How it started?

In Berlin 2005 every paddler was given an award for something that they were known for (a basic form of what we now know as the GB awards) and a paddler was awarded British Beef because of his two a day training sessions (Gym session before school then Dragon Boat Session after school) 5 days a week until the week before the championships. The year after with the birth of the GB awards set up by Jon Coventry, Matt Richardson and Mark Coventry British Beef was again awarded by Matt Richardson who then carried it on until now.

How British Beef has been earned:

• That person has pushed their body to the limit in training to be the best they can be

• They have sacrificed something for the team without thought of themselves

• They have been a great leader or support to the team without being responsible, asked to or recognised for it

These are just a few of the reasons why people have earned this title (and Polo Shirt) but none of these paddlers knew that they had been seen doing this and did not do it for the top but for the greatest goal of all which is to be the best that they can be and to help the squad around them to also be the best they can be. That is what British Beef stands for.

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British Beef is an achievement that a select few have ever gained over the past 15 years were only 24 people have earned this title out of 407 that have been selected for the GB under 18’s since 2005. This means that only 0.05% of people have earned this title which makes it an extremely rare and very special title to earn. Here below are those paddlers that were successful in gaining this:

2005, 06, 07 & 08 – Matthew Richardson, Mark Coventry, Adam Tyler, Ben Tyler, Ste Hennessey and Sam Richardson

2009 & 2010 – Nobody

2011 & 12 - Scott Menzies, Daniel Lauder, Ellen Palmer, James Williams and Gintaras Kaminskas

2013 - Nobody

2014 - Tom Millington, Alan Rooks, Will Rooks and Emily Piper

2015 - Nobody

2016 - Lochlan Haliday, Lee Curtis and Emily Piper*

2017 - Nathan Jones, Michael Dacombe 

2018 - 

2019 - Tom Evans, Lewis Newark, David Blackmore, Michael Dacombe*

*person to earn it twice 

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