McEvedy Shield

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The McEvedy Shield.

The McEvedy Shield is a domestic New Zealand athletics carnival held in Wellington for four of the main 'all male' secondary schools. The shield itself was donated by Dr P.F McEvedy in 1922 to promote the spirit of athletic competition between Wellington secondary schools and has become one of the highlights of the sporting calendar for the colleges involved. The McEvedy Shield track and field competition is held annually every March in Wellington City between the top four all boys colleges in the city. The event is an all event athletics carnival between Wellington College, St Patrick’s Silverstream, St Patrick’s Town and Rongotai College and is one of those special events that bring out the essence of school spirit and the best of traditions.

On the morning of McEvedy Shield the rival colleges usually congregate at the central train station and busways and perform their own school haka's to one another. Teachers are assigned to patrol the public transport system as the school spirit and rivalry between colleges can get very heated. From around 9:30am the students from all four schools turn up en masse and pack themselves into Newtown Park. With such large numbers in attendance the cheering and chanting raises decibel levels beyond legal limits. Throughout the competition the vocal chords of several thousand kids are worked non-stop to support their athletes, their team, and their school. The experience is memorable and the highlight of the school sporting calender for the four colleges.

[edit] Results

Wellington College have won the Shield for 10 of the last 13 years with relative ease with the only loss of the shield going to Silverstream in both 2002 and 2003, and to Saint Pats Town in 1998. Rival colleges will say it is because of the sheer size of the college (nearly double the number of boys than St. Pats Town) that brings Wellington College success but they have simply outshon in recent times with superior athletes. Although this is usually the case, St. Pat's Town is usually known for having the most spirited and passionate crowd with their chanting. Rongotai however, is known for having extremely intense leaders during their haka.

Wellington College students performing the school haka after winning the 2005 McEvedy Shield.

2004

2005

2006

[edit] Venue

Each year the carnival is held at Newtown Park in the suburb of Newton, Wellington. Where the college boys stand rotates every year as the main stand can only support two of the four colleges. For example if Wellington College & Rongatai are in the stands one year then Silverstream & St. Pats will be in the stands the next. While the teams that aren't in the stand gather on the surrounding banks.

The four colleges on the banks & stands of Newtown Park.