Registrations from as far away as Australia and Canada are flowing in for Hampstead Rugby Club’s centennial celebrations next month.
It runs from July 4 to 6.
Co-ordinator of the 100th anniversary celebrations Tracey Henderson said a great week of connecting with fellow club members and rugby was planned. Tracey joined the club in 1998.
The celebrations kicks off with the ‘‘old and the bold’’ gathering on Friday evening to share yarns and reminisce.
On Saturday the grounds on Bridge St will be a hive of activity with Hampstead women’s and senior men’s teams playing. While the teams’ battle it out, the younger members are catered for with an array of fun activities.
In the evening the formal part of the weekend will be held at the Hotel Ashburton and will include a meal, a Hampstead Heritage Panel bringing the history of the club to life and the presentation of two life memberships.
Sunday’s events will be low key and include a game of golden oldies rugby.
‘‘The centennial weekend is about celebrating the club, its achievements and that we are a big family,’’ Tracey said.
The club like many other rugby clubs is one steeped in generational history.
Club captain Jim Henderson, who first played for the club in 1987, said Hampstead has been the club for the ‘‘underdog’’.
‘‘It’s a badge we wear with pride. Our club is the most culturally diverse club in Mid Canterbury which makes for a really cool club,’’ Jim said.
In the early 2000s the club saw many Pacific Island players and families join.
‘‘These new members were a great addition, as one year we fielded two senior B teams and the following year we didn’t even have enough for one team. Now we are on to the next generation of these members playing for the club,’’ Jim said.
The club currently has teams from under six through to seniors. They are proud that this season for the first time they have a senior women’s team.
Club president Paul Churchill introduced three core values of fun, family and respect.
‘‘These values flowed through all sections of the Hampstead All Sports Club which has been great,’’ Tracey said
‘‘It is really one big family and being in the clubrooms after the Saturday games is great, there is such a buzz.
‘‘Having family see the club as their home has changed things. Now there had been a move away from drinking after the game to everyone enjoying kai that our great team of women put together,’’ Jim said.
Although they have yet to have a club member join the All Blacks, something every club aspires too, some of their former members had done incredibly well.
Huia Gordon played for three seasons for the NZ Colts as well as the NZ Maori team, Lee McDonald played for NZ Colts, NZ Divisional XV and the Divisional team as well as the NZ Maori 1989, and Glenn Moore went on to coach the Black Ferns.
One of the highlights for the club was the time a Celtic side of 15 was beaten by Hampstead with just nine players. It was a record they did not let other clubs forget.
‘‘They only had nine players for the whole game as others were unavailable,‘‘ Jim said.
‘‘We might be rivals on the field but off it the clubs work together, as was shown when another club lent us their facilities while we had renovations done.’’
They had been completed in time for the 100th celebrations.
The club’s first life membership was awarded in 1962 to Alec McIntyre and since then 16 have been awarded.
One life member, the late Mossy Tait who passed last year in his 90th year, had the most games recorded for the club.
He played more than 300 games over 20 seasons.
Mossy started as a 17-year-old and while still play in 1972 was awarded the life membership.
He was made patron in 2002, a role he held until his death.
Brian Hurst was appointed the role of patron in March this year. Annually the Mossy Cup was played between Hampstead and Rakaia.
Mossy donated the cup and chose Rakaia as the team to play his beloved Hampstead, as he worked in Rakaia.
‘‘He last presented the cup to the winners – Hampstead when he was 89,’’ Tracey said.
‘‘In his honour we have permanently named the field, The Mossy Tait Field, because he was such a big part of the club,’’ Jim said.
Hampstead is a place families want to be part of, it’s safe, it’s friendly and we have fun, he said.
– Register now for Hampstead Rugby Club’s 100th celebrations at hampsteadrugby.co.nz/centennial-2025/centennial-2025
