CHARLOTTETOWN — A frantic scene has developed in Charlottetown today as the Gold Cup and Saucer — the prestigious trophy awarded to the winner of the eponymous harness race — was put through the dishwasher. By using the extra-strength rinse cycle, the gold plating that had been applied in the early 1950s was removed, rendering the trophy worthless.
I guess it happened when Florence and Stan came over for a cup of tea.
Wilbur McLaren, explaining how he put a trophy in the dishwasher.
Wilbur McLaren, the attendant to the trophy, was apologetic. “I had no idea that [the trophy] would get mixed in with our usual dishes. But I guess it happened when Florence and Stan came over for a cup of tea. We must’ve run out of cups, and then it got put through the wash.”
“I’m truly sorry for a terrible end to this Island tradition,” adds McLaren. “But by God that tea tasted better in that gold cup.”
At press time, organizers of the Gold Cup and Saucer race were seen googling “how to add gold paint fast” and “gold plating cheap $20 or less.” Another member of the team floated the idea of having a coffee mug bronzed, or perhaps even reusing a bowling trophy from their run as a senior bowling champion in 1992.
The Islander 