Regatta and Rowing Club Rules ... 1885

AMATEUR ROWING ASSOCIATION - A second meeting of representatives of the principal rowing clubs and regatta committees in the West of England was held on Saturday, last at the Unicorn Hotel, Worcester, for the purpose of considering the answers of the committee of the above association to the objections held at a former meeting held on the 14th April to the code of the rules which the association had adopted for the regulations of regattas and boat racing. Mr Frederick Moore of Tewkwesbury presided, and there were also present Mr G.E.Davies (Bristol), V.C.L.Crump (Shrewsbury), Stephenson (Stratford-on-Avon), E.C.Newmarch (Stourport), F.Grainger and W.H.Kershaw (Worcester), E.D.Lowe and J.H.New (Evesham), W.Rice (Tewkesbury). The chairman also read letters received from clubs at Hereford, Bath, Ross, Gloucester, Bridgnorth and Chester, regretting their inability to be present. Mr Moore then read the correspondence which had taken place between himself and Mr Le Blanc-Smith, the Hon.Sec of the A.R.A., and the objections which the sub-committee appointed at the last meeting had prepared. The most important of these were rule XI., sub-rule 2, which provides that "No person shall be considered an amateur oarsman, sculler, or coxswain who has ever knowingly competed with or against a professional for any prize." It was strongly objected to this rule being made retrospective, as it has been the practice at most provincial regattas to allow trainers to row in scratch races, and the result would be the disqualification of many of the leading members of rowing clubs, and it was suggested that ther should be some qualification of the word "ever." The reply of the A.R.A. to this objection, however was that the rule must prevail. It was, at last, unanimously resolved, that to allow this rule to act retrospectively would be to disqualify many of the leading competitors in the provinces, and that the rule as it now stood could not be accepted.
The next rule discussed was sub-rule 5, which disqualified any "who is, or has been by trade or employment for wages a mechanic, labourer, or engaged in a menial duty." The sub-committee pointed out the great difficulty there would be in defining this rule, and required to be informed whether it was intended to disqualify apprentices or shopmen to chemists, ironmongers, grocers, drapers, or similar tradesmen, and it was urged that the adoption of such definition would bar the greater number of provincial regattas, as it would be utterly impossible to get together crews solely restricted to "Gentlemen Amateurs." The reply to this objection was, none of the classes named would be disqualified unless they were employed in a menial duty. A long discussion took place upon this rule, Mr Newmarch, of Stourport, contending that it should be open to all classes, and that the clubs of his town were composed of men generally employed in manual and menial labour, and he saw no reason why they should be barred. On the other hand it was contended that the line must be drawn somewhere, and that the definition accepted was the correct one. The rule amended was then adopted with one dissentient.
Another disqualification in rule XI. sub-rule 6, was "a member of a Boat or Rowing Club containing anyone liable to disqualification under the previous clause." This the sub-committee submitted was of far too sweeping a character, as a club might unintentionally or accidentally elect a disqualified person, and that according to this rule all members of the same club would be disqualified from rowing at a regatta. It was also urged that most rowing clubs in the provinces were also boating clubs, and that those belonging to the latter materially assisted in supporting the former, and that this rule in many cases would be fatal by making them too exclusive. It was therefore suggested that this might be remedied by requiring that the members of the crew competing should be eligible. The reply to this was that the A.R.A.would like to give the objections to this rule further consideration.
As to the rules for regattas, rule II provides that no "value" prize (i.e.cheque on a tradesman) shall be offered for competition, nor shall a prize and money be offered as "alternatives." In reply to a question put by the sub-committee whether this would prevent a committee offering prizes exclusively for watermen at the same regatta at which amateur races were rowed, was answered by the A.R.A. in the negative.
Rule XIX. defines a "junior oarsman" as one who has never won any race at a regatta other than a school race in which the construction of the boats was restricted, or a race limited to members of one club, or who has never been a competitor in any International or Inter-University match. This was strongly objected to, as in case of a junior crew winning a race in June they would be precluded from competing for the remainder of the season, as all the senior crews would have been chosen, and it was suggested by the sub-committee that that a junior oarsman be one who has never won a regatta prize within 3 months, or who has won a race open to senior oarsmen. The A.R.A. in reply to the objection, insisted their rule must stand as drawn, but pointed out that this would not preclude a Regatta Committee from making any special condition they chose to impose, but that if the term "junior" is applied it must be interpreted according to the A.R.A.definition. This was deemed satisfactory. It was also contended that the committee of the A.R.A., at present constituted (viz., 3 University Clubs, 7 London Clubs, with Chester and Reading), was not fairly representative, and that such committee should include representatives from the provinces. It was ultimately resolved unanimously, on the proposition of Mr Grainger, seconded by Mr Davies, "That the provincial committees are willing to accept the rules of the Amateur Rowing Association with the qualifications contained in Mr Le Blanc-Smith's letter of the 28th April, upon condition that rule XI, sub-sec.2, so far as applies to scratch races, shall not be retrospective. That rule XI, sub-sec.,6 be amended, so that any member of a club who would be disqualified under the A.R.A. rules shall not disqualify a crew belonging to the same club otherwise eligible, and that the provincial clubs shall have the power to nominate representatives on the Committe of the A.R.A.
It was resolved to hold another meeting after receiving a reply from the A.R.A., and that if the same was not satisfactory steps be at once taken to form a Provincial Association. A vote of thanks was unanimously given to Mr Moore for the trouble he had taken in the matter, and for presiding.