Trophies
Intermediate Events
The Ladies' Challenge Plate
men's eight oars with coxswain
In 1845 a new challenge prize was offered for eight-oared crews which, in the following year, was named The Ladies' Challenge Plate. It is believed it is so named because the cup was presented by the wives of Stewards, or ladies of Henley.
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
men's four oars
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, but in 1874 it became an event for coxless fours. From 1971 to 2000 the event was only 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 Prince of Wales Challenge Cup
Men's quadruple sculls
The Men's Quadruple Sculls event was introduced to the Regatta in 2001, at the same level as The Ladies' Challenge Plate and The Visitors' Challenge Cup.
In 2007 HRH The Prince of Wales kindly consented to his name being associated with a new trophy for this event - The Prince Of Wales Challenge Cup.
In 2008 a trophy was donated by Vincent Saunders, a Member of the Stewards' Enclosure. The trophy was originally competed for in the 1931 Aero Club’s King's Cup Race. The renamed trophy commemorates a long association with the Regatta.
In 1887 the first members of the British Royal Family to visit the Regatta were the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra). In 1921 the Prince of Wales, later to reign briefly as King Edward VIII, came to Henley to present the prizes.
