MacRobertson International Croquet Shield
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The MacRobertson International Croquet Shield is the premier croquet teams event in the world. It is currently competed for by Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States. It is known affectionately as the MacRob.
The series is now played in rotation between the competing countries every three or four years.
[edit] History
In the early 1920s, Australian confectionery maker and philanthropist, Sir Macpherson Robertson played croquet as his pastime. He enlisted returned World War I veterans to take up concessions for his products and encouraged them to try croquet also, believing it to be a teaching aid for developing skills in self discipline and risk management. Eventually, a pool of players were participating in regular tournaments. In 1925, with a growing interest in the sport, he established the MacRobertson Shield, an international tournament of croquet "Tests" between Australia and England. The Victorian Croquet Association sent a team of four players to England to contest the inaugural tournament. England won easily and Robertson presented the Shield personally.
In 1927-8 an England team played in Australia and managed a slender win. In 1930, New Zealand was invited to participate in a series betwen themselves and Australia, with Australia winning comfortably.
The first triangular series was held in 1935 in Melbourne as part of the Melbourne centenary celebrations. More than a thousand spectators saw Australia retain the Shield. 1937 saw the Australian team go to England where the home team won convincingly.
In 1993, a United States team was admitted into the tournament.
The 2006 tournament will be held in Australia at the Rich River Golf Club Resort near Echuca, Victoria - Moama, New South Wales on the Murray River from 18 November to 3 December 2006.
[edit] Results
| Year | Host | Countries | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | England | England, Australia | England |
| 1927-28 | Australia | England, Australia | Australia |
| 1930 | Australia | New Zealand, Australia | Australia |
| 1935 | New Zealand | England, Australia, New Zealand | Australia |
| 1937 | England | England, Australia | England |
| 1950-51 | New Zealand | England, New Zealand | England |
| 1956 | England | England, New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 1963 | New Zealand | England, Australia, New Zealand | England |
| 1969 | Australia | England, Australia, New Zealand | England |
| 1974 | England | England, Australia, New Zealand | England |
| 1979 | New Zealand | Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 1982 | Australia | Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand | Great Britain |
| 1986 | Great Britain | Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand | New Zealand |
| 1990 | New Zealand | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain & Ireland | Great Britain & Ireland |
| 1993 | Australia | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain & Ireland, USA | Great Britain & Ireland |
| 1996 | Great Britain | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA | Great Britain |
| 2000 | New Zealand | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA | Great Britain |
| 2003 | United States | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA | Great Britain |
| 2006 | Australia | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA |
