Canadian Army Trophy The Canadian Army Trophy ( " CAT " ) was a tank gunnery competition established to foster excellence , camaraderie and competition among the armoured forces of the NATO countries in Western Europe . The trophy itself is a miniature sterling silver replica of a Canadian Army Centurion tank . Origins . The Canadian Army Trophy ( CAT ) competition started in 1963 when the Canadian government donated a silver replica of a Centurion tank to the country that obtained the highest score during a tank gunnery that was hosted by the Canadian Army 4th Mechanized Brigade forward deployed in West Germany . This tank replica later became known as the Canadian Army Trophy for NATO Tank Gunnery . The competition was established to foster excellence , camaraderie and competition among the armor forces of the NATO countries in Western Europe . The winner of the Canadian Army Trophy , which remains the property of Canada , retains it until the next competition and is responsible for its safe custody . The competition was held annually through 1968 ; and in 1970 it was decided that it would be held every two years at Bergen - Hohne , West Germany beginning with a competition in 1973 ; later the competition would also be held at Grafenwöhr . Each member country was invited to field a ' team ' ( a tank company of four platoons of 3 AFVs ) to represent their respective Armies . Nations represented included Canada , Belgium , United Kingdom , the Netherlands , West Germany and the United States . Since 1963 the competition format has undergone numerous changes . Originally , single tanks fired from fixed points at known ranges . Following the 1968 and again after the 1975 competitions , the rules and procedures of the competition were changed to more accurately reflect combat conditions . The 1970 , 1973 and 1975 competitions incorporated tank sections , consisting of two tanks ; while beginning in the 1977 competition , 3 - tank platoons ( or strong sections for 5 - tank platoons ) are now required to fire and move over a course , termed a " battle run , " designed to test their gunnery skills under more realistic conditions . Each battle run consists of firing from stationary positions and while on the move , at both stationary and moving targets . 4 - Tank platoons were incorporated beginning with the 1981 competition . The trophy and awards were given to the best scoring team . After the 1981 competition , additional changes were made to provide better means of achieving the aims of the CAT competition and to reflect the intended nature of the event , namely , a competition among the land forces of the Central Region . Accordingly , the 1983 CAT competition format organized units from the six participating nations ( Belgium , Canada , Germany , Netherlands , United Kingdom , and the United States ) in teams corresponding to their army group assignments within the Central Region . Units were therefore either members of the Northern Army Group ( NORTHAG ) or Central Army Group ( CENTAG ) . The Canadian Army Trophy is now presented to the winning Army Group and awards were given to the three best scoring platoons of each Army Group . The winner of the Canadian Army Trophy , which remains the property of Canada , retains it until the next competition and is responsible for its safe custody . NORTHAG consisted of the British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ) ' s British I Corps , American 2nd Armored Division ( Forward ) , German I Corps , Netherlands ' I Corps , and Belgian I Corps . CENTAG consisted of the German II and III Corps , the American V and VII Corps , and the Canadian 4th Brigade . The responsibility of organizing and hosting the competition rotated between the different participating nations . In 1981 the responsibility shifted to the two Army Groups , Central Army Group ( CENTAG ) or Northern Army Group ( NORTHAG ) . When CENTAG hosted the competition , it was held in Grafenwöhr ; likewise when NORTHAG hosted , it was in Bergen - Hohne . The failures of a nation ' s entrant to place well at the CAT have had considerable defence industry impact . The showing of the UK ' s Royal Hussars at the 1987 competition was the subject of a front page story in London ' s " Sunday Telegraph " , June 21 , 1987 , titled " NATO Allies Outgun Britain ' s New Battle Tanks " . CAT ' 77 . The 1977 competition was the first time an American team had participated , C Company 2 - 81 Armor ; but came in last place . CAT ' 79 . The 1979 competition was held at Range 9 , Bergen Hohne . The US built Range 10 at Grafenwöhr for the CAT competition training , it was used later for the actual 1981 competition . There were 20 platoons competing from Belgium , Canada , the United Kingdom , West Germany and the United States . The Netherlands team did not compete due to a contractual issue with their military union . This was the first year that the USA team finished other than last place ( 4th place ) - M Company , 3rd Squadron 2nd ACR - an especially noteworthy effort by Lieutenants ( later Captain ) David Andersson , William Ewing , Howard Krause , and Randy Socha , - the M60A3 TTS MBT being used by the USA . The first time the vehicle was used in competition . Additionally , M Co . 3 / 2 ACR was the first unit in Germany to receive this version , specifically because it had been chosen to compete in CAT ' 79 . CAT ' 81 . The 1981 competition was held on Range 10 at Grafenwöhr . There were 24 platoons competing from Belgium , Canada , the United Kingdom , the Netherlands , West Germany and the United States . The M60A3 used by the USA entry was the final development of the M60A3 until the 2001 IFCS modification produced by Raytheon and sold to Jordan . CAT ' 83 . Held on Range 9 at Bergen - Hohne , teams competed corresponding to their army group assignments within the Central Region , from Northern Army Group ( NORTHAG ) or Central Army Group ( CENTAG ) . NORTHAG consisted of the British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ) ' s British I Corps , American III Corps Forward , German I Corps , Netherlands ' I Corps , and Belgian I Corps . CENTAG consisted of the German II and III Corps , the American V and VII Corps , and the Canadian 4th Brigade . This was the first year that the M1 Abrams participated in the competition , utilized by Charlie Company , 3 / 64 Armor Battalion , 3rd Infantry Division . The other two US tank companies were utilizing the M60 Patton tank . With the M1 , Charlie Company ' s three platoons scored in second , third and eighth place . 1st Platoon Charlie Company was in second place with 19 , 294 points behind West Germany ' s 1st Platoon 2nd Company , 293rd Panzer Battalion . The West German Platoon won with the highest score of 21 , 153 points out of a maximum of 28 , 100 with their Leopard 1 tank . Charlie Company ' s Second Platoon got eighth place with 19 , 116 points and Third Platoon got third place with 18 , 068 points . Many individuals involved with Charlie Company for CAT ' 83 extended their tour of duty of Germany to participate in CAT ' 85 with Alpha Company , 3 / 64 Armor . C Co 2 / 66 Armor surprised the competition by placing with its old M60A1 tanks , which used optical rangefinder technology from the World War II era . This showed the value of local course knowledge over pure technology . CAT ' 85 . The M1IP Abrams made its debut in the 1985 competition held on Range 9 at Bergen - Hohne , which contained small upgrades to the M1 Abrams that was previously used for the first time in the 1983 competition . This was the first direct competition of the German Leopard II and the US M1 Abrams . For the first time an American platoon , 1st Platoon of A Company 3 - 64 Armor , had scored 2nd overall in the competition and the United States ' teams ranked third for the entire competition . B Company 3 - 32 Armor , of the 3rd Armored Division , used the M - 60A3 ; the oldest generation of tanks during the competition . C / 2 - 66 Armor competed with its new M1 tanks , but severe weather storms at the moment of their runs hampered visibility and cost them to underperform CAT ' 87 . In the 1987 competition held on Range 301 center lane at Grafenwöhr , there were a total of 24 platoons competing ( 12 from NORTHAG and 12 from CENTAG ) . There were significant rules and conditions changes made that governed the preparation and conduct of the competition , each Army Group would designate a minimum of one company from two different battalions ; each separate brigade designates a minimum of two companies per country ' s Corps . The random selection of the tank companies to compete would be made by AFCENT ( Allied Forces Central Europe ) no later than 1 April 1987 . NORTHAG fielded teams from Belgium , UK , the Netherlands , West Germany and the United States . CENTAG fielded teams from Canada , West Germany and the United States . The British ( 3 - tank ) tank platoons were presented 24 targets , while the other countries ' 4 - tank platoons were presented with 32 targets during the battle runs . Scoring was based on target hits , hit times , ammunition bonuses ( only if all targets were hit ) , and hit bonuses ( only if all targets were hit ) , machine gun hits , and penalties with a maximum platoon score of 22 , 600 points . The main gun targets were at ranges between 1 , 600 - 3 , 000 meters and would remain standing after being hit until presentation time , 40 seconds , had expired . No target would be presented twice , so the judges could actually count holes in the targets to verify target hits ; " cookie bites " did not count as hits . This was the first year that United States won the CAT and had two platoons placing among the top three ; 1st platoon D Company 4 - 8 Cavalry took top tank platoon honors and 1st Platoon A Company 3 - 64 Armor , scored third in the competition . CAT ' 89 . The United Kingdom did not field a team during the 1989 competition held on Range 9 at Bergen - Hohne . It was the only time that night battle runs were incorporated into the competition . CAT ' 91 . The United States and United Kingdom did not field teams due to the Gulf War , and hence it was a competition solely between Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks . This was to be the last competition as the Canadian 4th Mechanized Brigade left Germany in 1993 , resulting in the end of the CAT competitions . The Trophy is now located at CFB ( Canadian Forces Base ) Gagetown in New Brunswick , Canada ; home of the Canadian Armour School . CANAM Cup . In 1997 the competition began again , but only between the United States and Canada as the CANAM Cup . The Canadians won in 1997 , 2000 , and 2002 . The American teams won in 1999 and 2003 .