A promotional film produced by Turners Film Productions for Vaux and Associated Breweries Limited looking back on a year of sporting success across Scotland and Northern England sponsored by Vaux. The film is introduced by the Chairman of the company, Mr Douglas Nicholson. The film includes footage of horse racing at Ayr and Redcar; road running in Stockton on Tees with Terry Cooke as the winner; point-to-point hound racing in Cumbria; swimming, rowing and canoeing on the River Wear; roller...

A promotional film produced by Turners Film Productions for Vaux and Associated Breweries Limited looking back on a year of sporting success across Scotland and Northern England sponsored by Vaux. The film is introduced by the Chairman of the company, Mr Douglas Nicholson. The film includes footage of horse racing at Ayr and Redcar; road running in Stockton on Tees with Terry Cooke as the winner; point-to-point hound racing in Cumbria; swimming, rowing and canoeing on the River Wear; roller hockey and figure skating in Middlesbrough; an international homing pigeon race from Nantes in France to Scotland and the North of England; cycling in the County Durham moors; Vaux School of Sport coaching in tennis, badminton, cricket, and hockey; and horseracing, show jumping, 10 pin bowling, as well as orienteering. The film opens in an engraved Vaux Gold Tankard. The film cuts to a silhouette of the tankard inside which a montage of sporting events. Title: Vaux Encourage All Sport Title: Vaux Sporting Events of 1965 Credit: Filmed by Turners Film productions, Newcastle upon Tyne Credit: Production Brian Nicol A.R.P.S. Bryan Copplestone A.I.I.P. Peter Brown, Michael Harvey Credit: Commentary Peter Dimmock Title: Produced for Vaux and Associated Breweries Ltd Sunderland The film opens with an autumnal view of a country garden, and the director of Vaux Associated Breweries, Mr Nicholson, walking his dog. He addresses the camera directly to introduce the film, ‘bringing the best of sport to to the North’. The film cuts to a view of Princes Street in Edinburgh is followed by guests in large hall taking part in the 4th Usher-Vaux Sports Presentation Dinner. A speech is made from the top table, and Mr Nicholson presents the 1964 Usher-Vaux Sportswoman of the Year award to Scottish hockey international and Olympic long-jumper Alix Jamieson. The Sportsman of the year award is presented to Scottish Olympic swimmer Bobby McGregor. The film cuts to Ayr Racecourse on May 15th 1964 for the Usher-Vaux Brewery Gold Tankard race with a winning prize of £5048. Jockeys walk across a paddock where their horses are being exhibited to the public. A large crowd is gathered around the paddock. Close-up view of a scoreboard or betting odds display. Views of the jockeys and racecourses lining up for the start of the race. They set off, past an advertising hoarding, “USHER Vaux BEER FOR SPORT”. Various views of the race follow. A view follows of crowd members all looking through binoculars. The horses race past the “USHER Vaux BEER FOR SPORT” sign again. A general view shows the horses crossing the finish line, the winner Marsh King. The winning horse and rider, number 16, is led into a paddock or enclosure. A view shows the betting scoreboard again, before another horserace begins, the Scottish Champion Hunters Chase, a steeplechase of 21 fences over 3 miles and 3 furling.  Views follow of the race in action. A high-angle view shows the stand filled with spectators. The horses crossing the finishing line including winner Balkan Green(?). Again, the winning horse and rider, George Small aged 40 and in his first race as a jockey, are led into a paddock. The jockey takes his saddle off the horse. Douglas Nicholson presents Vaux Tankards to the owners of both winning horses; Mr W. Murton owner of Marsh King and Mr J Reid owner of Balkan Green. The film changes to May Day 1965 and the Fairfield pub at Stockton-on-Tees which is the start of the 20 mile Vaux Open Road Race. A group of about 30 runners are assembled for the race and views of the runners follow as they race along roads through an area of suburban housing, and are checked off by race officials as they pass. The runners pass into the administrative district of Stockton. Travelling shots from a car following one of the runners; Thompson from Gosforth Harriers. Close-up view of him, number 37, panting as he runs. Travelling shots show other runners, including Don King, number 29, who wears a blue Sunderland Harriers vest. The race finishes at Ashmore’s Recreation Club. Runners shake hands. A green double-decker corporation bus passes in the background. The winning runner, Terry Cooke, tends to his young daughter's grazed knee, dabbing it with a handkerchief. Out in the high Cumbrian hills, a large crowd is gathered around a Joe Shaw (of Carlisle) betting stand for a cross-country dog race. Close-up views of the bookies’ faces, as they tout their prices. Views follow of the hounds being ushered to the starting line of this 10 mile race. Some of the dogs are wearing coats. The dogs lined up for the start of the race, by the hundred, their owners holding them back by the shoulders. Suddenly they are all released, and race across the field, and leap over a wire fence. The dogs race uphill, leap fences, and cross bridges. At the end of the race the dogs approach the finish line. The dogs’ owners wave white towels furiously to attract their attention. The dogs feed greedily as soon as they arrive at the end of the race. A view shows the winning hound wearing a red rosette. On the banks of the River Wear at Durham, swimmers are preparing to take part in the Vaux Champion Long Distance Swim. A large banner along the river reads “VAUX ENCOURAGE ALL SPORTS”. The swimmers are lathered with fat to keep them warm during their swim. Now in the water, the swimmers tread water in a line beneath a cord of bunting, ready to start the race. They set off, swimming front crawl style. Views from the riverbank of show race in action. Also travelling shots, aboard a boat, follow the swimmers. A close-up on one of the swimmers showsTony Milton, at the end of the race, he wears a bonnet with the number 14 painted on the front. A roller hockey tournament is being held at Albert Park Rink in Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough are playing against Wolverhampton. Views show Middlesbrough team players include Neville Black and Robin Weatherly. A crowd member shouts “Come on!”, but Middlesbrough lose 2-6. Views follow of the crowd’s applause. Next, the Free Skating event takes place with 13-year old Yvonne Thurlbeck performing her routine, gliding around the roller rink. The Wolverhampton roller hockey team are presented with their Vaux tankard by the Mayor of Middlesbrough. Yvonne Thurlbeck stands in 1st position on a podium, having also won a tankard. Next, the film records show jumping events taking place at The Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh. The winning rider is presented with a Vaux tankard. As French-style accordion music starts up, views follow of the shipbuilding industry bordering the River Loire at Nantes in France. Nantes Airport is the starting location for the international pigeon race to the North of England and to Scotland. Woven pannier baskets of pigeons are unloaded from a plane. A tractor hauls one load of baskets across the runway. Views of the panniers piled up in a line ready for the birds’ release. Two men pour water into feeding troughs attached to the panniers. Close-up views show the pigeons feeding. A group of men settle down to a tea break with a baguette. The race is delayed due to adverse weather conditions, so the film’s cameraman takes the opportunity to film some scenes of daily life around the city of Nantes. After six days’ of waiting, the birds are finally released. 15,000 racing pigeons take to the air. A map shows the route of the race. Three men, including Mr Bill Towers, Secretary of the Up North Combine, congratulate the winners of the Vaux tankard and looks over the winning bird. On July 10th, the Vaux International Grand Prix cycling road race takes place. Views show the riders packed into the road at Wolsingham, County Durham. Various views follow the cyclists around the 116 mile course around the County Durham moors, as the voiceover commentary describes the success of the Russian team. Norman Beatty, riding for the North East Division, was the only northern man to complete the race. The race ends with a sprint finish, as two riders stretch towards the finishing line, beneath a banner which reads “VAUX BEER FOR SPORT”. The race is won by 22 year old Lionid Sobko, a Red Army solider, from Russia. Views of him being presented with a Vaux red sash and a tankard. The three winners stand on a podium and shake hands. Close-up of Lionid Sobko’s Hammer and Sickle Soviet Union badge. Views follow of some of the training provided at Vaux ‘schools of sport’ training weeks. Men and women are coached in badminton and cricket at Durham University’s new gymnasium. Outside, views show hockey and tennis coaching (at Bede College). Rowing and canoeing is coached on the River Wear at Durham. A canoeist (possibly Keith Wickham) navigates some rough and rocky water on the River Tees near Barnard Castle. Mr Nicholson drives a coach and horses around the ring at Durham County Show. Views follow of a show jumping event, where Andrew Fielder beats Harvey Smith to the prize of a Vaux gold tankard, presented by Viscount Lambton. Andrew Fields signs autographs. Views of a ten pin bowling competition at the Excel Bowl in Sunderland. Bowlers fist-pump exuberantly when they make a strike. At the Travellers Rest pub at Grasmere in Cumbria, competitors for the Vaux Mountain Trial orienteering race receive their maps. Views show the competitors planning their routes. A close-up of a map is accompanied by a  voiceover commentary describing the route the athletes will follow. Views follow of athletes making their way around the rugged Cumbrian countryside; Chris Brasher (former gold medal winning Olympian) is among them. One of the runners appears to have forgotten to obtain a checkpoint card, and stands forlornly having been the first to arrive at the first checkpoint. Watson of Manchester, and Michael Davis of Reading Athletic Club check-in. Views of runners arriving at the last checkpoint at Seat Sandal.Michael Davis is the winner. Chris Brasher completes the race in 23rd place.Tankards are presented to winners by a representative of Vaux. Next, a swimming competition: the 110yds women’s butterfly swimming race at the Usher Vaux National Swimming Leagues Finals at Perth Municipal Baths in Scotland. Competitors include: Sheila Watt of Aberdeen (a former Olympian, and past Scottish and British butterfly champion), June Hutton of Carnegie, and Jackie Goodfellow. Afterwards, the 110yds men’s freestyle swimming race. Competitors include: Ian Smart of Carnegie (backstroke champion of Scotland), and Bill Stewart of Glasgow University. The final event of the film is the Vaux Gold Tankard Handicap horse race at Redcar. Views of the crowds around the betting stalls. In the background some of the bookies tic-tac messages to each other. Views follow of the jockeys, and Mr Nicholson’s wife and his son Frank. Sir Gordon Richards and Mr Michael Sobell talk to Mr Nicholson. Views of the race, won by Atilla is followed by Mr Nicholson presents the Vaux Gold Tankard to the winner which ends the film Title: Vaux Encourage All Sports