Worthington Trophy

The Worthington Trophy is a Canadian military award. It was awarded annually to the best reserve armoured unit in the Canadian Land Forces. It is named after Major-General F. F. Worthington, known as Fighting Frank – "The Father of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps".[1]

Of its origins, Sean Maloney stated:

Another mechanism created to generate closer contact between the regular regiments and the Militia was the Worthington Trophy recce competition. Militia regiments from across the country participated by sending a troop. The winning regiment of the competition then sent that troop to train with a regular regiment's recce squadron. This allowed Militia regiments to gain some expertise with Lynx vehicles and their armament. In later years, the Worthington Trophy winners completed their training on Lynx and were then flown to West Germany to augment 4 CMBG's recce squadron during FALLEX.[2]

The competition and award was not given out on a regular annual basis, and there have been some gaps in the timeline, especially recently. After a long gap, the Royal Canadian Armour Corps School reintroduced the competition (now called the Worthington Challenge) in 2012 and it is now for regular force units.[3] Although the origin for this event was a tank gunnery concentration, the scope was widened to include the 25mm platform and allow non-armoured units to participate. The concentration was broken into two categories: Leopard 1 C2 (105mm) and LAV III (25mm). The original trophy design, being a large silver Centurion tank has been replaced with a likeness of a Leopard 1.[4]

The 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) have won the trophy 8 times, the most of any Canadian Armoured Regiment.[5]

Tank units from the US Army have participated, specifically in 2001 and 2014.[6]

2014

The Royal Canadian Armour Corps School (RCACS) successfully concluded its 3rd annual Exercise Worthington Challenge in Gagetown, N.B. in October 2014.[7]

The US Army 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, sent two M1A2 crews and two M2A3 crews in 2014.[8]

2015

Ex Worthington 15 was held at CFB Gagetown in September.

The competitors were:

- Infantry School
- The Royal Canadian Armour Corps School
- 4 Engineer Support Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
- 1er and 2e Bataillons, Royal 22e Régiment
- 1st and 2nd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
- Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
- 12e Régiment blindé du Canada
- Royal Canadian Dragoons
- 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (United States)
- 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (United States)

"A tough Danish team, fresh off a strong showing at this year's Nordic Challenge competed directly while other nations such as Brazil, Portugal and Chile observed the event."[9]

"The 3rd Canadian Division team consisted of two Leopard 2 tank crews and two Coyote reconnaissance vehicle crews from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), a Light Armour Vehicle (LAV) 3 crew from 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and two LUVW reconnaissance crews from the Saskatchewan Dragoons ... the tank team from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) took the first place trophy for the 120 mm gunnery category, and the LAV 3 crew from the 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry took second place trophy for the 25 mm gunnery category."[9]

2016

Ex Worthington 16 was held at CFB Gagetown in September 23 to 30.[10]

"The exercise will test a number of skills including direct-fire gunnery, tactical driving, and teamwork tests in challenging settings using the Leopard 2 main battle tank, Light Armoured Vehicle III and 6, and the Coyote Armoured Vehicle. Competing nations include: Chile, Denmark, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. Observing nations will be: Australia, Poland, and the United Kingdom."[10] Canada was represented by C Sqn of The Royal Canadian Dragoons.[11]

Top Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled (LUVW) Fire Team:
Winner: 4 Div (combined crews of soldiers from the 1st Hussars, Windsor Regiment, and Ontario Regiment) with a total percentage score of 62.47%
2nd place: 2 Div - score of 58.97%
3rd place: 5 Div/CADTC (Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre) - score of 55.76%

Top 25mm Crew:
Winner: 4 Div Crew 2 - score of 67.27%
2nd place: New Zealand Crew 1 - score of 61.88%
3rd place: 2 Div Crew 2 - score of 60.86%

Top 120mm Fire Team:
Winner: Jutland Dragoon Regiment, Royal Danish Army - score of 66.93%
2nd place: 4 Div - score of 57.50%
3rd place: United States Army: Charlie Company, 1-252nd Armor Regiment, 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina Army National Guard - score of 56.34%

Worthington Challenge Cup (Top Canadian Div Team):
Winner: 4 Div (Royal Canadian Dragoons, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, 1st Hussars, Windsor Regiment, Ontario Regiment, and Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles) - score of 59.04%
2nd Place: 2 Div - score of 56.78%
3rd place: 3 Div - score of 46.80%
4th place = 5 Div/CADTC (Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre) - score of 43.17%

Winners
Year Winner Ref
1954 19th Alberta Dragoons [12]
1956 19th Alberta Dragoons
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)		 [12]
1960 19th Alberta Dragoons
The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)		 [12]
1962 South Alberta Light Horse [13]
1963 The Elgin Regiment [14]
1967 1st Hussars
12e Régiment blindé du Canada Milice		 [15][14]
1970 The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) [16]
1971 The Elgin Regiment [14]
1977 The British Columbia Dragoons [17]
1979 Le Régiment de Hull (RCAC) [18]
1981 12e Régiment blindé du Canada Milice [14]
1983 The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) [14]
1984 The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)		 [16]
1985 The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) [16]
1986 The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) [19]
1987 The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) [19]
1988 The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) [14]
1989 The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) [19]
1990 The Windsor Regiment (RCAC) [20]
1991 1st Hussars [15]
1992 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) [5]
1993 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) [5]
1994 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) [5]
1995 The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) [21]
1996 The Elgin Regiment [22]
2012 The Royal Canadian Armour Corps School [3]
2013 C Squadron, The Royal Canadian Dragoons [23]
2014 12e Régiment blindé du Canada
teamed with Royal 22nd Regiment		 [7]
2015 3rd Canadian Division [24]
2016 4th Canadian Division [25]
2017 2nd Canadian Division

References
  1. Fighting Frank – "The Father of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps" by Bruce Forsyth, Canadian Military History Online Resource
  2. Maloney, Sean Chapter 18: The Cold War (III), 1971-1989.
  3. La Tourelle - Turret (T), Édition Annuelle, 2012-13
  4. ‘Blackhawks’ participated in 2014 Worthington Cup Challenge, 2nd Lt. Brian Baier, 3/1 Cav., 3rd ABCT Public Affairs UPAR
  5. Regiment: History of the Hussars
  6. ‘Blackhawks’ participated in 2014 Worthington Cup Challenge, The Frontline, October 23, 2014 11:06 a.m.
  7. Canadian Army exercise involving armoured fighting vehicles and tanks now finished, David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 2014
  8. Canadian Exercise Worthington Challenge: Opportunities in Theater-Security Cooperation
  9. Worthington Cup 2015 by Lieutenant TJ Casey
  10. Armoured vehicles and crews put to the test during Exercise Worthington Challenge
  11. Worthington Challenge 2016 (C SQN) by Corporal Mike Crook
  12. The 19th Alberta Dragoons: Introduction
  13. Salute to the South Alberta Light Horse (RCAC), Medicine Hat News, Friday, November 30, 1962
  14. Fifty Years of Armour - Cinquante Ans de Blinde, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, Le Corps Blinde Roval Canadien, 1940 - 1990
  15. A Short History About the 1st Hussars
  16. The Dukes: Post War Era – The Cold War and Peacetime Soldiering
  17. (Item 23) In the 1970s the BCDs sent two formed troops to Germany. In 1978 the second troop's deployment, its commander, Lt. Bruce MacLean, was killed in an accident. He was the first fatality since Brig. H. Angle had died in the Kashmir. In honour of Lt. MacLean, there is a trophy awarded annually for the best junior officer in the unit. In 1977, the Regiment won the coveted Worthington Trophy for the unit that attained the highest overall standard in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. A national competition, it is presented in honour of MGen. F. F. Worthington, who was the first commander of the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicles Training Centre and the "Father" of the Corps.
  18. Trophies
  19. Recent History
  20. The Windsor Regiment (RCAC)
  21. Local regiment wins top honours, The Whitby Free Press, October 11, 1995
  22. International Conference on Employer Support for Reservists, Proceedings Travaux, May 30 to June 3, 2005, P. 30
  23. Worthington Cup Competition
  24. Worthington Cup 2015
  25. Winning Team Photos - Ex WC 16
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