Central Otago champions Upper Clutha are daringly putting the White Horse Cup at stake against Maniototo at the Queenstown Events Centre tomorrow.
It is only the second time in the trophy’s 100-year history it has been defended away from the holders’ home ground.
The other time was in 2005 when Wakatipu defended it against Matakanui Combined at Omakau, a game the holders won 51-22.
The local paper wrote at the time that “Wakatipu must be congratulated for taking the prestigious trophy on tour and of all places to Omakau. To be successful one has to be confident and slightly arrogant and Wakatipu is all of that.”
If any team can afford to be confident and slightly arrogant in 2026, it is Upper Clutha, who have won 40 of their past 43 games, scooping the pool in 2025 when they won the club premiership against Wakatipu after earlier in the season wresting the White Horse Cup from them.
Given the expansion going on in Wanaka, rival clubs can anticipate Upper Clutha being a dominant force in Central Otago in the years ahead.
The cup is often referred to as the Ranfurly Shield of Central Otago rugby but there is one massive difference. Every time the Ranfurly Shield changes hands, and that happened five times in 2025, the holders’ name is inscribed on the trophy.
But to get your name on the White Horse Cup, you must be in possession of the trophy at season’s end. And there have been countless occasions over the past century when the trophy has found a new home through the holders losing their final game of the season.
Competition games were not played for three years during World War 2, meaning there are 97 names inscribed on the trophy.
Remarkably, 33 of those inscriptions belong to Matakanui (who have also operated as Matakanui Valley and, currently, Matakanui Combined).
The cup was donated in 1926 by White Horse Distillers Ltd through their Dunedin agent, R.Wilson. They presented the cup to the champion club of the time, Cromwell, who promptly lost it at their first defence to Alexandra. They in turn lost it to Matakanui, who thus became the first club to have their name inscribed on the trophy.
The Upper Clutha-Maniototo cup game starts at 12.45pm today, the local derby between Wakatipu and Arrowtown kicking off at noon. It is eight years since Arrowtown have beaten Wakatipu.
Cromwell take on Matakanui Combined at 12.45pm. Alexandra, who drew the bye, play an Invitation XV at 2.30pm.
Festivities continue after the final whistle with a White Horse Cup dinner at the Events Centre.
White Horse Cup
Through the years
Number of times inscribed on trophy: Matakanui (including Matakanui Valley and Matakanui Combined) 33, Wakatipu 11, Maniototo 10, Alexandra 9, Cromwell 6, Arrowtown 5, Upper Clutha 5.
Last time inscribed: Matakanui 1997, Alexandra 2008, Maniototo 2014, Arrowtown 2018, Cromwell 2021, Wakatipu 2024, Upper Clutha 2025.
- Bob Howitt
