Update 26^th Feb 2013.

Don’t forget, get your entry in for the

Burr Contractors any Gender Pairs

At Northern, Saturday 2^nd March at 9.30am.

Bowling On 26^th Feb.

Bowling On

It seems hardly credible but we haven't yet reached March and the Representative season for Manawatu Bowls is all over and all champion of champion events have been played and won.

Ahead of us are the best two calendar months of the year for settled bowls weather so with such a window of opportunity club open tournaments will become the focus of attention.

More of that later but firstly congratulations to the Manawatu men's team for finishing runners-up in the National inter centre final at Auckland, and our women's team that made the quarter-final. They say in sport that no-one remembers who came second and such will be the reality here but that would be to deny what was a splendid fighting performance against the highly regarded Dunedin team.

The Manawatu pair had struggled early on which followed an ordinary weekend against Hawkes Bay a week earlier. But a switch round saw Craig Gush skipping Philip Skoglund and the combination clicked and were leading their match against NZ singles champion Shaun Scott and lead Mark Watt 12-9 when time was called with two ends to play. Ross Ellery had lost his singles 25-16 and the fours of Pat Horgan, Mark Noble, Barry Wynks and Cameron Nairne succumbed 12-11 after leading for most of the match. That's bowls as they say but it's a long time to this event next year. Selector Eric Watson has been saying he won't stand next year but he can be proud of the squad's achievement.

Eventual runners-up Nelson took our women's side out 2-1 in their last eight game and again a heartbreaking 14-13 loss for Mere Fryer and Janeen Noble was the difference. Fryer's effort wonderfully meritorious as she was playing on after the news of her Mother's death the previous day and it can't have been easy for her or her team mates.

Taking all centres to Auckland is a massively expensive exercise and it remains to be seen whether this format will be persevered with in the future.

• Back to my discussion on open tournaments and I get the impression their is a resurgence of interest in these events. I called through Hokowhitu last Friday and observed that they filled two greens for a mixed 2-4-2 pairs and my Johnston Park club had a maximum entry of 32 teams for it's two day pairs over the weekend. The field quality was good enough to see two current season representative players Adam Johnston and Scotty McGavin only make the B division although they romped through to be the only four winner on the Sunday.  I'm pleased to say that my clubmate Brian Mudgway and his unnamed grumpy skip took out the top division.

This weekend sees any gender pairs at Northern on Saturday, any gender triples at Woodville on Sunday and a men's triples at Shannon the same day. Hopefully all clubs get good entries. Players need remember that support for tournaments goes two ways. I'm looking forward to my day at Northern.

• By the time Bowling On goes to press next week I'll be playing in my first "Golden Oldies" at Palmerston North. With 80 fours it is far and away the largest event in the Manawatu and has been won by members of bowls aristocracy such as Dave Baldwin and Vic Sellars. There is no sign that in it's 29th year the tournament is waning in support as for every bowler at the top end who can't dodge a coffin any longer there is another one turning 60 and thus qualifying.

Takaro complements the event with a two day women's event which I also understand has drawn good support.

• Don't forget to get your entry in for Northern's Hospice event on 16 March. The club has raised over $100000 for this worthy cause over the years but it relies totally on bowler support for it's success.

TONY JENSEN

Thanks Tony.

Update 19^th Feb 2013.

We want you on Friday night!!

The club is so keen to get more members in on a Friday we are offering you money! Each Friday night until the end of April you have a chance to buy tickets for Mark’s Mystery Safe. The winner of the draw gets a bar tab and the chance to pick one of Mark Sampson’s business cards which has a combination on the back of it. If the combination number opens the safe you get the safe money. This week (Friday 22^nd) the safe money is worth $160 dollars – so make sure you get down to the club on Friday. Tickets are sold from 5pm up until about 6pm when the draw will be done. Tickets cost $2 each and you can buy as many as you want. The mystery safe is being sponsored by Mark Sampson of the Professionals.

Cheers, 

Feona 

Update 18^th Feb 2013.

That is very sad news I read in Tony’s article about Harry Turner passing away yesterday.

Northern lost a true stalwart of the Club with his passing.

He will be missed around the club and those other venues where Harry turned up to support to his fellow bowlers.

Below is a photo I took back in around 2004 of Harry watching bowls with his old mate Cossie!

Harry and Cossie.

Bowling On 18^th Feb

Manawatu's representative bowling season culminates on Friday and the weekend when top sevens from both genders compete at the National Intercentre in Auckland.

Last weekend's tournament against Taranaki and Hawkes Bay was more about getting hard play into individuals rather than the result, clashing as it did with the champion of champion singles. Several front line players were involved with that event and so were only available when eliminated. The men's four played extra well especially when demolishing a highly regarded Taranaki combination.

Selector Eric Watson would have had some alarm at the form of his pair of Philip Skoglund (skip) and Craig Gush but Gush had come off a testing day's singles where he had lost the final of the champion of champions. The same day had seen Skoglund celebrating his fiftieth birthday so his concentration levels may have been down a little.

Our men tell me they have an extra tough draw in Auckland with Thames Valley, Gisborne-East Coast, Waikato, Canterbury and Dunedin but I think it looks soft compared to what the women face. Waikato, Taranaki, Canterbury, North Harbour and South Canterbury looks a real ugly draw. But if you want to win a New Zealand title you have to beat them all at some stage and you might as well eliminate them in section play.

Teams are: Men, Ross Ellery singles, Skoglund (skip) and Gush pairs, Pat Horgan (skip) Mark Noble, Barry Wynks and Cameron Nairne fours. Women, Feona Sayles singles, Mary Fryer (skip) and Janeen Noble pairs, Sheryn Blake (skip), Anna Davis, Robyn Schischka and Georgie Kahui-Rogers fours.

• It should have been high celebration in the Jensen household on Saturday night after Lyn's fearless win over Feona Sayles in the champion of champion singles but alas her husband slept right through her arrival home. The stress of a day out at Managatainoka had taken its toll! Those who watched tell me it was a cracker of a final as was Stephen Love's for Te Kawau in the men's event. Two wins to country clubs on the Saturday was  great to see but the David versus Goliath type performance of Shannon in winning the triples was an effort to please any lover of the underdog. Terrace End's Blake, Kahui-Rogers and Sharon Groves looked in control till four ends from home when they dropped a three for Shannon to draw level from where they assumed control. Lyn Metcalfe, Toni Blayney and Sharon Robbie will still be grinning from ear to ear me thinks and rightly so. The only city club to record a win was Palmerston North in the men's triple. Chris Barrett followed his fours win by adding the triples but this time with different team mates in Steve Toms and Eric Watson. It had to be a city victory whatever, the losing triple being Noble, Terry Johnson and Bruce Harris from Northern.

• Manawatu Bowls lost a true identity with the passing of Harry Turner on Sunday. Harry knew everyone and everyone knew Harry and he turned up for a look everywhere and anywhere bowls was played. By his own admission "just a club bowler" I well remember Harry's delight when he won Northern's championship triples with Phil  Skoglund some years ago with.

Earlier in life Harry had umpired hockey to test level and it was said he would have been there more often but for the conflict of his brother Bruce being in the New Zealand team. Harry was also extensively involved with yachting in earlier times. He was a great maker of wooden toys and many of his wares adorned the raffle and sales tables at the Northern Hospice tournament. I will miss this gentleman of sport.

• Speaking of the Hospice tournament organiser Craig Gush asks that you get your entries in. Men, women, non bowlers - all are welcome and fill your wallet before you go. The auction is always a highlight.

TONY JENSEN

Thanks Tony.

Club Roll Up

Club Roll up this coming Sunday afternoon 24^th Feb 1pm start. 

A drawn event, the format will be decided by the numbers attending.

Put your name up on the Blackboard or ring the club between 11am and noon on Sunday the 24^th.

There are already a few names on the board.

Be warned though! The standard of play at these Sunday Roll ups is awesome.

This is the sort of form you will be competing with!

Update 11^th Feb 2013

Club Roll up this Sunday afternoon 17^th Feb 1pm start. A drawn event, the format will be decided by the numbers attending.

Put your name up on the Blackboard or ring the club before noon on Sunday the 17^th.

Bowling On 11^th Feb

Bowlers are often accused of not knowing how to enjoy themselves but a trip to the New Zealand Maori tournament in Rotorua at the weekend provided me with a classic exhibition of competition and companionship being blended beautifully.

Easy listening music from the sixties drifted across the green and many a melodic voice joined the chorus. Loud laughter was the standard response to a bad bowl and good bowls were complimented irrespective of whose team delivered the bowl. The usual bowling green address of "mate" was replaced by "Bro, Cuz, Sis and Missy" but through it all the bowls was of a high standard. In the clubrooms afterwards the guitars came out, the kai was kapai and again laughter rung out long and loud. It was a privilege to have this reminder of how to have simple, uncomplicated fun.

Some lessons there for us all, enjoy the game for what it is, love your team and opposition but don't take yourself too seriously. The sun will come up the next day but enjoy your game like it might be your last.

• On my way back from my hometown I tested the hospitality at the tiny South Waikato club of Arapuni by playing in a triples tournament. As is always expected we were treated like royalty in the country. Nigel Reid a colleague from Hamilton and my brother Mick formed the triple and we lucky enough to take first prize as the only four winner. The tournament drew a capacity field of 16 with so many visitors that only two lots of locals could get a game.

• Back to the Manawatu and the completion of champion of champion pairs and fours on Saturday saw Northern take out both women's events and and Palmerston North perform similarly in the men's competition. I was personally delighted to see Brian Henn achieve the much coveted Gold Star when he went off the front in the Palmerston North four. The first of his five titles was way back in 1987 and he has been a consistent performer right through and still ranks as one of the finest leads around.

Henn's skip Chris Barrett took out his tenth title thus adding a bar to his gold star. The other members of the four were Ron Henn and Brian Little and it was some compensation for Little and the two Henns who finished runners-up in the prestigious Taranaki Open only three weeks ago.

After being part of the winning Open Triple at anniversary weekend Pat Horgan and Ross Ellery added the pairs by making no race of their match against Johnston Park's Simon Westby and Mike Sinclair. Horgan had only just added the second bar to his gold star so can now set out to make it 20 titles.

The Northern pair of Sharon Sims and Sue Meyer were overwhelming favourites but they received the fright of their bowling lives before wresting victory from Johnston Park's Gillian Friis who had Maureen Coffey at lead. Now Maureen won't mind me telling you she is "quite old" and has more steel in her joints than nature ever envisaged possible. Sims needed three on the last end for the win and scored four with a bowl to spare. A true final and sometimes it all come down to experience. Sims and Meyer are great workers for their club and bowls generally and thoroughly deserved of any success.

In the women's fours Northern's Feona Sayle, Anna Davis, Jacinta Cousins and Julieanne Mills accounted for Sheryn Blake, Georgie Kahui-Rogers, Lindy Crawford and Anna Hammington representing Terrace End.

• Champion of champions will be completed this coming weekend with singles played on Saturday and finals of that and triples on Sunday. Shannon have a moment in the sun in the women's triples when they meet Terrace End while the men's final is between top clubs Northern and Palmerston North.

• Don't forget Northern's Hospice tournament on Saturday 16 March 2013 - get your entry in now to ensure the tournament's success. There was a date change earlier so ingrain the new date in your mind.

Tony Jensen

Thanks Tony.

Well done Girls!

Update 7^th Feb 2013

Bowling On 5^th Feb

Champion of champion events have begun and by the end of this weekend winners will have been found in fours and pairs and triples will be down to a final.

Interestingly though there is very little available for other bowlers in the Centre. Usually feature tournaments are played against champion of champions on the basis that only a few players from each club are involved. However when the Centre moved champion of champions from April to February those other tournaments remained in their original programmed position.

A triples at Woodville was the only tournament on last weekend, there isn't a single tournament this coming weekend and when champion of champions are completed the following weekend there is but one tournament, the Ashhurst Invitation fours.

It remains to be seen whether the Centre's experiment of playing champion of champion events as it's National Club championship will be continued with but if it does clubs will need to be awake to the opportunity. The feedback I get from the more competitive bowlers is that they would prefer a return to Open centre events as the feeder tournaments. Some tell me they have had to win eight games to get a club title while in a smaller club some have got through with one or two wins. The imbalance is obvious. No doubt the issue will be aired at the centre's annual meeting.

In regard to the champion of champion fours and pairs finals at Northern on Saturday I would expect the womens fours to be a close run thing between Northern and Terrace End. Sheryn Blake has rebuilt her four with the front half being Lindy Crawford and Anna Hammington and long time lead Georgie Kahui-Rogers moving to the director's spot.  Northern's singles exponent Feona Sayles is not often seen skipping a four but this time she has Anna Davis, Jacinta Cousins and Julie-anne Mills in front of her. Perhaps home advantage is the only possible edge.

In the mens fours you would expect Chris Barrett, Brian Little, Ron Henn and Brian Henn (Palmerston North) to donkey lick Ashhurst but it was only a very few years ago that Woodville came to town in the same event and cleaned up a star studded Northern in the final. Tony Woodley, John Lawrence, Eion McIntosh and Mike Hickey will enjoy sitting under the radar and will take the game to Barrett. Any complacency from the city side will see them on the back foot.

In the pairs Northern have Sharon Sims (s) and Sue Meyer representing them against Johnston Park's Gillian Friis and Maureen Coffey and should be too strong although the Feilding club has a good recent record in centre events. Still a multiple world champion at home is a daunting opponent.

Pat Horgan and Ross Ellery should make it a double for Palmerston North in the mens pairs when they meet another Johnston Park combination in Simon Westby and Mike Sinclair.  Westby replaced Keith Walker who was incapacitated due to a hernia operation. Naturally I hope I am wrong and my own Feilding club mates take out both pairs but the cerebral part of the body rather than the heart tells me otherwise.

On Sunday champion of champion triples will be played down to a final at Johnston Park and a first round mens clash between Palmerston North and Takaro will be a game worth watching. The final will be played on Sunday 17 February along with the singles finals.

Good bowling.

Tony Jensen

Thanks Tony.