New Zealand Women's Championship
The Mabel Abbot Trophy used to be awarded to the winner of the New Zealand Women's Championship. The New Zealand women's chess championship was first proposed in October 1935.
H.R. Abbott became NZ Champion at the 1936/37 congress at a time when his wife Mabel Abbott was recognised as the NZ Women's champion as explained in this newspaper article. This husband and wife national chess champion duo is likely to be a unique occurrence anywhere in the world. It is not clear on what basis Mrs Abbott was recognised as NZ Women's champion, possibly winning the premier reserve tournament at the 1936/37 congress (as shown in the same newspaper article) was considered evidence she was clearly the best woman player. In any case by 1938 Mabel Abbott demonstrated her superiority in a separate women's tournament.
Women's Champions
The table below lists all New Zealand Women's Champions.
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1938 | M E Abbott |
| 1940 | E L Short |
| 1967 | M McGrath |
| 1978 | F Foster, W Stretch |
| 1980 | F Foster |
| 1981 | J Sievey |
| 1982 | V Burndred |
| 1983 | K Metge |
| 1985 | J Sievey |
| 1991 | R Foster |
| 1992-93 | V Smith, F Foster |
| 1994 | V Smith |
| 1995 | V Smith |
| 1996 | W Ong |
| 1997 | R L Sheehan |
| 1998 | Vivian Smith |
| 1999 | Vivian Smith |
| 2000 | Vivian Smith |
| 2001 | E Mikhailik |
| 2002 | Edith Otene, Vivian Smith |
| 2003 | Vivian Smith |
| 2004 | Vivian Smith |
| 2005 | E Charomova |
| 2006 | Sue Maroroa |
| 2007 | Shirley Wu, Judy Gao |
| 2008 | Natasha Fairley, Judy Gao, Helen Milligan |
| 2009 | Judy Gao |
| 2010 | Shirley Wu |