which had been
building steadily to reach about 14 - 16 members. The team took the step to change their
colours (which had been black and gold since 1977) to Green and Gold. The name of the
club was altered too, dropping the word 'Sports' from the title to be called - Holland Tug
of War Club. With the new identity came new success and the club started to pick up
trophies, (about a dozen in total in 1987) most being Runners Up awards. In 1988 Holland
finished second to Sheen Farmers in the Staffordshire County Championships at 640k and
680k beating Leek (the new European Champions) in both weights! At the end of 1988 the
club became involved with the Tug of War Federation, and then spent two seasons
competing half and half, between the tug of war association and tug of war federation.

Winning the first Catchweight Gold Medal at the 1989 Federation National
Championships, at the Royal Showground, was a magnificent result for the team (it was an
awesome competition too) and by 1991 the club was mostly competing with the
Federation. The team enjoyed some moderate success, and found much greater pleasure
doing the Federation competitions because they were all on a points basis where every
team pulls every team, which meant that the team got plenty of pulling. The club won the
Catchweight Gold Medal again in 1991, and they were selected to represent Staffordshire
in the Inter Counties event which they also won. Holland Tug of War Club continued to
improve steadily, eventually becoming one of the top teams competing within the
Federation. Although Holland did continue to take part in occasional tug of war association
events, such as the National Championships,(winning bronze medals on three occasions)
they mainly concentrated on the Federation fixture lists. Between 1995 and 2000 the
clubs trophy winning exploits became quite prolific, one season winning 106 trophies,
(including Winners and Runners Up placings).Over the years Holland have won 9 Senior
Gold Medals at the Federation of Great Britain National Championships, at weight classes
including: 680 Kilos, Catchweight and 620 Kilos 4+4. In the early 90's the Federation
introduced mixed pulling competitions, where teams consisted of 4 men and 4 women.
Holland were one of the first clubs to adopt a ladies section especially to be able to
compete in this new area of the sport, bringing wives and girlfriends along to training. The
result being the gold medal for Holland at the first 4+4 National Championships in 1995.
This new concept was a major force in making the club the 'family' club that it is today,
with men, women and juniors all competing for the team. The club have won the title
'Champion of Champions' on 7 occasions to receive the R.W.Ebdon Trophy which is
awarded annually to the Federation team that has had the most wins during the season.
The club has managed to hold a constant membership of between 24 and 30 (including
Men, Women and Juniors) since the mid 90's, a far cry from those early days of rebuilding
when the team struggled to make enough for a team!

A Guinness World Record! In the year 2000 the team were celebrating 30 years of it's
history, and had 30 club members for the first time ever. The team were asked to do
something as part of the Millennium Festival Week and decided to contact Guinnes Records
wit ha view to a possible record attempt. There were few records other than 'the longest
pull' etc so Holland got together with their records criteria department and set up an
endurance challenge. In June 2000 the club, using three teams of ten pullers, pulling one
after another in turn, hoisted a weight of 425 kilos a height of 22 feet and 6 inches, 80
times in one hour. Each pull being officiated by a tug of war judge, the block on the pulley
never being allowed to be dropped, but place down for the next team to go. Each team
consisted of 3 women, 2 junior boys and 5 senior men. It was a wonderful occasion with
local press and radio and a crowd of 250 locals on hand. The team were delighted to
receive a wonderful framed certificate from Guinness Records for 'Tug of War Endurance'.
The team were the first sports team to be invited to a Civic Reception at the Mayors
Parlour at Burton on Trent Town Hall since the 1950's.
Representing England! In the year 2008, Holland tug of war club recieved it's greatest
accolade to date, when the team were selected to represent England at the Closed World
Championships in Sweden at 720 kilos. Since 2005 Holland had been winning medals at the
Associations National Championships, and in 2008 won the Silver Medal for 720 kilos losing
only to Bosley Wood Treatment. Bosley elected to represent England at 680 kilos and so
Holland were invited at 720 kilos. The team performed with excellence and finished 6th in a
straight eleven tournament, beating: Lithuania, USA, Italy and South Africa, and drawing
with Germany and Latvia. Finally, in Steve's 30th year as Coach, the club had earned the
England Shirt, and the right to wear the England Rose!

Holland Tug of War Club have competed in several International events:
1977 TWIF World Championships - Jersey
1981 TWIF European Championships - Folkestone
1991 Federation of GB v Wales TOWA - Wales (Runners Up Catchweight)
1993 TWIF European Championships - Minehead
1997 TWIF European Championships - Jersey
2000 TWIF World Championships - Blackpool (top 12 in open 720k)
2004 World Open Club 4+4 Championships - Staffordshire (Winners 660k)
2004 TWIF World Championships - Rochester USA (6th in Open Catchweight)
2005 World Open Club 4+4 Championships - Merksplas, Belgium (Bronze 660)
2006 World Open Club 4+4 Championships - Hellendoorn, Netherlands
2007 World Open Club 4+4 Champs.- Newport Pagnall,England(600+660 Silver)
2007 TWIF European Open Club Championships - Minehead
2007 The Flanders Cup, TTV Versieck - Belgium (Silver Medallists)
2008 Family Jansenns Int. Tournament - Retie, Belgium
2008 World 4+4 Championships, Retie - Belgium (Bronze Medal 660 4+4)
2008 TWIF World Open and Closed Championships - Sweden (Rep. England 6th Place)
2008 The Flanders Cup, TTV Versieck - Belgium (Silver MEdallists)
In the days when Jersey in the Channel Islands had a good number of tug of war clubs
(1970s to mid 1990s) Holland were regular visitors, going 'on tour' on at least 5
occasions, and winning several trophies in the 90's.

In 2008 Holland Tug of War Club celebrated 35 years of history, Bill Kerry has been
involved in 36 of those years and Steve Gardner in 33.

2006 Team Honours List
Winners of Catchweight Silver Medal at Association National Championships
Winners of Federation North Training League 660 4+4, 600 4+4 and C/W
Winners of Federation Inter League Championships 660 4+4 600 4+4 and C/W
Winners of Federation National 5 a side Championships 390 3+2, 420 3+2
Winners of 660 4+4. 600 4+4 and C/W Fed. Inter Counties Titles - for Staffs
Winners of 720 k and C/W Gold Medals at Federation National Championships
Winners of 660 4+4 and Catchweight Fed. National League Titles
Winner of R W Ebdon 'Champion of Champions Shield'
2007 Team Honours List
Winners of Bronze 720 Medal at Association National Championships
Winners of Federation Training League Catchweight title
Winners of Federation National 5 a side Championships titles
Winners of all 6 weights at Federation Inter Counties Championships
Winners of Silver Medals at World Open Club 4+4 Champs (600 and 660)
Winners of 720 and Catchweight Gold Medals at Federation National Champs.
Winners of Federation National League Catchweight title
Winners of the R W Ebdon 'Champion of Champions' Shield
Winners of a Participation Medal for European Championships (680 and 720)
Winners of 720 kilos Cup at the Associations Kessingland Tug of War Festival
2008 Team Honours List
Winners of 5 weights at Federation Inter Counties Championships
Winners of Silver Medal at the Association Inter Counties 680 kilos
Winners of Federation Training League
Winners of Federation Five a side National titles
Winners of Federation National League at 3 weights
Winners of the Silver Medal at the National Young Farmers Champs. - Royal Show
Winners of Bronze Medal 660k at World 4+4 Champs. Retie, Belgium
Winners of Silver Medal 720k and Bronze Medal C/W at Association National Champs.
Winners of Three Gold Medals at Federation National Champs. 680k 720k and C/W
Winners of the R W Ebdon 'Champion of Champions' Shield
Winners of Silver Medal in the Associations AAA's Championships at C/W
Winners of 6th Place Trophy - TWIF Closed World Champs. Sweden (Represent England)
Winners of 4 weights at the Associations Kessingland Tug of War Festival
2009 Team Honours List
Winners of all 7 weights at Federation Inter Counties Championships
Winners of Federation Training League and Inter League
Winners of Federation Five a side National titles
Winners of all 7 weightsat Federation National League
Winners of the Gold Medal at the National Young Farmers Champs. - Royal Show
Winners of Gold Medal 660k at World 4+4 Champs.and Silver Medal at 600k.
Winners of Bronze Medal 720k and Bronze Medal C/W at Association National Champs.
Winners of 720 Kilos Gold Medal at Federation National Champs.
Winners of the R W Ebdon 'Champion of Champions' Shield
Winners of Participation Medal - European Championships - TWIF Open 680, 720k.Assen
Winners of 680 and 720k at the Associations Kessingland Tug of War Festival
Winners and Runners Up of the International Tournmament 'The Flanders Cup' Belgium