February 9, 2023
Stunners in Silver Above are the NRA Leech Cup and Wimbledon Cup.Shooting Sports USA has an interesting article about the Perpetual Trophies that were awarded at national-level NRA matches. This story explains the history of the elaborate trophies that were awarded in NRA matches at national level. Some date back to the 1870s. Jennifer Pearsall, SSUSA’s editor, writes: “The pieces made of wood and precious metal… are not just an instant recognition of achievement. They are the link between the American shooter’s past and his or her patriotic present. The legacy of the NRA ranges and their founders, as well as the long list plaques, will make it clear that competitive shooting is an integral part of this country’s foundation. The full Trophy Story is HERE. The NRA was founded by Col. William Church (ranked Captain at that time) and Gen. George Wood Wingate. Wingate and Church hoped to improve the marksmanship skills among American soldiers. The first action of the newly formed NRA was to issue “An Act To Establish a Rifle Range & Promote Skill In Marksmanship”. This led to the opening the famed Creedmoor Range. A special inaugural match was held in June 1873. Many of the awards given in the first NRA matches were cash and firearms. Some of these firearms were elaborate works of art. A member of the 22nd New York Regiment won a Winchester Model 1866 with a gold mount valued at $100 in the first match.
In the 1870s, shooting competitions were social events as well as sporting events. Ladies and gentlemen came to cheer on the winners. This illustration is originally from Harpers Weekly and depicts the shooters as well as the viewing gallery at 1876 Grand Centennial Championship-the “Palma” Match. The Leech Cup — A Gift From Ireland
The Leech Cup was established for the first meeting between the American and Irish shooting teams. Major Arthur Leech, captain of Ireland’s shooting team, presented the cup to the Amateur Rifle Club of New York. The New York Club later gave the NRA this masterpiece of Irish silversmithing in 1901. Today, the Leech Cup is the oldest trophy offered in overall NRA competitive target shooting, awarded through the National High Power Long Range Championships.Michelle Gallagher with Leech Cup in 2013.
Wimbledon Cup
The Wimbledon Trophy was presented by the NRA of Great Britain as a gift. It was presented as a gesture to sportsmanship after the U.S. The team was not allowed to compete in the Elcho Shield match in England, which was then only open to Britain, Scotland and Ireland. The British presented the Americans with a large, engraved, tankard trophy that was to be awarded each year, to maintain friendly competitive relations.
The original name of the Palma Trophy was the Centennial Trophy. This was in honor of the Centennial celebration of independence of the United States of America. It cost $1,500 to commission the Palma Trophy from Tiffany’s. The trophy was a full-size replica of the Roman Legion standard. It was made in bronze with silver inlay and gold inlay. The legend “In the name of America to all the Riflemen of this world” was written on the banner of standard. The banner featured an eagle with a wreath of palm leaves in its talons and a plaque that contained the single word “PALMA”, which is the Latin word for palm tree. It was used by Romans to signify victory or the highest level of excellence. The trophy was soon referred to as the “Palma Trophy” because the word Palma was so easily visible. The original trophy measuring seven and one-half feet is now gone. It has not been seen since at most 1954. A copy was ordered by Dr. Herbert M. Aitken, Eau Claire, WI. It will replace it. The original Tiffany blue-prints were used to create the copy. It cost $32,500. Dr. Aitken gave this copy of the Palma Trophy the NRA to use in the Palma Match. The trophy is kept by the winner team until the next Palma Match. The Palma Trophy was returned in 2008 to the NRA. It was decided that the trophy would be returned to the NRA to be safekeeping after it had been refurbished. The challenge match was the first competition for the Palma Team. The match was held in 1876 at Long Island’s Creedmoor Range as part of the Centennial celebrations of the United States. The match was attended by teams from Australia, Canada, Australia, Scotland, and the United States. The match was held on a 4-year interval.
