International Round Tabler 12 of the year trophy
(The Viking Helmet)

At the Euro-meeting in Roskilde 1994, Round Table 12 Roskilde presented a new trophy. In the beginning we had no idea that this trophy was going to be such a big event as it has become.

In 1986 Round Table 12 Bryne, at Roskildes 55th anniversary presented Per Carstensen as Chairman, with a viking helmet. The helmet was then put away in the clubroom of RT 12 Denmark for some years, together with all the other gifts and souvenirs that had been collected over the years. When Roskilde had the honour of hosting the meeting in Roskilde in 1994 the idea was born to introduce a new trophy; The Eurotabler Of The Year award. RT 12 Roskilde wanted it to be something special, something that showed it came from Roskilde, the Viking town of Denmark and Scandinavia. Many things were discussed and finally RT 12 Roskilde decided on the Helmet. It was put on a big wooden block, so that it would look nice standing in your home or your office. It would look as something you could brag about.

The rules for this prestigious award are very simple:

The one who holds the trophy must pass it on to the next Eurotabler of the Year on the following European RT 12 meeting. To make the choice easy it was decided that the holder of the trophy had the supreme decision on who would get the trophy the following year. This also makes it difficult for anyone to interfere. The holder of the trophy is of course free to ask advice from the other holders of this prize, as indeed has been done in the past.

Usually the prize is given to tablers who have attended several Euromeetings of RT 12 and have participated in an active way.

When 5 tablers had received the Helmet, is was decided that a club of the holders would be formed. Richard Coleman, one of the winners, came up with the name “The Horny Boys Club”. Because the prizewinners really missed the Helmet after it was passed on, member Alain Zirn designed small helmets that the winners could keep.

In 2003 Per Carstensen designed a special pin for the members to be worn.

This group of tablers and former tablers decided at the Euromeeting in Galati Romania 2003 that there would be a “Horny Boys Meeting”. The first will be held in Holland in May 2004, hosted by Bart de Boer and Raymond Kolman. 

The holders of the trophy so far is :

1994     Bart de Boer - Zaanstreek, Netherlands ( bdb@euronet.nl  )

1995     Richard Coleman (Tricky Dicky) - Poole, England ( richard@richardcoleman.co.uk  )

1996     Per Carstensen - Roskilde, Denmark ( knasper@mail.tele.dk  )  (pc@bo-39.dk)

1997     Oddvar Braut - Bryne, Norway ( o.braut@online.no  ) (oddvar@tannlegene.com)

1998     Alain Zirn - Noyon, France ( azirn@wanadoo.fr  )

1999     Raymond Kolman - Zaanstreek, Netherlands ( kolman@wxs.nl  ) (kolman@planet.nl)

2000     Rudi Fruwirth - Leibnitz, Austria ( rudi.f@rt12.at  ) (rudi.fruwirth@aon.at)

2001     Kurt Engelen - Brussels, Belgium ( kurt.engelen@skynet.be  )

2002     Stephan Betschen - Luzern, Switzerland ( s.betschen@bluewin.ch)

2003     Staale Grude Haaland (the rugsakman) - Bryne, Norway ( staalegh@online.no ) 

2004    Dan Nicolau - Galati, Romanien   ( nicolaudn@yahoo.com)  (galati@ymaxgroup.ro) 

2005    Nick Latham - Poole, England     (nicklatham@dial.pipex.com) ( nick@modulift.co.uk ) 

2006    Tonnes Helge Kverneland - Bryne, Norway    (tokverne@online.no)

2007    Jussi Sävelä - Pori, Finland    ( jussi.savela@hammastohtorit.fi )

2008    Lourie Stokes - Pietermaritzburg, South Africa