HERITAGE
ELBA has traditionally been the resident club for two local school rowing clubs namely : Selborne College and Clarendon High School and two rowing clubs namely : Leander Rowing Club and Buffalo Rowing Club . More recently the University of Fort Hare has signed a 3-year lease to occupy a bay at ELBA . ELBA committee and community are proud supporters of all our local clubs .
Selborne Sprints Regatta ( 500m racing ) is held traditionally on the Friday , with the RMB Buffalo Regatta being held on the Thursday and Saturday of the same weekend . This event was pioneered by the late Trevor Shelver specifically for schools rowing . It generates enormous excitement in fiercely competitive events , where spectators can enjoy schools rowing at its best .
Eastern Cape Development Corporation is also an integral partner and sponsor of the RMB Buffalo Regatta since 2019 . Continued financial support from ECDC and other sponsors is what has elevated our RMB Buffalo Regatta medals to being one of the most desired in a rower ’ s career . With the help of all our sponsors , we hope RMB Buffalo Regatta ’ s future will remain as rich as its history
Rand Merchant Bank become the national sponsor for rowing in South Africa in 2016 and with their commitment to SA rowing became a valued partner of Buffalo Regatta from 2017 ; resulting in the name change RMB Buffalo Regatta . RMB ’ s continued support and involvement is what makes a world class rowing event such as the RMB Buffalo Regatta possible .
One of the features of the RMB Buffalo Regatta , which serves to underline its unique positioning within Southern Africa , is the fact that it ’ s the only national regatta where participants from senior clubs , university clubs , junior clubs and school clubs compete side by side . Furthermore , a separate regatta in the form of the
A True Silver Lining
The fascinating history of the RMB Buffalo Regatta ’ s trophies , made from pure silver and priceless in terms of both material and historical value , adds still more to the aura of the regatta .
The magnificent Grand Challenge Trophy has its humble beginnings on the 24th of May 1880 , when the then East London Rowing Club crew , consisting of BY Hind , CE Cronin , WH Fuller and CC Miller , took part in the Zwartkops Grand Challenge in Port Elizabeth . They were so impressed with the Zwartkops Grand Challenge Trophy that they returned to East London with the idea of instituting a Buffalo Grand Challenge Trophy of their own .
The Buffalo Grand Challenge Trophy
The Silver Sculls Trophy
The new trophy was made possible by raising money through public donations , and the first time it was competed for was at the third Buffalo Regatta on the 29th of September 1881 , although at that stage the trophy was still only a picture ! Soon , however , it was to become the most cherished trophy in South African rowing , when it and the Buffalo Silver Sculls Trophy were unveiled later in 1881 , both made from pure silver .
However , tragedy was to befall the Buffalo Grand Trophy … It was destroyed by a fire on the 15th of August 1902 , while stored in the strong room of the building of Messrs Dyer & Dyer , a general dealer in the town . The present
Prize-giving at the RMB Buffalo Regatta , with all the sought-after trophies trophy is an exact replica of the original , with the exception that it was reproduced a third larger and now measung 1.2 metres in height , due to the price of silver being very low at the time . The insurance company arranged for the trophy to be made to the full value of the original . That is why the original Buffalo Silver Sculls Trophy is smaller than the Grand Challenge Trophy .
Today these are certainly amongst the largest and most valuable trophies rowed for in Africa , and perhaps the World . Of course , with these trophies being priceless due to their size and the fact that they are both made of pure silver , the winners of these magnificent trophies unfortunately only get to take a photograph home , as the trophies are too valuable for public handling , but the intensity of preparation , competition and prestige of the 9 events attracts the countries elite rowers to stake their claim every year .