“The Squadron’s Most Prestigious Trophy”

THE CACTUS STORY

Years ago, a story was told of a Donkey who lived in the desert. The standard of living was poor, and the main course on the menu when things were tough was cactus. The Donkey accepted the good with the bad, and in the bad seasons, it was always cactus. One day during his wanderings he came to a high fence. On the other side of the fence was lush grass and all sorts of vegetation and animals in prime condition. The Donkey said to a horse, “things look good in there, how does one get in”. The horse said, “go down to the end of this fence, and you will come to a gate, there will be someone at the gate, ask to get in”. The Donkey went to the end of the fence, found the gate and asked to get in. The horse at the gate said, “What do you want to come in for, all of us are geldings?”. The donkey said, “if that is the case it is back to the cactus for me”.

It was during the early stages of the great depression of 1929-1932 that this story was simulated to the conditions at the then Royal St. Kilda Yacht Club when during the yachting season there were very few trophies due to the lack of money. A lot of members were out of work, and each Monday many would front up for jobs that were offering or those who missed out when back to the dole or as many put it “Back to the Cactus”.

The “Cactus Cup” race, to be free of entrance fees, was an idea conceived by H.A. (Toby) Armstrong, soon to be backed by Bert Bryant, Ivor Bowles and Jim Thorpe. It was First contested March 25, 1922, when 9 yachts on sealed handicaps, raced over a 5-mile rectangular course for a small Trophy donated by Jim E. Thorpe and the winning crew of the yacht Helen, skippered by D. Dowse, entertained at a cafe after the race by the instigators of the race.

The next contest was April 12, 1930, for another small trophy also donated by Jim Thorpe, resulted in the crew of the winning yacht Petrel, skippered by Stan Gamble, later on having to arrange a mussel supper to the extent of the Trophy money at an informal musical evening held in the spar room. From then on races for the Cactus Cup became annual events.

In the time the format was changed to result in the crew of the first winning yacht having to collect mussels from the pier on the first Saturday of July, cook and prepare them for a no-charge informal supper and entertainment evening held in the spar room, towards which the CLub provided a keg f beer. Member Bob Ellis had a special song for the occasion, “Up at Tumba Bloody Rumba shooting Kanga Bloody Roos”.

Ian Thorpe then agreed to purchase a Perpetual Cup he named the Cactus Cup. As a guest of honour at the Cactus Supper Evening, May 1940, a dinner suit function in the Spar room, he presented the Cup, along with a replica to Barney Snider the winning skipper of Eun-Na-Mara. Soon entries became few, for reason nobody wanted to win because of the penalty of having to collect, cook and prepare the mussels. In the interest of the contest and its revival, it was decided that the crew of the last yacht to finish were to collect, cook and prepare the mussels.

Following the death of Jim E Thorpe in 1944, the trophy, along with its annual replicas were then provided for by Ivor Bowles until his death in 1970. In time for the reason of pollution, the collecting of mussels from the pier was discontinued, so Otto Meik, the new provider, decided that the format be changed and be replaced by supper on the day of the race, consisting of bottle mussels, beer and frankfurts. Following the death of Otto Meik in 1979, with no provider for the trophy or replicas, the Squadron in the early 80s broke tradition by introducing race entry fees. Season 1992-93, the date of the contest was moved forward to December rather than mid-January as in the past. In 2006, the Honorary Life member J.H. (Bert) Ferris donated his Friends of Royal Melbourne money to finally ensure the everlasting perpetuity of the Cup also that the event be reverted back as originally intended, without entry fees.

In 2019, the Cup was renamed the Bert Ferris Cactus Cup in honour of J.B. (Bert) Ferris.

The event is a Combined Division result in a Club race over a Squadron Course using Y.V. Handicapping System.