Champion Cadet Competition 2026
Recognising the UK’s top cadets
Cadet RSM Murtagh from লিংকনশায়ার আর্মি ক্যাডেট ফোর্স (ACF) has been crowned the 2026 Army Cadet Force (ACF) Champion Cadet, receiving the prestigious Claire Shaw Trophy following an exceptional performance at the annual Champion Cadet Competition held at the ক্যাডেট প্রশিক্ষণ কেন্দ্র (সিটিসি) ফ্রিমলি পার্ক.
Cadet RSM Tunnicliff from Sutton Valence School CCF was awarded CCF winner of the Captain General Trophy. Read his interview এখানে.
The Champion Cadet Competition is one of the most prestigious events in the Army Cadet calendar, bringing together the very best cadets from across the United Kingdom. Having already completed the demanding মাস্টার ক্যাডেট কোর্স, competitors spend a week tackling a series of rigorous assessments designed to test their leadership, resilience, fieldcraft, navigation, instructional ability, teamwork and physical endurance.
The competition not only identifies the highest-performing cadets from the Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force (Army), but also celebrates the qualities that cadet training develops, including confidence, self-discipline, responsibility and service to others.
A proud first engagement for Commander Cadets
This year’s prize giving also marked a significant occasion, as it was the first official cadet engagement for Major General Justin Stenhouse CBE DSO since taking up his appointment as Commander Cadets.
Addressing the finalists during the awards ceremony, Major General Stenhouse praised every competitor for reaching the national finals.
“At the start of the week, 26 cadets stood on the start line out of approximately 70,000 cadets nationally. Every one of you passed the Master Cadet course. Every one of you came personally recommended by your County Commandant or your Contingent Commander. Just to get here is a really impressive achievement and you and your families should be really, really proud of that.”
Reflecting on the breadth of the competition, he highlighted that the cadets had demonstrated far more than practical military skills.
“You’ve been tested on your leadership, physical robustness, resilience, fieldcraft and navigation. But what I find most impressive is that you’ve also been teaching. You’ve delivered lessons that have been assessed. To me, that’s not just the mark of a good cadet. That’s the mark of an instructor and a future leader.”
He also thanked the Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) and permanent staff whose commitment makes opportunities such as Champion Cadet possible.
Concluding his speech, Major General Stenhouse left the finalists with a powerful message.
“Whether you leave today with a trophy, or simply the memories of a remarkable week, each one of you should be really proud. You’ve demonstrated excellence, embodied the values of the cadet forces and shown what young people can achieve when ambition is matched by commitment. You’re not simply the leaders of tomorrow. You are already leaders.”
A victory for Lincolnshire ACF
For Cadet RSM Murtagh, hearing his name announced as the winner came as a complete surprise.
“I probably haven’t felt the full effect of it yet,” he said. “I was very surprised that my name was called out. I thought I did well enough to be a contender, but I never really came here expecting to win it. I feel amazing.
“I feel like I’ve achieved what, when I started cadets, I wanted to achieve.”
His cadet journey began shortly after the COVID-19 lockdowns, when he was looking for a new challenge.
“I was just really bored,” he laughed. “We’d just come out of lockdown and I couldn’t go out with mates or play sports. My dad had also been a cadet and always spoke highly of it, so I thought, ‘Sign me up.’”
Learning to overcome setbacks
Despite being physically active through basketball, rugby, boxing and regular gym training, Cadet RSM Murtagh admitted the biggest challenge during the competition was mental rather than physical.
“The day navigation exercise was probably the toughest. It was about pushing through and knowing I had to keep competing.”
He believes one of the biggest lessons he learned throughout the week was self-evaluation.
“You don’t get feedback after every stand. You have to assess yourself. I learned to think about what I’d done well, what I could improve and then move on. If one stand didn’t go well, I couldn’t let it affect the next one.”
Looking back on the competition, he encouraged future competitors not to overlook the importance of physical fitness.
“It’s easy to focus on the skills and drills, but physical fitness makes everything easier. Navigation, shooting, everything benefits if you’re physically prepared.”
Although lifting the Claire Shaw Trophy was the obvious highlight, one of his most memorable moments actually came after one of his most disappointing performances.
“The stalk was probably my lowest point. I got spotted really quickly and thought I’d ruined my chances. I was getting completely into my own head.
“But I realised I had to shut that voice out. If you let one bad performance affect the rest of the competition, it just gets worse. That was probably one of the biggest lessons I learned.”
Looking to the future
With Champion Cadet now added to his achievements, Cadet RSM Murtagh has already set his sights on the next stage of his journey. He hopes to join the Parachute Regiment as an officer, with ambitions of attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the future.
His success marks the culmination of years of dedication, hard work and determination, and serves as an inspiration to cadets across the UK. While only one competitor could lift the Claire Shaw Trophy, every finalist left CTC Frimley Park having demonstrated the leadership, resilience and commitment that define the very best of the Army Cadets.
