“We really must get together for a game of golf one day…….”.
These were the words that prompted the first of many gatherings. On a Sunday in June in 1982, a few keen golfers met up for a game of golf on a windswept golf course outside Oldham. They were all C&A managers from the district. The game of golf took nearly 5 hours and caused a deal of heartbreak due to the extreme weather and the difficulty of the course. Colin Richards, Manager of Manchester store, won the small cut glass vase purchased from the local Co-op.
This was the start of the Rodeo Golf Society.
For five years the Society met in Oldham until Scott Trathen, the organiser, was moved South to London Office. From this central point, the society changed from a Regional to a National group. Mr Clemens, in 1988, purchased a beautiful solid silver cup which was engraved with the Rodeo Logo and was the coveted prize for all future competitions. Ken Wright was the first name to be engraved on the trophy after a wonderful day’s golf at the Belfry.
The cup was re-named the Clemens Cup in 1998 in memory of our dearly departed colleague who had played in our events over the years and supported the charitable activities of the Rodeo Golf Society. Charity was always in our minds as we drove, chipped and putted our way around the courses. We sent a lorry full of bedding, kitchen equipment and essentials to an orphanage in Romania. We donated to Guys Hospital, Muscular Dystrophy, Crone’s disease, Motor Neurone, Bristol Eye Hospital, a childrens hospice and, latterly, the C&A Child of Achievement.