Vesta's Honours

Vesta has a proud history, and as you would expect from a Club founded in 1870, a large number of Honours it is proud to present to Members and Visitors alike.

These Honours come in many forms, some of which you would expect from a historic rowing Club:

  • Pictures of previous winning crews

  • Boards highlight previous Captains, Chairmen and Presidents

  • Plaques marking historic wins and races

  • Numerous trophies throughout the Clubhouse

  • Boards commemorating those Members that made the ultimate sacrifice in the two World Wars

  • Historic sets of oars from major rowing wins

  • And even a single scull, originally built in the boatsheds (when the Aylings Family built boats from here, many years ago.

Some Honours are rather different; specific and unique to the Club, most of these are represented by various coloured caps, all can be split into two categories; recognising either excellence in Rowing, or in Volunteering.

Vesta Red Cap - Excellence in Rowing

The Vesta Red Cap is awarded to those Members that achieve the highest of rowing accolades - winning an event at Henley Royal or Henley Women's Regattas. Other domestic and international events, deemed suitable by the Committee, may also be recognised in the same manner.

These caps are rightfully treasured, and can often be seen gracing the banks at Henley Royal and the bar at the Remenham Club.

Previous winners include:

  • Dan Baillache
    Oli Quitmann
    Adrian Turner
    Tom Smith
    James Colley
    Lydia Cronin
    Rebecca Kelly
    Helen Gun
    Fran Lidlow
    Felicity Carroll
    Celine Vine
    Alice Sephton
    Hetty Palmer
    Charlotte Orrell
    Hannah Turner
    Joey Innes-Hopkins
    Sarah Campbell
    Caitlin Kickham

  • Robyn McGregor-Richie
    Ruth McKellar
    Loise Emkes
    Jamie-Rose Larkin
    Harry Bond
    Simon Woodfine
    Richard Lear
    Mark Roberts
    Adele Hing

  • Harry Bond
    Simon Woodfine

  • Harry Bond

The Vesta First Eight Blazer

These Blazers are owned by the Club and awarded to the First Eights that represent the Club at the Head of the River and Women's Head. These 18 people act as stewards of the Blazers until the next year.

Marked out as different to the usual Club Blazer by a red crest and Roman Numeral (to mark the seat number) over the breast pocket. These Blazers represent the Club's pride in those Members that represent us at the biggest Head Races of the season.

In many ways they can be considered the Vesta 'Blue' - and are received with pride. Each person awarded a Blazer is charged to improve the standing of the Blazer - ensuring a continual drive for excellence permeates everything the Club does.

Some Blazers have had the initials and the associated year the specific steward was awarded it - marks that highlight in a very visceral way, the history, success and honour associated with being awarded one of these rare garments.

  • +: Tally Jones
    VIII: James King
    VII: Tom Smith
    VI: Jack Cox
    V: Alex Duncomb
    IV: Chris Hall
    III: Callum Fletcher
    II: Alex Nash
    I: Fergus Mitchell-Dwelly

  • +: Dan Baillache
    VIII: James King
    VII: Tom Smith
    VI: Oli Quitmann
    V: Alex Duncomb
    IV: Tom Thorpe
    III: Fergus Mitchell-Dwelly
    II: Alex Nash
    I: Callum Fletcher

  • + Emily Jardine
    VIII: James King
    VII: Tom Smith
    VI: Oli Quitmann
    V: Adam Tucker
    IV: Alex Nash
    III: James Colley
    II: Adrian Turner
    I: Callum Fletcher

  • +
    VIII:
    VII:
    VI:
    V:
    IV:
    III:
    II:
    I:

  • +
    VIII:
    VII:
    VI:
    V:
    IV:
    III:
    II:
    I:

  • + Rob Hamilton
    VIII: Matt Webb
    VII: Jason Bowyer
    VI: Adrian Turner
    V: Harris Asher
    IV: Ross Langtree
    III: Paul Corby
    II: James King
    I: Graham Hunter

  • + Julia Frankh
    VIII: Matt Webb
    VII: James Yates
    VI: James King
    V: Chris Clements
    IV: Adrian Turner
    III: Rob Donald
    II: Oliver Lumley
    I: Ed Roe

  • + Nicoli Saini
    VIII: Will Pearson
    VII: Chris Clements
    VI: Gianni Galavotti
    V: Rob Donald
    IV: Alan Hunton
    III: Luca Turner
    II: Oliver Chapman
    I: Sven Radke

Senior Men’s First Eight

Senior Women’s First Eight

  • +: Jayna Patel
    VIII: Fenella Boulter
    VII: Victoria Lacey
    VI: Elizabeth Barnett
    V: Mikaela Blowing
    IV: Jennifer Goff
    III: Natasha Johnson
    II: Eliza Argyropoulos
    I: Laura Haden-Smith

  • +: Felicity Carroll
    VIII: Rebecca Kelly
    VII: Alice Sephton
    VI: Lydia Cronin
    V: Charlotte Orrell
    IV: Hetty Palmer
    III: Caitlin Kickham
    II: Celine Vine
    I: Francesca Lidlow

  • +: Felicity Carroll
    VIII: Rebecca Kelly
    VII: Caitlin Kickham
    VI: Lydia Cronin
    V: Helen Gunn
    IV: Hetty Palmer
    III: Francesca Lidlow
    II: Sarah Campbell
    I: Charlotte Orrell

  • +
    VIII:
    VII:
    VI:
    V:
    IV:
    III:
    II:
    I:

  • + Cathrine Wilson
    VIII: Amber Mayall
    VII: Charlotte Orrell
    VI: Helen Gunn
    V: Rebecca Kelly
    IV: Sarah Campbell
    III: Sarah Thompson
    II: Clare Wood
    I: Francesca Lidlow

  • + Rob Fellows
    VIII: Robyn McGregor-Richie
    VII: Charlotte Orrell
    VI: Amber Mayall
    V: Francesca Lidlow
    IV: Louisa Emkes
    III: Rebecca Kelly
    II: Ruth McKellar
    I: Kirsty McGregor-Richie

  • + Lauren Owens
    VIII: Robyn McGregor-Richie
    VII: Chloe Symmonds
    VI: Louisa Emkes
    V: Jamie-Rose Larkin
    IV: Catherine Long
    III: Sarah Thompson
    II: Ruth McKellar
    I: Kirsty McGregor-Richie

  • + Lauren Hardcastle
    VIII: Robyn McGregor-Richie
    VII: Jamie-Rose Larkin
    VI: Ruth McKellar
    V: Victoria Carroll
    IV: Louisa Emkes
    III: Cherry Femor
    II: Catherine Long
    I: Kirsty McGregor-Richie

White Caps

Awarded as a sign of respect to the very best of those the Club relies on to selflessly give up their time to ensure that others within the Club can learn, grow and succeed. 

These Caps are to volunteering what our Red Caps are to rowing. Each cap, infrequently awarded, is a badge of Honour that the Club bestows to those heroes whose efforts would otherwise go unnoticed - efforts that can too easily be taken for granted.


Previous winners have ranged from Coaches to the volunteers behind our Bar. Whether years have been spent braving the elements through the winter months, or in preparing bacon butties for others, Vesta Rowing Club is justifiably proud to of its many volunteers, no more so than those few that go on to be awarded a White Cap.

  • Jack Elkington
    Mikaela Blowing

  • James King

  • Adam Laird

  • Rob Fellowes

  • Joseph Casey
    Isabelle Laliberte

  • Leigh Curtis-Green
    Kirsten Adams
    Oliver Chapman
    Andrew Carson
    Lauren Hardcastle
    Charlotte Lennox

  • Helen Grey
    Judith Howell
    Paul Lorenzato

Previous winners include:

Derek Dunkley Award

For those people awarded a White Cap, one will often rise above the rest. This person will have been one of the bedrocks of the Club, someone without whom the Club would not have achieved the success it has. Previous winners have often been involved in numerous areas simultaneously. From volunteering time behind our Bar, to Coaching, organising events to pushing the Club to expand its horizons, their workload has often shocked with both its scope and depth. The award recognises and celebrates their efforts in the Club and the debt that the Members owe these.

  • Mikaela Blowing

  • Rob Fellows

  • Sarah Campbell

  • Christopher Ruddick

  • Vincent McGovern

  • Wendy Armstrong

The Captain’s Cap

Passed on from Captain to Captain, in a similar manner to the Vesta First Eight Blazers, this Cap is awarded to each new Captain from the preceding one. Each Captain acts as a steward of the Cap until their time on the Committee is done.

Each Captain also initials their name and the years they acted as Captain on the Cap. This again acts as a visceral reminder of the History of the Club and the sense of Legacy that the role requires.

  • 2024 Dan Baillache

    2023 Niale Cleobury

    2020 - 2022 Chris Clements

    2017 - 2020 Harry Bond

    2015 - 2016 James Hawkins

    2014 Aga Siemiginowska

    2012 - 2013 Alex Brown

    2010 - 2011 Andrew McMillan