Three new friends and a trophy – all in a night’s work for Tauranga GP

Attending any kind of event on your own can be a daunting affair, but not for GP Al Johnson, who has now come away with three new friends and a snazzy trophy all in one night.

Part of team Quizzalicious, that won the Trivialitis Trophy competition, Dr Johnson of Tauranga’s Bethlehem Medical Centre was joined by Alison Grogan, Dhiren Gadhia, and Kate Brown, all of Southern Cross Health Insurance.

Hosted by New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa on the first night of the Rotorua GP CME, and held at the Millennium Hotel, the Trivialitis Trophy competition sees conference attendees go head to head in a battle of wits.

Not held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was led by emcee James White, business director of Insight, who kicked off this year’s quiz for the 10th time in its “illustrious history”.

There were 20 teams gunning for glory, and many had attended all nine previous quizzes, said Mr White.

But it was Quizzalicious, a team made up mostly of newbies, that was presented the Trivialitis Trophy by New Zealand Doctor editor Barbara Fountain

A veteran GP CME attendee of about 15 years, Dr Johnson’s last Trivialitis quiz experience was at least a couple of years ago, but he tells New Zealand Doctor he wasn’t about to miss out on the fun this year, just because he was on his own.

“I emailed Rhonda [quiz organiser and New Zealand Doctor business manger] to tell her I was going to be a free radical with no friends.”

It was this message that saw him become a member of Quizzalicious, who seized victory with 73 points out of a possible 90 across the six rounds.

Fellow team members Alison Grogan, Dhiren Gadhia, and Kate Brown had never met Dr Johnson, or attended the Rotorua GP CME before.

“We’re total newbies,” says Ms Grogan. She adds that Dr Johnson was a great addition to the team and that he and Mr Gadhia were their secret weapons.

Mr Gadhia admits he is no stranger to a pub quiz, attending one every Wednesday. A good win the night before helped him prepare for the Trivialitis Trophy.

He planned to put his miniature trophy on proud display at work.

Ms Brown mentioned that their table’s close proximity to the winning prize on display, including a substantial pile of Ferrero Rocher, was an added incentive.

Asked whether a lifelong friendship had now formed, Dr Johnson was adamant it had.

“We’re all going to move in together, like in Friends, and we’ll display the trophy on the mantelpiece.”

It was then debated whether the trophy would be used to “drink our cups of tea” by Ms Grogan, or Stolichnaya Vodka by Dr Johnson.

Quizzalicious was closely followed by three teams in second-equal place, with a very respectable 71 points. They were Ice/P and The Handmaidens, and New Zealand Doctor’s team “Best Trade Publication”, a repeat of their second-place feat of two years ago, where they were pipped at the post by just one point.

Third place was taken out by One Gram and Nozy Mamas on 69 points.

Mr White thanked team Marty’s Mob for taking out last position on 52 points, as “it takes the pressure off the others”.

With a personal favourite name, the team “We haven’t got a Clouseau” lived up to its name, coming 18th out of 20, with 56 points.