YMGCR Bowls Club.
Mid – Week Pennant.
This season’s A1 Mid – Week Pennant Preliminary Final, saw long time adversaries YMGCR pitted against Wodonga last Tuesday at Wangaratta Bowling Club. As with so many previous encounters between these two clubs the result was decided by a single figure margin. In a close match, after the 63rd end it was Wodonga who prevailed. Final scores, Wodonga 54 shots and 10 points to YMGCR 47 shots and 4 points. Rounding out a solid season were Ian Febey (L), Shirley Hummel (2), Gary Presnell (3), and Ray Irvine (S), winning 17 shots to Wodonga 16 shots. Also winning for YMGCR were Laureen Smith (L), Ray Brown (2), Michael Vaughan (3), and Anne Miles (S), who overcame their opponents 17 shots to Wodonga 15 shots. After a strong season and many game defining rink wins, it was a tough Preliminary Final for Rhonda Irvine (L), Chris Horne (2), Greg Green (3), and Ian Brimblecombe (S), who went down 13 shots to Wodonga 23 shots.
In retrospect it was a good season for the A1s. After an indifferent opening few games the players rallied and made a concerted charge to the finals, where they performed well. All those who represented the A1s this year, can be proud of their efforts. Thanks and congratulations are also in order for the Mid – Week Selectors whose astute selections saw both the A1s and the A2s participate in finals this season.
Corporate Charity Challenge Week 3 Report.
Last Tuesday saw another strong showing of 20 sides participating in week 3 of the Corporate Barefoot Charity Challenge on a balmy late summer evening. This year’s challenge continues to turn up surprises with the AVAGOs, who had been winless to this point win well this week by 16 shots.
Only two sides remain unbeaten, Fallon 2 and Rotary, who face off in a top of table match this coming Tuesday.
Binda Boozers and Garden Lovers find themselves in equal 3rd place after the first 3 weeks of the challenge.
This week’s games will see some novelty prizes randomly awarded on the night.
Wednesday Social Bowls.
There was no Wednesday Social Bowls played last Wednesday due to the Autumn Triples Tournament, which was held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, see report below. We had advised, in last week’s report that when Wednesday Social resumed, on the 5th of March, the starting time would be reverting to 12.30pm. We can now advise that with more warm weather predicted the Match Committee have decided to stay with the earlier 10.00am starting time until we move into cooler weather.
Autumn Triples Report.
Now in its 37th year, the annual Autumn Triples Tournament was played last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Golf Club. In 1988, the then CEO of the Golf Club, John Wilson, was casting around for a concept which would maintain a bit of the Christmas momentum for the Club during what was a traditionally a quiet time around the Golf Club. Bernie Bott, who was the Bowls Section President, in those days and fellow bowler Tony Browning came up with the concept of an invitational 3 bowls triples tournament, and so the tradition began. After a number of years of the 3 bowl triples format, Claude Morell, who was a very astute bowls administrator, suggested that the tournament could be improved with a change from 3 bowl to 2 bowl triples. Bernie Bott took on the advice and the change was met with favour by the players. Bernie has been involved in running the tournament since day one, a fantastic achievement.
The tournament has grown in popularity and renown since its inception. We now have sides and players from the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Warnambool, Tumut, Wagga, the Riverina, Geelong and Inverloch participating. Since the first tournament the prize money has remained at $8,000.00 with a $200.00 entry fee per player, which is terrific value. Some top flight bowlers have played in the tournament over the years; Geoff Sutcliffe, Neil Rosen, Dennis Arthur, Russell Green Snr, to name a few.
The spirit of the tournament is play good competitive bowls on the green and enjoy each other’s company off the green. The formula obviously works as it is a tournament that has engendered participant loyalty over the 37 years. John (Smokey) Dawson from Wodonga, has been playing since day one and there are four sides from Bendigo that have been shaping up for 25 years.
A spell of ill health saw Bernie unable to run the tournament unaided last year, Andy LeFevre kindly stepped in and took up the challenge, and made an invaluable contribution to seeing the tournament continue to be successfully run. Andy has this year again lent Bernie a hand.
After another great 3 days of bowls, the 2025 winners were Phil Godkin, Barry Ansett and Gary Conforti representing Eaglehawk and Kangaroo Flat. Until next week, good bowling.