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The All Africa Challenge Trophy
The
All Africa Challenge Trophy is undoubtedly the most prestigious
amateur ladies’ golf event on the African continent. The Zambia
Ladies’ Golf Union has been given the mandate to host the 2006
competition which will be held at Lusaka Golf Club on April 3rd, 4th
and 5th.
The AACT was born as a biennial event, in Harare, at Chapman Golf
Club in May 1992, with 12 participating countries. From Zimbabwe
the tournament moved East in 1994 to Kenya at the Muthaiga Golf
Course and the golfing safari continued West to the Ikoyi Club
Lagos, Nigeria in 1996. It’s success blossomed and grew. The
South Zone hosted the 1998 event at the Randpark Club in
Johannesburg, and then back to East Africa for the Millennium event
at the Uganda Golf Club, Kampala when the zones were formally
defined due to the AACT’s ever increasing popularity and the need to
split suitable venues between the Regions. 2002 was hosted in Cote
d’Ivoire at the Ivoire G.C. in Abidjan. Egypt joined for the first
time in 2004 in Namibia at the Windhoek Golf and Country Club,
bringing our field up to 16 countries. They completed the picture,
introducing the North Zone who will now be included in the venue
rotation.
In1998 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews assisted the
All Africa for the first time with financial sponsorship. In 2000
and 2002, this assistance continued on an ad hoc basis. Tessa
Covell, Chairman of the Trustees, then visited St. Andrews and
persuaded the R & A to commit themselves to help the event for a
further 10 years. Not only does this generosity contribute to the
prestige of the event, but it also enables the host country to
accommodate players at no cost.
Although the Team event has regularly been won by the South African
Team, the individual Trophy has been won by Zimbabwe, Kenya and Cote
d’Ivoire, after a play off with Uganda, as well as South Africa.
Over the years the standard of golf has improved substantially with
enthusiasm generating the formation of at least 5 national ladies
golf unions. 2006 will see the introduction of a Junior Individual
Trophy to be awarded to the best individual score from a team member
under the age of 19, presented by the Trustees. The event is
entirely inclusive, accepting all countries wishing to participate,
without any qualification, other than holding a recognised handicap,
gender, and a desire to compete enthusiastically.
The 35 countries that have been contacted to date regarding their
2006 participation in Lusaka, Zambia, are Benin, Botswana, Cameroon,
Congo DR, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda,
Zimbabwe and hosts Zambia.
Early beginnings:
In
1981 Tessa Covell, the then President of the Zambia LGU, was invited
to take a team of lady golfers to India, to play in the ‘All India
Championships’. The idea of an All Africa Championships appealed to
them and after much consultation, over the next 9 years, and her
move to Zimbabwe, which ultimately resulted in her assuming the
position of President of the Zimbabwe LGU, the time was right for
the inception of the All Africa Challenge Trophy.
An
important thought that generated this initiative was the fact that
none of the African countries were realistically able to compete in
the World Championships, the Espirito Santo – their golfing
standards simply needed a home grown training ground, rotating
within the geographical area.
The event is run by the organising committee of the host country,
assisted and overseen by the Regional Trustees, who ensure that the
guiding principles are adhered to, and that the participation in the
event continually expands. |
March
2006