MARCHING

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27204, 23 November 1953, Page 9

MARCHING

CHAMPIONSHIPS AT SOUTHBRIDGE The 1953 championships of the United Marching Association were decided on Saturday at Southbridge. Fourteen teams competed, and the president (Mr E. A. Eder) took the salute for the march past. The marching in the C grade was not up to the standard of previous years, and the dressing of some of' the teams was very poor.

A new competitor was the Laylands team, from Nelson. Its members looked very attractive in their bright red velvet costumes, trimmed with white. The heels and soles of their white boots were painted red to match their costume, and this looked very effective against the grass. As guests of the Lyttelton Marching Association, members of the team from the School for the Deaf, Sumner, were present, and saw a championship conducted for the first time. Two teams in the C grade had their first wins at championships. They were Caledonian and New Zealand Farmers, which "won the C grade championship cup and the Handicap cup respectively. At the conclusion of the championships,the combined teams took part in a maze march. This display was very effective as 150 girls in single file weaved their way in and out of the other lines. Results were:— A Grade.—Championship cup and medals; Whipsters 1, S.I.S.E.P.A. 2, Gay Gordons 3, Kowai 4, Braemar 5, Laylands 6. B Grade.—Championship cup and medals: Papanui 1, S.X. 2, Hay’s 3. C Grade.—Championship cup and medals: Caledonian 1, Cressy 2, N.Z. Farmers 3, Kaiapoi Kilties 4, Midland 5. Champion Leaders.—A grade, Patricia James (Whipsters): B grade, June Smith (S.X.); C grade, Valerie King (Caledonian). Instructors’ Chps.—A grade, A. Kennedy (Whipsters); B grade, Miss Joan McClintock (Papanui); C grade, R. White (Caledonian). March Past Cup.—Whipsters. Leaders’ Display Cup.—Whipsters. Aggregate Cup.—Whipsters. . Handicap Cup.—N.Z. Fanners'* • '■>