Pioneering performance

Press, 29 March 1980, Page 21

Pioneering performance

It was a notable breakthrough for Canterbury,

which has long provided many of New Zealand’s best midget and junior marching teams, that Acme Pioneers should win the senior title. In the 35 years of the national titles, the previous best placings by Canterbury teams were third, three times by Skellerup Militaires, and last season by Acme. In fact, South Island teams have only twice won the premier title. Manahuna was the inaugural winner, in 1945, and another noted Timaru

team, Balmoral, won in 1952.

However, two Dunedin teams, Blair Athol — which made an historic world tour in the early 1950 s — and Glencairn both won the aggregate cup, a performance not ranked as highly as the actual championship. However, where the championship is adjudged on a team’s performance of the “compulsory” section of the marching, the march plan, the aggregate recognises all-round ability and originalit by also taking into account the “optional” section, the .display.