There has been a biennial Oxbridge applied mathematics meeting since 1983. After a number of meetings, Oxford decided they wanted to score the talks and have a winner. They then decided that what was needed was a trophy; Oxford's idea of a trophy was a woolly owl (knitted by one of their tea ladies).

In 1999 and 2001 the woolly owl was awarded to Cambridge. Since this left John Ockendon heartbroken, we photographed the owl so that John could at least remind himself of what it looks like.

There has been a proposal to incinerate the owl, and then hold the ashes in Cambridge no matter who wins.