Canterbury Association Life Members
Roger Murfitt |
Roger represented NZ in the MacRobertson Shield 5 times between 1974 and 1990 and managed teams on two other occasions. He managed the Trans-Tasman team in 1991. In 1974 and 1981 he played in the UK Presidents Cup. He won the NZ Open in 1974 and the Irish Open champion in 1981. He was the elected NZCC President between 1988 and 1993. Roger is also a Life member of the United Croquet Club and Croquet NZ. |
John Prince |
John holds the record as the longest serving NZ international representative. He played in and sometimes captained MacRobertson Shield teams between 1963 and 2003. He has won the NZ Open 8 times and the Runner-Up award in that event is the John Prince Trophy. He also won the NZ Doubles title 11 times and the NZ Mens title 10 times. John also served on the NZCC executive. Like Roger, John is also a Life member of the United Croquet Club and Croquet NZ. |
Maud Trainor |
Maud gave service to the Association over many years mostly as Association Referee and manager of many tournaments. She served on the Executive and spent a term as President of the association. The CCA holds an annual competition to commemorate her contributions. She passed away in June 2016, six months before her 100th birthday |
Rodger Lane |
Rodger was elected to a life membership in 2015 in recognition of long and distinguished service as player, coach, referee and manager. He is the author of the authoritative Illustrated Guide to Umpiring. He has served on the Croquet New Zealand council, He is also a life member of the St James Park Croquet Club. He provided umpire training and testing in Canterbury and ran courses for players on umpiring and hoop setting. Rodger coordinated Canterbury’s successful bid to run the World Championships in February 2008 for which he was Assistant Manager. He managed tournaments at national level culminating in the Centenary NZ Open Championships in January 2013. He was invited to referee at the World Championships in Florida in 2009 and refereed the MacRobertson Shield in Christchurch in 2013. |
| Chris Clarke | Chris was elected life member in 2018. He was AC World Champion 1995 & 2008 AC World Team Champion 1993, 1996 (Capt.) 2000, 2003, 2006, 2013-14 GC World Team Champion 2016 (Capt. Youngest winner of Presidents Cup aged 17 First player to complete a sextuple peel in a WCF World Championship 19 National AC Open Doubles Titles (record) Won a record 23 consecutive doubles matches in World Team Championships in his first 23 matches (with Robert Fulford) and then equalled that record in his final 23 matches (with Robert Fulford, Paddy Chapman and Jenny Clarke). Reached world number 1 at both AC and GC. Only player to have won 3 of the 4 Open WCF Championships (AC/GC Singles/Teams) He has coached both UK and NZ U21 Squads He was a member of CA Council during the early ‘90’s, WCF Secretary General 2010, Chair of CNZ AC Selectors 2015-2017, member of CNZ Tournament Committee, member of WCF Ranking Review Committee and manager of multiple NZ Championships and the 2016 AC World Championships He served two terms as CCA President, served as CCA Tournament Convenor, United Treasurer, President and Committee Member and United groundsman 2011-16 and 2017. He provides coaching of both AC and GC around CCA clubs and is a AC and GC Referee. He was inducted into the WCF Hall of Fame in 2010 (youngest ever inductee) and CNZ Volunteer of the Year |
| Jenny Clarke | Jenny was elected life member in 2018.
She was Women’s AC World Champion 2012 She introduced “athlete centred coaching” methodology into croquet coaching and created a free web-based coaching website clarkecroquet.com She was a member of CNZ Tournament Committee and Tournament Director for 2015 U21 World Championship For the CCA she provides coaching of both AC and GC around CCA clubs, is an AC and GC Examining Referee and manager of multiple CCA events |
| Tony O’Donnell | 2018. |
Canterbury players who are world champions
| Year | Venue | Event | Winner |
| 2008 | Christchurch | AC | Chris Clarke (United) |
| 2009 | Cairo | U21 GC | Duncan Dixon (United) |
| 2012 | Melbourne | Women’s AC | Jenny Clarke (United) |
| 2015 | United | U21 GC | Josh Freeth (United) |
Other recognised players
Mr and Mrs W H Kirk were members of the St James Park Club in the 1950’s when Mrs Kirk was on the NZ MacRobertson Shield team and Mr Kirk served as Manager. He was President of the NZCC from 1948-56. They started indoor croquet and have trophies named after them and were made Life Members of the NZCC.
In more recent times, Chris Clarke, twice World Champion has come to live in Christchurch bringing inestimable knowledge and skill to Canterbury. He is an outstanding player, administrator and coach and was inducted into the WCF Hall of Fame in 2010. Jenny Clarke has represented New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman tests, captained the team and was a member of the 2010 MacRobertson Shield team. In 2016 Chris captained the NZ team that won the World Golf Croquet Doubles Championship; Jenny was also a member of the team.
Croquet New Zealand Life Member, Gordon Smith, has been in Canterbury since 2009. Gordon is a Life Member of the Manawatu Croquet Association and has served as President there as well as in Canterbury. He has also been on the executive of Croquet New Zealand. He has been “Mr Golf Croquet” for many years, being largely responsible for the development and administration of the game here. This includes writing the exam for referees and preparing course material.
In 2004 Gordon was appointed as Convenor of the World Croquet Federation Golf Croquet Laws Committee and in 2009 was elected a member of the World Croquet Federation Management Committee.
Gordon has contributed in many other ways, including service as an AC Senior Referee, running courses for referees and umpires and administering their exams. Many tournament managers are profoundly thankful for his comprehensive and masterly document Managing a Croquet Tournament, produced in 2005.
Gordon played at a high level, winning the Arthur Ross Trophy in 1985 and the Heenan Plate in 2007. He has managed many tournaments, including the Trans-Tasman Test in 2009 and was the manager of the NZ Trans-Tasman team in 2007.
Croquet Canterbury 