Beginnings
The Rutland Invitation Quiz League has been bringing together pub teams across the county every winter since the late 1980s. Born out of a shared love of friendly competition and a good night out, the league quickly established itself as a fixture in the local calendar — a reason to dust off the encyclopaedias, argue about sport, and turn up at your local on a cold Tuesday night.
Growth
At its height the league attracted more than 20 teams, filling pubs and clubs from one end of the county to the other. Rutland may be England's smallest county, but the appetite for a well-crafted question paper has never been in short supply. Teams developed loyal followings, rivalries formed, and the trophy became genuinely contested.
Resilience
Like so much else, the league was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. After more than three decades of unbroken winters, the quizmasters put down their microphones and teams sat out what turned out to be two lost seasons. When the doors reopened, the committee worked to bring as many sides back as possible — and the response from the community was encouraging.
Today
We are still rebuilding, and proud of the progress made. The league now has 14 teams competing across the season, and we recently expanded into Uppingham for the first time, bringing the quiz to a part of the county that had long been underrepresented. If you think your pub or club has what it takes, we'd love to hear from you.