IT'S a competition that is steeped in history so it's understandable that Samantha Brown has described the Astley Cup as her 'favourite time of year'.
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The Astley Cup got underway on Thursday, June 16, with the opening day of play between Bathurst High Campus and Orange High School.
Brown, who's a part of Bathurst High's hockey team, said the Astley Cup brings an awesome vibe to her school.
"It's probably the biggest thing of the year and we all get around it," she said.
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"I think it would mean a lot for Bathurst High if we could bring back the win."
Being in her final year of schooling, Brown wants to make sure she and a number of her classmates graduate with an Astley Cup winner's medal around their neck.
Unfortunately for her and her classmates, she missed out on the opportunity, after Orange High School secured the title last year.
"It would mean a lot to me. Astley Cup is my favourite time of year, so it would be the best," she said.
Brown said it's important for her team to perform well, especially in front of the year seven students, who may be unfamiliar with the Astley Cup and its strong traditions.
"It means a lot because if they see how good it is and how fun it is, they'll want to come into our team," she said.
"I think it's really important to show the younger kids how good it is to show this big tradition going on."
When asked which school she loves to beat the most, Brown was quick to answer 'Orange'.
"Orange, 100 per cent. It's always between us and Orange, so I reckon we can get the win over them," she said.
"I know some of the girls from Orange, so I know it's going to be head-to-head the whole game."
Brown is no stranger to playing top-level hockey, currently playing for Bathurst club Souths in the Central West Premier League Hockey.
There's plenty of talent with the Bathurst High hockey team, with Brown's Premier League Hockey rival Ellie Bestwick, who plays for Bathurst City, another formidable weapon the school boasts.
"Orange has a really strong team but so do we and Dubbo as well. We'll have some pretty even games, but hopefully we can come away with the wins," she said.
"Ellie Bestwick plays up front and she's a weapon. She plays really well.
"We have a really strong defence and we have a really good young goal keeper Georgia Baillie."
Unfortunately for Brown and her teammates, they suffered a 6-3 loss to Orange in the hockey on Friday.
Dubbo College were the reigning Astley Cup champion, having been handed last year's title, even though Bathurst and Orange were unable to complete a day of sports due to adverse weather.
The Astley Cup was first held in 1923, with Bathurst having 27 titles, Dubbo winning 23 and Orange ahead in front with 42.
Bathurst's most successful runs was the time it won two three-peats, in 2017-2019 and 1962-1964.
Orange has enjoyed the most dominant run of titles, an incredible 12 in a row from 1990-2001.
- BATHURST (27 titles): 1926, 1927, 1929, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1989, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
- DUBBO (23 titles): 1923, 1925, 1928, 1936, 1941, 1946, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1984, 1986, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2021
- ORANGE (42 titles): 1930, 1932, 1933, 1938, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1955, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2014, 2016
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