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 the 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.

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

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 2005 Holland Tug of War Club celebrated 35 years of history, Bill Kerry
has been involved in 33 of those years and Steve Gardner in 30.

2005 Team Honours List
Winners of 720k Bronze Medal at Association National Championships
Winners of 660k Bronze Medal at World 4+4 Championships - Belgium
Winners of 660 4+4, 680k and C/W Fed. Inter Counties Titles - for Staffs
Winners of 660 4+4 Gold Medal at Federation National Championships
Winners of 660 4+4, 600k and Catchweight Fed. National League Titles
Winner of R W Ebdon 'Champion of Champions Shield'
Winners of 680k and 720k at Kessingland Beach, Assoc.Tug of War Festival

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