This lovely silver bowl (pictured) celebrated its centenary in 2006 and is a much coveted trophy for Taunton’s main Annual Tournament.

The bowl was presented to the North Devon Club by Misses Houldsworth in 1906 and played there until 1910. It is not confirmed, but presumed that the club closed down and it was then kindly donated to Taunton Vale Polo Club; records from 1913 show that Capt Jones-Mortimer of the Somerset Light Infantry was in the winning team.

After World War I, it was obvious competed for by local teams as well as some from Dunster, with West Somerset winning it in 1924-26. However, we found from 1936-38 it was the trophy for the annual match between TVPC and a visiting team from Darfur.

After World War II from 1957 onwards the Houldsworth Cup has been a major trophy in our Annual Tournament fixture list and remains so to date. Fortunately the trophy has been fairly divided in recent years between our local teams and regular visiting teams.

In 1952 and 1958 the trophy was won by John Mayne’s Quarry Hill team from Cirencester, which included Jimmy Edwards. He tried on several occasions to take the lovely silver bowl with his "Whack-O" team, but unfortunately our local team was just too good for them – that was in 1961.

Robin Harding’s’ family team from Canford won the trophy in 1959 and 1960 whilst in 1961 and 1964 Farrington, Worrall, Power and Tilley were successful in taking home the silver bowl.

1962 saw the first success of our popular visitors Alan Budgett’s Kirklington team, since then they won the trophy at intervals throughout the following 2 decades.

Our friends at Tidworth had the first of their wins in 1965, whilst the names of teams from Cheshire Forest, Rhinefield, and Windsor also appear on the plinth.

The last few years have seen local team Southfield victors in 2005 and 2007 and Blazing Saddles in 2006.

The Houldsworth Cup weekend this year runs from Friday 8^th to Sunday 10^th August see Houldsworth Event page for information and updates