OP SOCIAL EVENTS AND REUNIONS
HONG KONG AND CHINA REUNION
Sheena McNamee( External Relations Director) and Wendy Wright( International Student Co-ordinator and Dolman Housemistress) hosted a drinks reception for OPs in Hong Kong on behalf of the Old Pocklingtonian Association on Friday 4 December 2015.
The event took place at the Hong Kong University Alumni Association lounge bar kindly arranged by OP Jasper Poon( 05-10). Jim Lau( 04-09) and Kaiser Cheung( 08-15) along with the OP office helped to spread the word amongst OPs and a good crowd came along on the night including:
Lillian Chan( 05-07), Jimmy Cheung( 03-08), Forrest Cheung( 05-12), Simon Kan( 04-06), Jim Lau( 04-09), Sophia Lin( 01-08), Jasper Poon( 05-10), Brian Tang( 02-07), Maggie Tang( 02-07), Carmen Tang( 08-10), Steph Wong( 00-07), Jonathan Yeung( 03-06), Isaac Tsang( 91-95), Emilie Garvey( 01-07), Kaiser Cheung( 08-15), Adrian Leung( 13-15), Stephen Lee( 11-14), Alan Lee( 06-11), Eric Ho( 90-95), Matthew Truman( 86-95), Lucy Bennett-Baggs( 03-07) and Paul Christopher( 85-90).
Sheena commented:“ It was great to see so many of our former students tonight. I had a wonderful evening catching up with everyone. It’ s fantastic that there are so many OPs in Hong Kong and around the world.”
TOBAGO REUNION
Phil Gilbank( 67-74), Donald( 70-72) and Brian( 71-73) Stollmeyer, and Tom Mair( 65-74)( pictured L-R below) played rugby and cricket together at Pocklington School in the early 1970s.
Tom and Phil rendezvous regularly at Pocklington RUFC, but they had not met up with Brian for some 40 years until a notable reunion in December 2015, at the Carib International Rugby Sevens in Tobago.
After Pocklington, Brian went back to his native Trinidad where he became a cornerstone of the Trinidad & Tobago national side’ s pack for several years.
When he stopped playing he became the Trinidad & Tobago RFU President, also represented the islands on the International Rugby Board, and managed a combined West Indies team on a tour of Britain in 2000.
These days he restricts himself to organising the Carib Rugby Sevens, which drew entries from New Zealand, the USA, Canada, England, South America and islands throughout the Caribbean. The men’ s tournament was won by London side, Esher, who defeated North East Academy from New York 12-7 in a keenly contested final. The women’ s competition saw Aptoella Angles from Canada beat USA’ s Atlantis 19-0 to lift the trophy.
Although the pair have had long and successful careers in business and sport in the Caribbean, both have fond memories of their time at Pocklington and were keen to catch up on news of their contemporaries, and to send their regards to friends, and former teammates and schoolmasters.
Brian also took Tom and Phil and their partners on a VIP tour of Trinidad, which included calling to see Donald and his boatyard; and dropping in at the Port of Spain Oval, the mecca of West Indies’ cricket, where one of the main stands is named after Jeffrey Stollmeyer, the brothers’ late father and former West Indies’ cricket captain.
Phil commented:“ Brian was a brilliant host, and we shared so many memories with him and Donald about Pocklington all those years ago; they would be delighted for any contemporary OPs to get in touch, or even better give them a visit. Brian also issues an open invitation for anyone to go to this year’ s sevens in December, when he is moving the venue from Tobago to Barbados.”
This year the Sevens Tournament will be held on 10-11 December at St Lawrence Gap, Barbados.
Article by Phil Gilbank( 67-74)
It was a rugby occasion with a difference, with a beach-side party, where all the teams sang carols and Christmas songs, opening the festivities. Next up was a specially arranged day’ s goat racing – racing goats, where a‘ jockey’ runs alongside the animal. This is the major sport in Tobago, and the event was held in the island’ s impressive goat racing stadium where the track is surrounded by spectator stands.
The rugby was also a bit different, as Britain’ s rugby players shivered and splashed on water-logged pitches, the two days of the Tobago Sevens were played out in near 90 degree sun and heat. The tournament ended with another day’ s beach‘ cool down’ with the opposing players swimming together in the sea and partying late into the evening.
Another highlight of the Tobago trip was a boat tour round the island on a catamaran built by elder brother Donald. While Brian went on from Pocklington to enjoy success with West Indies rugby, Donald owns a Trinidad boat yard and is the islands’ main man in yachting and power boat racing, holding the office of President of the Yacht Services Association of Trinidad & Tobago, in addition to his commercial boat building.
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