The Izard Cup was the first trophy competed for at the national tournament, but in 1924 this trophy was withdrawn and the K Cup became the championship trophy. Runners up in the tournament receive the Floyd Shield, which was first presented in 1913. In 1928 the Holden Cup was presented as a trophy for the winning team from among the runners-up in the section play. By 1948 the number of teams competing and the variation in the standard of hockey made it necessary to grade the tournament into major and minor sections. The Mills Cup, presented in 1908, is now the trophy for the winners in the minor section. In 1952 the Holden Cup was transferred to this section as the trophy for the runners-up.

During the tournament teams are selected from both sections for a North versus South Island match, which is played at the end of the tournament.

Women's hockey has been played in most parts of New Zealand since the beginning of the century. Nelson records matches played in 1897, but the date of the formation of the first club there is not known. By 1900 the game was gaining interest in Auckland and Dunedin, and when the New Zealand Women's Hockey Association was formed in 1908 it was a popular sport in several districts. In that year 10 associations, which are still in existence, affiliated with the newly formed national body. Today there are 32 affiliated associations with an adult membership of about 8,000 players; further, there are at least 5,000 secondary- and several hundred primary-school girl players. These figures indicate the growing popularity of the sport.

The organisation and control of women's hockey in any district is in the hands of the local association, but the national body is the controlling authority and court of appeal for any problems that may arise between associations. Also affiliated to the New Zealand association is a strong umpires' association, though most of the district associations also have their own umpires' association. The work of the main body has achieved a uniform and high standard of umpiring throughout the country, with a resulting benefit to the game.

Apart from the war years, national tournaments have been held since 1908 and, since 1955, several secondary-school girls' tournaments have also been held. Interprovincial games are played by neighbouring associations in various grades and seven-a-side tournaments for interclub teams are very popular in many centres.

The New Zealand Challenge Shield was presented by the New Zealand Hockey Association in 1907, and was awarded to Auckland for the best performances in Inter-Provincial Matches in that year. The following is a complete record of the matches played to date.

(Name set in capitals denotes holder of trophy at start of season or any change during the year.)

The visit of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force team to India after the Second World War was the first by a New Zealand side to any country other than Australia. After the Rome Olympics there was a brief tour of Pakistan, India, and Ceylon to gain further international experience as well as to repay visits to New Zealand. The first-class surfaces and the stiff competition allowed the New Zealand team to excel itself. New Zealand won three games, lost two, and drew two.

by Mervyn Rowland Good, Hon. Secretary, New Zealand Hockey Association, Christchurch.

New Zealand first entered a team in the Olympic Games in 1956 at Melbourne. It lost to Germany (4 to 5) and to Pakistan (1 to 5), but won against Belgium (3 to 0) and (3 to 2).

It came sixth in international grading and this ranking endorsed by the 1958 draw with Pakistan, contributed to a recognition of New Zealand's place in international competition and spurred it to greater preparation in the 1960 Olympics. Training schools were held during Easter vacation in each year and plans were prepared to allow for acclimatisation to the high temperatures of Rome. Two matches were played in Singapore on the way – Singapore (lost, 0 to 1), and Malaya (won, 3 to 2). Six practice matches were played in Rome against other Olympic teams. In the Olympic matches the team drew with Holland (1 all), then won on a replay (2 to 1), lost to India (0 to 3), and won from Denmark (4 to 1). In the semi-finals it held Spain until the eighteenth minute of extra time, when Spain scored the only goal of the match to win. After a series of grading matches New Zealand gained fifth placing after beating Germany 1 to 0, and Australia 1 to 0.

The following is the full record of official test matches in New Zealand against Asian teams:

• 1926 v. Indian Army at
  Christchurch, lost, 2 to 5
  Auckland, won, 4 to 3
  Auckland, drew, 1 all

• 1935 v. All India at
  Christchurch, lost, 2 to 4
  Wellington, lost, 2 to 3
  Auckland, lost, 1 to 7

• 1938 v. Prince of Manavadar's team at
  Christchurch, lost, 1 to 5
  Wellington, lost, 0 to 4
  Auckland, lost, 1 to 3

• 1955 v. Indian Wanderers at
  Wellington, lost, 2 to 3
  Auckland, won, 4 to 2
  Christchurch, lost, 0 to 2

• 1958 v. Pakistan at
  Christchurch, lost, 0 to 3
  Wellington, drew, 2 all
  Auckland, lost, 0 to 5

• 1961 v. Indian Wanderers at Auckland, lost, 0 to 2 (first test)

W. Havilah Down, for 35 years secretary-treasurer of the New Zealand Association, was an outstanding personality. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the game was a continuing insistence on the value of visits from the best overseas exponents of the game. He was personally responsible for the tour of this country by the Indian Army team of 1926, the first experience New Zealanders had of some of the world's top players.

New Zealand has sought a visit by an English team since 1908, but this has not yet eventuated. The first international series was played against Australia in 1922 when New Zealand won one game, drew one, and lost five. In 1925 New Zealand fared no better, but in 1934, 1948, 1952, and 1958 the results were overwhelmingly in New Zealand's favour. In 1952 New Zealand won 20 matches and drew two without losing a game. New Zealand teams in Australia in 1923, 1927, 1932, 1937, 1950, and 1954 won 93 games, drew 10 and lost only seven.

The regular exchange of visits with Australia undoubtedly did much to develop hockey in New Zealand, but there can be no doubt that meetings with Indian sides have been primarily responsible for the recent high standard of New Zealand teams. New Zealand's greater proficiency can be measured by the performance at Rome in 1960 when a single goal gave the New Zealand Olympic team victory over Australia and a placing of fifth in international competition. New Zealand was also sixth at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956. Honours were even in the 1926 Indian Army team series – one win, one loss, one draw, but the All-India team in 1935 scored 307 goals with only 21 goals against them in 28 games. All the tests were lost. Three years later the Prince of Manavadar's team won the three tests by the convincing margins of 5–1, 4–0, 3–1. In 1955, however, local hockey had learnt enough to secure a clear-cut win in the second test against Indian Wanderers by four goals to two.

The Royal Pakistan Air Force team briefly visited New Zealand in 1952, but it was not until 1958 that a fully representative team from Pakistan came to this country. This team, which later won the hockey gold medal at the Rome Olympics, was held to a draw (two all) in the second test at Wellington.

The “father” of the sport in New Zealand was the Rev. H. Mathias, who was one of the founders of a club at Kaiapoi in the late 1890s. Both Ashburton and Christchurch became interested at that time. By 1900 the sport was established throughout the country. It is now played during the winter by over 12,000 youths and men.

The first representative game was played in 1898 between Canterbury and Wellington and was won by the southerners by three goals to nil. Canterbury was the pioneer province in hockey, but after the turn of the century all the main provinces from Auckland to Invercargill were fielding representative sides. Indeed, by 1903 an inter-Island match was played at Lancaster Park, Christchurch. This resulted in a draw. By 1907 Auckland was the premier province, winning the New Zealand Challenge Shield with seven representative victories in seven weeks.

The New Zealand Hockey Association was formed in 1902 by the Canterbury association and it held its first annual meeting in Christchurch the following year with representatives from Canterbury, Wellington, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manawatu being present. Two months later Auckland, Wairarapa, and Thames joined up. In the same year the association was recognised by the Hockey Association of England, at that time the international controlling authority of the game. There are now 24 associations affiliated with the national body. The total number of players exceeds 12,300, with Auckland and Canterbury, the strongest provinces, having well over 2,000 players each. The Hockey Association has had only seven each.

The premier hockey trophy, the Challenge Shield, has since 1907 been won by Auckland, 21 times, Wellington, nine times, and Canterbury, eight times. Otago's name does not appear on the trophy, but Manawatu has won it four times.

Each year a national series is held for the Erewhon Cup. This zonal knockout competition is held in July, depending on the availability of suitable ice. At present only South Island clubs can participate but, with new indoor ice rinks at Wellington and Auckland, it is hoped that the competition will be extended.

The following teams have held the Erewhon Cup:

Ice hockey, a game invented by Canadians towards the close of the nineteenth century, was first played in New Zealand during the early 1930s. At first matches were played under the auspices of ice skating clubs but, as the sport became popular, several ice hockey clubs were formed. For some years these remained members of the New Zealand Ice Skating Association. In 1963, however, following discussions with the Australian Ice Hockey Federation, four ice hockey clubs broke away from the NZISA to form the New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. At the same time an application for affiliation was lodged with the International Ice Hockey Federation in London. If the application is approved, New Zealand teams will be able to participate in the World and Olympic championships. Affiliation will also facilitate negotiations for tours by overseas teams. In July 1963 the Australian Hakoah ice hockey team visited New Zealand and played several matches against local teams.