Update 10^th February  2015.

Comment on Bowls   by Denis Duffy.

Winning all four available titles – Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours, in the same season is a very rare feat, especially in a large and ultra-competitive club. However, a recent news clipping out of Brisbane announces that the elusive clean sweep has been achieved at the Wellington Point club by a ‘Kiwi Gun’. It turns out that the ‘gun’ is former Manawatu maestro Peter Shaw. Peter has only recently returned to the game after an extended break while he sorted out some physical issues. His latest accolade will come as no surprise in this area, where his status as one of the very best bowlers to emerge locally is well recognised. Peter made his mark locally as ‘the Fuehrer’, a Skip who demanded and usually received only the highest standards of performance from his players. He was successful in all the disciplines, and his National Gold Star was earned with five titles in a relatively short period, including both Open and Champion of Champion Singles. He never quite nailed down a regular spot in National teams, but did win a bronze medal the first time he was selected. This was in the Fours event at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games, where he played Second in a team led by local legend Phil Skoglund, and including Kevin Darling and Stewart McConnell. His undoubted mana at the top level was later recognised by appointments as a National Selector and Coach. Peter may have further years at the top level ahead of him, and his progress in the more populous and cut-throat world of Australian Bowls will be worth watching.

Peter Shaw cut his teeth on the Palmerston North greens, and the Centre’s biggest club could be witnessing the emergence of a new star at present. Mike Abraham, who began playing at Terrace End, reached the National Club Championship finals with Pat Horgan’s Four last year and has performed well in Sharon Sims’s rep. team. He has picked up a further two Club titles this season, and it’s his victory in last weekend’s Pairs final that has the critics taking serious notice. Mike has proved himself as a Lead, but this win saw him Skipping impressively with the evergreen Eric Watson at Lead. Perhaps Trevor Butcher and Paul Rowe had done the ‘hard yards’ by taking both lives from obvious favourites Horgan and Dean Gilshnan, but Abraham and Watson completed the job unbeaten, always an impressive feat. Eric’s win was one for the statisticians as well. I had to search several honours boards to discover that his last Pairs title was back in 1989 with former Test cricketer Peter Petherick. 

On the wider club front, it’s good to see the spectacular new look in evidence at Takaro, where building improvements are well advanced.  Centre President Tony Woodley also reports very favourably on a recent visit to the high veldt at Kimbolton. Our most far-flung outpost has returned to the Centre events schedule under the leadership of Dennis Shaw, and the green there is in fine condition, while the best of country hospitality is always guaranteed.

Thanks Denis.