The Lonsdale Cup is awarded annually by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) to a New Zealand athlete (or team) who has demonstrated the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth sport during the previous year. The cup is a scale replica of the original Queen Anne cup of the same design presented by Lord Lonsdale during the 1911 Festival of Empire meeting. Originally won by Canada, it was subsequently given to the British Empire Games Federation to ensure its best use as an Empire Games trophy.