1960's Champion of Champions

Memories

With the recent updates on the 2026 Huddersfield Champion of Champions prompting Bill Blackburn to recall the differences in the version of that competition from 40 years ago.

I don't think the aura of winning the competition is the same as 40 years ago, and certainly not the attendance on finals day.

Here is a copy of who we used to invite as a comparison to this year’s event. This is what it would have been like 40 odd years ago when I was Competition Secretary.

The Merit winners from Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Skipton,

West Riding, Barkers Sports (Spring), William Stones (Bass North), Mirfield Merit, Yorks Merit, Colne Valley Merit, Cockroft Handicap, Conservative Merit, and Liberal Merit.

One year, when struggling to get the 16 required it was suggested we invite the Huddersfield Ladies Merit winner, but we opted instead to invite the (male) Junior Merit winner.