Instituted in 1841, THE STEWARDS' CHALLENGE CUP for fours is second only to the Grand Challenge Cup in seniority and is subject to the same rules of entry. In early days the boats carried coxswains. Such an encumbrance seemed unnecessary to W. B. Woodgate, who, when competing in the event in the Brasenose four in 1868, instructed the coxswain, F. E. Weatherley, to jump overboard on the word "Go". Lightened by the ejection of this passenger, the Brasenose four went on to win easily - only to be disqualified.

Presentation prizes for a race for fours without coxswains were offered at the next Regatta, but it was not until five years later, in 1873, that the Stewards' Challenge Cup became a coxswainless race.

THE QUEEN MOTHER CHALLENGE CUP for quadruple sculls was introduced in 1981, the first time there had been a race in this class of boat at the Regatta. The qualification rules are the same as those for the Grand Challenge Cup.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother graciously consented to this trophy being named after her to mark the occasion of her 80th birthday in 1980, the year in which it was decided to institute this event.

THE PAIR-OARED RACE was instituted in 1845 for presentation prizes of Silver Wherries. In 1850 these were discontinued and SILVER GOBLETS were given instead as presentation prizes. In 1895 Mr. Tom Nickalls donated a challenge trophy in the form of a Silver Peg Cup to commemorate the achievements of his sons, Guy and Vivian, who between them won eleven Goblets in the 1890s, a feat only bettered a century later when Steve Redgrave won the event for a record seventh time in 1995.

To mark the Centenary Regatta in 1939, presentation goblets were offered for a DOUBLE SCULLING RACE. The final proved to be a magnificent contest in which Beresford and Southwood, of Thames Rowing Club, dead-heated with the Italians, Scherli and Broschi, then champions of Europe. The Challenge Cup and medals were instituted in 1946, whilst a silver base was added in 1987.

The race for THE DIAMOND SCULLS "for amateurs, open to all England" was introduced in 1844. At that time, The Diamond Sculls trophy was a presentation prize of a diamond scarf-pin. The Diamond Challenge Sculls were not instituted until 1850, when they were described thus: "The sculls are models of about six inches in length, formed of frosted and bright silver, the handles are fillet gold, the sculls crossed and corded gold, the cord appearing in the centre of a wreath of green enamel set with rubies and brilliants and tied with gold, the ends of the tie sustaining a brilliant drop.". In that year the diamond scarf-pin gave way to a silver-gilt `pineapple' cup, which was similarly presented to the winner to keep.

In 1957 a new case was made for the trophy as there was no more room for further silver plaques in the old case, which had held the sculls for 116 years.

At the 1998 and 1999 Regattas the Stewards held an Invitation Race for Women's Eights.  At the Stewards' Meeting in December 1999 it was decided to make this event into an Open Women's Eights event, formally incorporated in the Rules of the Regatta and to be known as THE HENLEY PRIZE.  At the 2002 Regatta the event became known as THE REMENHAM CHALLENGE CUP when the Stewards accepted the gift of a trophy presented by The Remenham Club in recognition of the support its founding clubs had given women's rowing and in memory of its past President, Mr. Ian Rogers, M.B.E.

At the 2001 Regatta an event for WOMEN'S QUADRUPLE SCULLS was introduced. In 2003 this event became known as THE PRINCESS GRACE CHALLENGE CUP in memory of Princess Grace of Monaco. Her brother, Jack Kelly Junior had won the Diamond Challenge Sculls in 1947 and in 1949. Princess Grace was the Regatta prizegiver in 1981.

In 1993 an event for Women's Single Sculls was introduced, and counted as a round of the F.I.S.A. World Cup in the three years 1993 to 1995. In 1996 the Stewards purchased a silver cup as a challenge trophy and were delighted to obtain the approval of H.M. The Queen for this trophy to be called THE PRINCESS ROYAL CHALLENGE CUP and this was presented for the first time in 1997. In addition, the winner of The Princess Royal Challenge Cup receives a set of miniature crossed sculls as a presentation prize.

In 1845 a new challenge prize was offered for eight-oared crews which, in the following year, was named THE LADIES' CHALLENGE PLATE. Up to the 1966 Regatta, entries for this event were restricted to boat clubs from colleges, schools and certain other academic institutions within the United Kingdom together with Trinity College, Dublin. The rules were then widened to permit entries from any college, school or academic institution throughout the world.

In 1985 major changes to the rules for the "Ladies" and the "Thames" removed the 'student' requirement for the "Ladies", which became an event open to crews from any club and is now the second most senior event for men's eights at the Regatta.

THE VISITORS' CHALLENGE CUP was originally called the "District Fours" and awarded for a local four-oared race with coxswains. The event was renamed in 1847, and the qualification rules of that time remained in force until 1970. From 1971 to 2000 the event was open to boat clubs of any academic institution throughout the world. At the Stewards' meeting in December 2000 it was decided to expand the intermediate level of events by opening up the Visitors' Challenge Cup to clubs as well as to the Students.

THE THAMES CHALLENGE CUP was instituted for eight-oars in 1868, and attracted entries from home and overseas crews of "club", rather than "Grand", standard. From 1985 there were a number of rule changes for the "Thames", each attempting to ensure that the best club and student crews entered the higher event, the "Ladies". After a two year review the Stewards, in December 1995, made fundamental changes to the rules of the "Thames" and excluded all student crews. In addition the event now has a number of other exclusions, with the intention of ensuring that the "Thames" is an event for "genuine" club crews.

THE WYFOLD CHALLENGE CUP for coxswainless fours was presented to the Regatta in 1847. At that time it was the custom for the challengers in each event to row trial heats among themselves and for the successful challenger to contest the final heat against the winners of the previous year. As the engravings on the cup record, this prize was awarded to the winning challenger for the Grand Challenge Cup. In 1855 the trophy was made over to a four-oared race. In December 1995 the qualification rules for this event were brought in line with those adopted for the Thames Challenge Cup. Again the intention is to ensure that the "Wyfold" is an event for "genuine" club crews.

THE BRITANNIA CHALLENGE CUP, presented in 1969 as an event for four-oars with coxswain by Nottingham Britannia Rowing Club to mark its centenary. The event was open to both club and student crews.

Since 2004 the event has been restricted to club crews only and a new event has been offered for the student crews. This event, originally known as the Men's Student Coxed Fours, became THE PRINCE ALBERT CHALLENGE CUP in 2006.

The trophy was designed and created by Hector Miller and was presented by Imperial College London. It is named after Prince Albert who became the first Royal Patron of the Regatta in 1851 and was also closely associated with the origins of Imperial College.

THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH CHALLENGE CUP for eights was instituted in 1946 for public schools in the United Kingdom and was opened to entries from overseas in 1964. The inauguration of this race coinciding, as it did, with the first visit to the Regatta of Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth (now Her Majesty The Queen), permission was graciously given to name the trophy "The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup". The cup now used as the trophy was given to the Regatta in 1957 and the silver base was added in the same year.

THE FAWLEY CHALLENGE CUP for quadruple sculls was offered for the first time at the 1992 Regatta. Like the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, this event is only open to those who have not attained 19 years of age by the end of the Regatta, but the Fawley Challenge Cup is open to crews from other boat clubs as well as from schools. The trophy presented for this event is the Cup given to the Regatta by his family in memory of Nicholas Young who rowed for Westminster School and St. Catherine's College, Oxford.