All you might ever want to know about it.
Officially the trophy is known as the "Caesar Creek Soaring Club Cross Country Challenge" and has been in existence since the first flight which was made by Larry Kirkbride on the 7th of July 1984.
This record is an analysis of the first 20 years of this challenge which has in the mind of the writer done a great deal to stimulate cross country soaring as well as to boost club morale within the competing clubs over those years. Especially during the years when a new group of pilots took up the challenge and actively sought out each possible weekend day good enough to make an attempt to retrieve "the trophy". The 20th year is in fact proof if you need it that the concept is alive and well as no less than nine retrieves have been made.
For the full article, see the first comment.
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The earliest retrieve in a season was surprisingly as late as June 8th in 1991 and the pilot was Dennis Grogan in a Schweizer 1 - 26 . Surely in future years more pilots will attempt retrieves in the early months of the spring and summer as soaring conditions can be quite good in May and even in April on occasions. The trophy has changed hands in six different months and the latest exchange date was a flight under heavy overcast conditions on November the 11th in 2001 when Greg Crook and Jim Micelli of Caesar Creek flew an ASH 25 into Terry airfield to the complete astonishment of the locals who would never have guessed such a cross country flight was possible on that day.
The number of successful retrieves per month over the years took place as follows :
June - 8
July - 9
August - 6
September - 18
October - 3
November - 1
In total 25 pilots from the 3 clubs have made 45 flights between the clubs over the years and a total of around 5125 miles have been flown to retrieve the trophy . On about one third of the flights a return flight has been made, but no absolute confirmation of each of these returning to the home field is known. On a number of occasions the designated retrieve pilot has been accompanied by a colleague who did not land at the destination , but "hung around" to await the re-launch of the retriever and then flew back with them .
I myself together with Don Taylor flew almost to Caesar Creek from Terry a number of years ago only to hear a Marion Club pilot call in announcing his intent to pick up the trophy ahead of us. We therefore had to abort the attempt and return home without the goods that day. Don definitely earned an "honorable mention" for his 200 mile effort that day. It's safe to say that more than 7000 miles have been flown on these missions of honor and every mile has added cross country skills to the experience base of the participants.
The original challenge was between the Caesar Creek Club and the Central Ohio Soaring Association at Marion, Ohio and in fact the first 10 exchanges took place between those two clubs over the first eight years of the challenge.
During the following twelve years the contest intensified and 35 exchanges took place between Caesar Creek and the Central Indiana Soaring Society, initially located at Terry airfield, Indiana about 121 miles away. As from January 2004 the Indiana club moved closer to Caesar Creek (Alexandria, IN) which perhaps explains the intense activity in 2004 when the trophy exchanged hands no less than 9 times. The air distance between the clubs is now only 97 miles, a very doable distance in any fiberglass glider on a good soaring day.
The exact record of flights between the different clubs is as follows:
Caesar Creek / Marion 10 flights
Caesar Creek / Terry 26 flights
Caesar Creek / Alexandria 9 flights
On a number of occasions two-seater sailplanes have been used to make the retrieve so in fact more than 45 pilots have been in the cockpit on active retrieves - 51 seats were filled on retrieves overall. Not to confuse matters, but as a number of pilots have made multiple retrieves only 25 different pilots have carried the trophy between clubs.
Only one flight so far has been made by a woman pilot. Gloria Dalton who flew together with Mike Pfleger in a Schweizer 2-22 made the retrieve on June 18, 1988.
Gliders with very different performance ratings have been used and those who flew the old Schweizers (1-26 and 2-22) deserve special praise. At the other end of the spectrum have been the ASH - 25 and a Ventus 2C which cover the distance with considerably less soaring skills required!
In all 16 different sailplanes have been used. Two were two-seaters (SGS 2-22, SH25), two were motor gliders (DG 400, ASH 25) and all the rest were single seater fiberglass ships (except the SGS 1-26).
Of interest also is the fact that the arrival of a pilot from one club will frequently precipitate another retrieve, back in the other direction of course, usually the very next day. The trophy has in fact exchanged hands twice or more on the same day on 4 occasions. In 2004 it was claimed by no less than 3 pilots on the same day 9/12/04 (2 from CISS and 1 from CCSC).
So what have we learned about this trophy? Undoubtedly many pilots and club members have derived a great deal of fun from the challenge of planning and making the flight between clubs.
There were of course many memorable occasions. Anyone remember the time when the Caesar Creek pilots arrived in the ASH 25 at a deserted Terry airfield to make the retrieve when the club was at an "away " weekend - no towplane, no wing runners, no key to the club hangar to get the trophy!
Or the Terry pilot who having arrived at "The Creek" could absolutely not find
where to land. Finally taking pity on him CCSC sent up a towplane to circle with landing lights on to help him locate the field.
And what about the future?
Firstly the trophy base will need to be re-engineered as there is not much space left for more than another 4 or 5 name plates!
The challenges ahead go to more women pilots to join in and to any pilots who would like to be the first to make a retrieve in the months of May or even in April.
And what if :
A pilot from a club further East than Caesar Creek (say in Pennsylvania)
would spirit it away - would the CISS types be able to fly that far to get it
back, or what if:
A pilot at a club in Illinois, having learned of it's presence at CISS, flies in to take it home to Illinois . Would the CCSC types be able to buck the westerlies and retrieve it from a club west of Indiana, or would that mean CISS would have to make a retrieve in the interests of CCSC!
I don't really know who to give the major credit to for this great idea, but am very sure that if stimulating CROSS COUNTRY flying was the intent, then the idea was well thought out and has provided 20 years of FUN for many pilots in three Mid-Western clubs. To say nothing of the improved club spirit and camaraderie that has resulted .
Many thanks to the Caesar Creek Club and the members who came up with the idea.
Here's to success in the next 20 years of the CAESAR CREEK CROSS COUNTRY CHALLENGE.
Ron Clarke (ZA)
Indianapolis, Dec, 2004.
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