The Per Ardua Award is the most prestigious and important award of the
Association. It is presented each year to the member making the most
outstanding flight(s) and/or other noteworthy contribution toward the promotion
of the 1-26 and the 1-26 Association. Provision is made for awards to Senior
members and to Junior (under 21 years of age) members. The Executive Board
selects the persons to be so recognized.
These awards were initiated in 1965 and presented to William B. Cleary of
Oklahoma City and Jeffrey Yund, Jr., of Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Bill was the
first pilot to achieve all three of his Diamonds in a 1-26. Jeff Yund gained
recognition by qualifying for his Diamond Altitude leg and breaking the
Colorado Junior State Altitude Record with a 29,100-foot flight at Black
Forest. At the time of his flight, in 1965, Jeff was only 14 years of age.
This award was established in 1970, by donations in memory of long-time
Association member H. Marshall Claybourn. It is a large sterling silver tray
which is awarded to the Association pilot who makes the longest straight line
1-26 flight during a calendar year.
Capt. Eugene W. LeMire was an enthusiastic 1-26 pilot whose widow established
the LeMire Memorial Challenge Trophy in his honor for the most notable flight
of the year in Florida. The 1-26 Association awarded this beautiful traveling
trophy to the pilot who made the most notable 1-26 flight in, or from, Florida
during the preceding calendar year.
1975
Harry V. Senn
258.2 mile straight line flight
1976
Frank E. Conner
247 mile Diamond Goal flight
1978
Harry V. Senn
283.5 mile straight line flight
1983
Allen H. Douglas, Jr.
203 mile straight line flight
1985
Harry V. Senn
128.5 mile out and return flight
1-26 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 1-26 Championships is an annual event which the Association uses as a focal
point for all activities of the Association. The Annual Meeting of the
Association is scheduled to coincide with the Championships so that every
member may have an opportunity to participate. Because of the fact that the
Championships are such a centering point for the Association, the contest site
atmosphere is a unique mixture of serious competition, socializing, and
Association business. Among the competitors are exceptionally skilled pilots,
dedicated promoters of the 1-26 Association, and reasonably inexperienced
contest pilots. The Championships are organized to recognize this mixture of
pilots and to insure that a true Champion is declared without compromises to
safety or to the reputation of the Association. Any pilot who is qualified per
the rules of the Championships is welcome and can expect to be treated to an
experience commensurate with his abilities and goals within the sport of
soaring.
A portion of the object of the Association as declared in the bylaws reads, "to
establish standards for competition in the 1-26." The Association accomplishes
this objective through a set of rules which are reviewed each year by the Rules
Committee. This set of rules governs the conduct of the 1-26 Championships and
serves as guidelines for regional and local competitions.
Persons interested in soaring competition should consider flying in the 1-26
Championships. The rules are designed to make the experience as rewarding for a
first timer as it is for a "World Class" pilot. Copies of the rules may be
obtained from any officer or from the Rules Committee.
Rules are also posted on the 1-26 Association's Web Site.
1-26 CHAMPIONS
WINNERS OF THE MARION CRUCE TROPHY
The Cruce Trophy is a large silver punch bowl (with tray and cups) which was
donated to the 1-26 Association in 1966 by Mr. and Mrs. Marion C. Cruce. This
perpetual trophy is awarded each year to the 1-26 Champion, the highest scoring
individual entry in the 1-26 Championships.
1-26 TEAM CHAMPIONS
WINNERS OF THE ESTRELLA TEAM TROPHY
Discontinued in 1992
This perpetual trophy was first awarded at the 1971, 1-26 Championships at
Estrella, Arizona. The Estrella Team Trophy was donated by Arizona Soaring,
Inc., to be awarded each year to the highest-scoring team in the 1-26
Championships.
Winning Team
Contest Site
1971
Walter Briggs & Lloyd Roberts
Estrella, Arizona
1972
(no contest)
Harris Hill, New York
1973
Dick Mockler & Marvin Willis
Black Forest, Colorado
1974
Dick Mockler & Marvin Willis
Pearblossom, California
1975
Bert Bahnson & Ted Bahnson
Caddo Mills, Texas
1976
(no contest)
Chester, South Carolina
1977
Mike Jensen & Nels Johnson
Black Forest, Colorado
1978
Marvin Willis & Tommy Thomason
Hobbs, New Mexico
1979
Jim Gallacher & Jess Green
El Mirage, California
1980
Jim Harkins & Wade Johnson
Ionia, Michigan
1981
Mark Conner & Frank Conner
Air Force Academy, Colorado
1982
Tom W. Holloran & Tom P. Holloran
Caesar Creek, Ohio
1983
Tom W. Holloran & Tom P. Holloran
Midlothian, Texas
1984
Joann & Charles Shaw
Hobbs, New Mexico
1985
E. O. Hamm & George Sedillo
Sparks, Nevada
1986
Don Wemple & Dan Ladd
Owl Canyon, Colorado
1987
Tom W. Holloran & Tom P. Holloran
Caesar Creek, Ohio
1988
Tom W. Holloran & Tom P. Holloran
Midlothian, Texas
1989
Bob Templin & Ken Kochanski
El Tiro, Arizona
1990
Charles W. & Joann B. Shaw
Odessa, Texas
1991
Caesar Creek, Ohio
1-26 TEAM CHAMPIONS WINNERS OF THE BOB MCNEILL MEMORIAL TROPHY
This perpetual trophy was first awarded at the 1992 1-26 Championships at Texas
Soaring Association, Midlothian, Texas. The Bob McNeill Memorial Trophy was
donated by Joan McNeill and family, to be awarded each year to the
highest-scoring team in the 1-26 Championships.
This perpetual trophy is a Michael Garman limited edition bronze, "The
Aviator," mounted on a walnut base with a plate suitable for inscribing the
name(s) of the annual winner(s). It was donated to the 1-26 Association in 1986
by Colonel and Mrs. Lewis Neyland in memory of their friend, David C. Johnson.
As much as Dave loved soaring, he even more enjoyed introducing others to the
sport and in his quiet way encouraging them to stretch their wings and achieve
new goals in the 1-26. Hence, the rules for this award are designed to
encourage contest experienced pilots to introduce less experienced pilots to
competition by flying with them as a team, as well as to encourage
"First-timers" to enter on their own.
This trophy is awarded annually to the pilot flying in the Championships for
the first time who flies at least 30% of the contest days and has the highest
average daily score of all eligible for this award. If the winner is a member
of a team, then the team as a whole is the winner and trophy shall be so
inscribed.
This trophy is a copper plated 1-26 complemented by a large and exquisite
turquoise nugget. The trophy was made possible through the combined efforts of
the Tucson Soaring Club, The Women Soaring Pilots Association and Paul and
Ginny Schweizer.
Virginia Schweizer has been an inspiration and leader by example to women
everywhere who have wanted to join the sport of soaring. This trophy honors her
for the great contributions she continues to make to open the doors to women so
they can fully participate in soaring at every level of achievement. This
trophy is awarded to the feminine pilot who achieves the highest average daily
score in the 1-26 Championships. The winner must fly at least 30 per cent of
the total contest days.
James C. Elms has been a strong supporter of the 1-26 Association for many
years. He is interested in assuring the influx of younger members into the
Association. He believes that through these young men and women the 1-26
Association will grow and prosper. A trophy was presented each year from 1977
to 1989 to a person under 30 years of age (21 years prior to 1987) who competed
in the 1-26 Championships.
1977
Scott Imlay
1978
Scott Imlay
1979
Scott Imlay
1980
Dave Mockler
1981
Dave Mockler
1982
Manfred Maurer
1983
Paul Sommerfeld
1984
Paul Sommerfeld
1987
Tom Hankinson
1988
David Mockler
1989
Tom Hankinson
JOHN P. GREENE MEMORIAL TROPHY
Jack Greene was an ardent 1-26er and a strong supporter of the 1-26
Association. His many contributions over the years to both the 1-26 Association
and to soaring in general will be remembered with the presentation of this
trophy, replacing the Jimmy Elms Trophy for the pilot under 30 years of age
placing the highest in the 1-26 Championships.
This competitive award is "Presented annually to that venerable old flyer
having successfully passed his 60th year on this earth, who achieves the
highest finishing position in the 1-26 Championships from among that select and
ancient group reverently referred to as "THE OLD GOATS."
This competitive award is "Presented annually to that extremely venerable old
flyer having successfully passed his 70th year on this earth, who achieves the
highest finishing position in the 1-26 Championships from among that select and
ancient group reverently referred to as "THE OLD TOADS."
This trophy, designed by Bob Casamajor and donated to the 1-26 Association by
Dudley Mattson, is awarded to the pilot achieving the highest speed on a
declared speed task during the 1-26 Championships. The trophy is a polished,
mountain-shaped, walnut burl topped by a glass circle containing a beautiful,
sand-blasted, rendition of cumulus clouds and a speeding 1-26.Winners names
along with the year and the speed achieved in miles per hour are attached to
the trophy base.
This trophy was donated to the Association in 1966 by Mrs. Alan Hartley (now
Mrs. Charles Shaw). The trophy was a pair of wings mounted on a wood base, an
original Steuben Glass design by Lloyd Atkins and named "Alation." The original
wings were replaced, after being accidentally broken, with a pair of sterling
silver wings - symbolic of Soaring Flight. This perpetual trophy was awarded
annually to the pilot making the longest flight in the 1-26 Championships (1967
- 1990).
1967
Theodore Falk
1968
John Brittingham
1969
(no contest)
1970
A. C. Williams
1971
William B. Cleary
1972
(no contest)
1973
David C. Johnson
1974
Harry L. Baldwin, Jr.
1975
John R. Leupp
1976
(no contest)
1977
David C. Johnson
1978
Harry L. Baldwin, Jr.
1979
Frederic H. Schmid
1980
David Mockler
1981
Harry L. Baldwin, Jr.
1982
Ronald R. Schwartz
1983
David Mockler
1984
Harry L. Baldwin, Jr.
1985
Bob Gravance
1986
Harry V. Senn
1987
Jim O'Quinn
1988
David Mockler
1989
Larry Pardue
1990
Gary Evans
LEWIS J. NEYLAND AWARD
This award is in the form of a plaque, showing Lew’s 1-26D, #443, soaring over
Pikes Peak, and inscription detailing the award, the awardee, and 1-26
Association Logos. It is donated annually in recognition of their friend and
mentor, Colonel Lewis J. Neyland, by John and Luan Walker.
Lew Neyland is a retired Air Force pilot with over 8,000 hours in the air in
over 80 different aircraft, many of which are sailplanes. He is a CFIG and tow
pilot for High Flights Soaring Club. Lew fell in love with soaring and the 1-26
over 20 years ago and has attained numerous records and all but Diamond
Distance in #443. In addition, he has spent thousands of hours training pilots
in both flying and in the art and science of soaring.
Lew’s competitive nature and desire to take on new challenges led him to fly
1-26s - at the time, the world’s only “one-design” sailplane - and join the
1-26 Association. Over the years, he has vigorously supported the Association,
becoming President for three years (1987 - 1989), being the official Recruiter,
and encouraging other pilots to join and support 1-26s. He was directly
responsible for an increase in Association membership from little over 100
members to more than 500. He has continually encouraged and helped 1-26ers
achieve badge legs, badges, and records.
This Award will be presented to the 1-26 Association member who, in the
previous calendar year, achieved the most badge legs and/or records in a 1-26.
In the event of ties, the winner will be determined by John & Luan based on the
difficulty of achievement.
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