Oars Used As Trophies
The sport of competitive rowing has developed a peculiar tradition of using an oar as a memento of significant race wins. A 'trophy oar' is not presented at the end of the race as a more familiar precious metal cup might be, but rather given by the club, school or university that the winning crew or rower represented.
A trophy oar is a competition oar that has been painted in the club colours and has then had the details of the race signwritten on the face of the blade. The most common format would have the coat of arms or crest of the club or school positioned in the centre, with the crew names and the race details arranged around this.
Many older universities (Oxford and Cambridge would be prime examples) and their colleges have long histories of using the trophy oar and many examples are on display in club houses around the world.
Read more about this topic: Oar
Famous quotes containing the words oars and/or trophies:
“The pleasant’st angling is to see the fish
Cut with her golden oars the silver stream,
And greedily devour the treacherous bait.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“I have made my bed
In charnels and on coffins, where black death
Keeps record of the trophies won”
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822)