Lawn Bowls

Rep Season Begins for Bowlers

Taranaki’s leading bowlers are now ready to move up a gear, with the season beginning in earnest.

This weekend heralds the commencement of the major Vospers-sponsored women’s interclub, with six clubs vying for the division one crown at Stratford-Avon on Sunday. There are 10 sides in the second division, with play at West End and Opunake.

Paritutu, the winner of division one the past three seasons, will commence as firm favourites, but nothing is guaranteed on a bowling green.

They will square off against West End, Tower, and Fitzroy on Sunday. Play will then resume for the final two rounds on November 16 when Paritutu will meet Stratford-Avon and New Plymouth at West End.

Paritutu will have the luxury this week of calling on Briar Atkinson (pictured), who faces an ever-increasing gruelling programme.

Atkinson, who competed in the prestigious North East Valley mixed pairs with Kaylin Huwyler last weekend, will then play in her second Hong Kong international classic the following weekend.

Atkinson will combine with Selina Goddard in the Pearl of the Orient, an event which runs between November 9-17.

Later in November, Atkinson will again represent New Zealand Under-26 in the Oceania Challenge in Auckland. In the first edition of that competition in April 2023, Atkinson won gold in the women’s pairs. Taranaki’s representation in the World Bowls-sanctioned event extends to Huwyler and Camron Horo, who are both part of the Aotearoa Maori side. Nathan Goodin has been selected as a reserve in the same team.

Huwyler, too, faces an aggressive schedule. He competes in the Scottish International singles in Livingston, 28kms from Edinburgh, next week.

That commitment will mean that Huwyler will miss the first major men’s championship on the local scene – the Metcalfe Real Estate-sponsored centre fours. Huwyler has been in the winning team on the last three occasions, along with Goodin and Aidan Zittersteijn, who is spending this season playing and working in Melbourne. Hamish Kape skipped the trio to victory in 2021 and 2022, with Horo the fourth member last season.

Goodin will attempt to make it four in a row, teaming up this time under the Rahotu banner with Horo, Joel Chard and Shae Fleming. They play at Manaia, a section which will be a tasty test for some teams. Grant Anderson, as a case in point, will play Darren Goodin and Craig De Faria in the opening two games.

Teams require two wins from three games to advance to post section at Manaia on Sunday.

Other noted teams in the field include Maurice Symes, Dean Elgar and Scott Roberts.

Grant Hassall
https://sportsnewstaranaki.co.nz/news-article?id=1839&fbclid=IwY2xjawGPkYJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRKxJMfCpR-FjuUe_XYTb1hzEHxDCHPfb6Ljonx6UOS6H55ChtxonsOUlA_aem_wzTRyufuPKtJK8WQimsnXw

Wet Weather

Incase of Wet Weather during the season, please check the website for up to date instructions regarding tournaments. We endeavour to have any notices posted here before 7.30am on the scheduled day of play.

Taranaki teams announced for Whanganui fixture

Taranaki take on Whanganui on Saturday 9th November for our first fixture of the new season against our nearest rivals. The Women will play at Tower and the Men at Manaia. After winning 3 of the 4 trophies last year, we are looking forward to the fixture. Good luck to Vickie Kelly and Rhonda Adams our new Women’s Selector and Manager.

Junior Women:
Lynda Banks, Shelley Clark, Angela DeBique Christine Grant, Cindy Gray, Linda Kape, Melisa McEwen-Shepherd, Theresa Needham, Alethea Rowlands, Irene Taunt, Gloria Wolfe
Selector: Vickie Kelly, Manager: Cindy Nicoll

Senior Women:
Chris Commane, Judy Crawford, Rita Davey, Gale Fache, Maree Gadsby, Trish Howard, Ashleigh Megaw, Alesha Quay, Val Symes, Lesley Te Awa.
Selector: Vickie Kelly, Manager: Rhonda Adams

Junior Men:
Te Manu Katene (Manaia), Stephen Fevre (Manaia), Mark Hawken (Fitzroy), Gavin Benton (Fitzroy), Craig O’Sullivan (Fitzroy), Ian Dawson (Fitzroy), Simon Rowe (Fitzroy), Camron Horo (Rahotu), Nathan Goodin (Rahotu), Shae Fleming (Rahotu), Craig Murray (Oakura), Corey Brookes (West End).
Selector: John Garrud, Manager: Jimmy Quay (Okato), Coach: Moe Kelly (Fitzroy).

Senior Men:
Paul Howell (Inglewood), Kurt Smith (Paritutu), John Gray (Fitzroy), Evan Jones (Fitzroy), Darren Goodin (Paritutu), Kelly Hill (New Plymouth), Bruce Colgan (West End), Steve Temperton (West End), Steve Walker (West End), Craig De Faria (West End).
Selector: John Garrud (West End), Manager: Bruce Hall (West End)  

High Performance Coach and Selector: Maurice Symes (Fitzroy).

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish Briar Atkinson the best of luck while she is away representing New Zealand at the Hong Kong Invitational Tournament.

Bowls Taranaki Welcomes New Selector

We are pleased to announce Vickie Kelly (Fitzroy) as our new Bowls Taranaki Women’s Selector for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Vickie Kelly (Fitzroy) will be our new Women’s Selector with Rhonda Adams (Fitzroy) as Women’s Manager for the Seniors. Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood) continues as the Women’s Junior Manager with Susan Cottam (West End) as Coach/Selector. They will be working alongside our High Performance Coach, Maurice Symes (Fitzroy).

We wish them all the best, and would like to thank Don Christensen and his team for their time, effort and commitment towards the Women’s Squad over the past two years.

With the new team in place, they will be taking the time to look at all players and would like to let all players know that if they are interested in playing representative bowls, and are playing well that they will be considered for selection.

We would like to wish all the players, management and selectors the best of luck for the season ahead.

Road Closure Information – New Plymouth to Inglewood

Road Closure: SH 3 Burgess Park, between the intersections of Kent Road and Mangorei Road

Road Works

Due to road rebuilding works, this section of road will be closed to southbound traffic between 12am (Midnight) and 12pm (Midday) and closed to northbound traffic from 12pm to 12am 24/7 from Monday 16th September for approximately 8 weeks. Plan your journey accordingly allowing extra time for travel along the alternative routes.

  • Detour routeAlternative routes available via SH3a and SH45.
  • Start16 Sep 2024 12:00am
  • End8 Nov 2024 11:59pm
  • Expected resolutionUntil further notice
  • Last updated7 Oct 2024 6:03am

    Please be aware when travelling between New Plymouth and Inglewood

Taranaki Players selected for Oceania Challenge

Camron Horo (Rahotu/Paritutu), Nathan Goodin (Rahotu/Paritutu) and Briar Atkinson (Paritutu) have all been selected to take part in this years Oceania Challenge.

Good luck to Briar Atkinson who has been selected in the New Zealand Under 26 team to represent New Zealand at the Oceania Challenge to be played in Auckland. The team selected includes, Seamus Curtain, Jordan Keene, Hamish Kelleher, Finbar McGuigan and Aiden Takarua (Men). Briar Atkinson, Ashleigh Jeffcoat, Rebecca Jelfs, Olivia Mancer and Natasha Russell (Women).

Congratulations also goes out to Camron Horo, Nathan Goodin and Allan Batley (Coach) for their selection in the Aotearoa Maori Bowls Team for the Oceania Challenge to be played in Auckland, November 20-24. Good luck to you all.

Their full team is
Wahine: Aggie Motu – Tamaki
Lisa Prideaux – Tamaki
Gaylene Kanawa – Tainui
Lisa White – Whanganui a Tara
Davinia Mills – Te Tairawhiti
Reserve: Mina Paul – Waiariki
Manager: Doreen Jensen – Tamaki
Coach: Robyn Reihana – Tamaki
Taane: Raika Gregory – Tainui
Tom Taiaroa – Te Waipounamu
Kalin Huwyler – Whanganui
James Burne – Rangitane/Kahungunu
Camron Horo – Taranaki
Reserve: Nathan Goodin – Taranaki
Manager: Henry Te Moni – Tainui
Coach: Allan Batley – Taranaki

Greenkeeper Team awarded Bowls New Zealand Annual Award

For the first time ever, the Greenkeeper of the Year has in 2024 been awarded to a greenkeeping team, rather than a single greenkeeping individual.

The team of Mike Walsh, Don Christensen, Ian Andrews and Aidan Zittersteijn has not only produced outstanding greens at the Paritutu Bowling Club, but has also been influential in outstanding greens being produced across Taranaki … this last year, and in previous years.

Of course the touted quality of a green triggers much debate in the bowling community, and there are as many different opinions about greens as there are bowlers in the community.

But what can’t be debated is the fact that this last year, the Paritutu Bowling Club was the headquarters for four of New Zealand’s largest annual tournaments : the Taranaki Men’s Open Fours and the Taranaki Women’s Open Fours in January, and the National Open Fours and the National Open Mixed Pairs in February.

The greens must have something going for them!

And whilst sumptuous cheese rolls and lamingtons are welcome exigencies to earn the privilege to headquarter such prestigious tournaments, it is the greens that need to be spectacular … the many, many eyes of the players, the umpires, the spectators and the television cameras are critically scrutinising every blade of maniototo.

The greens were spectacular at Paritutu for all four tournaments.  And in fact they were spectacular all season. So mature is the leaf that when the club hosted the Para nationals in November there was no long-term damage to the surface.

“The greenkeeping team at Paritutu has challenged current thinking,” says Grant Hassall, President of Bowls Taranaki.  “They produced a quick green when the season opened last October, and the green was still playing quick more than six months later in April.  Traditional thinking would have you believe you can’t keep a green in that form for that long.”

Grant points to the ‘team’ approach to greenkeeping at Paritutu as maybe the key.

“With teamwork,” continues Grant. “They can share their knowledge and their experience … acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses … and delegate and allocate accordingly.  It’s been a great prototype, or a reminder to show other clubs in New Zealand an alternative way to manage greens.”

“But the really great thing about this greens team is that they see the bigger picture … it’s not just about doing the best for Paritutu … but the best for clubs around the Taranaki Centre.  And they’ve made themselves available to consult at other Taranaki clubs like Waimea, Waitara, Inglewood, West End and New Plymouth.”

“The team is thinking about the game of bowls New Zealand-wide, not just their own patch at Paritutu.”

Grant credits the team with being influential in creating the best greens in the country in Taranaki.  And frankly, you’d have to be a brave bowler (or a one-eyed bowler from elsewhere) to dispute the pre-eminence of the greens in the province.

Most bowlers are very envious.

“Sure, we’ve got the climate and the volcanic soil which are both conducive to maintaining great greens.  But the gamechanger happened twenty-odd years ago when the majority of Taranaki clubs started changing from cotula greens to maniototo greens.” There had been less than a handful prior to this.

“Before then, there were many Centres In New Zealand with much better greens than Taranaki.”

“Now with the right climate, the right soil, the right weed, and the right greenkeeping team like Mike, Don, Ian and Aidan, natural greens will continue to have a great future in Taranaki.”

And that’s fantastic.

Sometimes you can’t help feeling that we’re ‘succumbing’ to artificial greens.  So it’s great to see the Paritutu team fighting back!

Well done Mike, Don, Ian and Aidan.  And congratulations on being Bowls New Zealand’s Greenkeeping Team of the Year in 2024.

Bowls Taranaki Under 8s Open Day

Bowls Taranaki would like to invite all Under 8 players to an Open Day to be held at Stratford-Avon on Saturday 28th September starting at 9.30am. This day is for all Under 8 players. Anyone who is interested in improving their game, or playing Representative Bowls should attend. For all junior players coaching from the Coaches Association and advice from our Umpires Association will also be available.

Those players who wish to be available for Representative Bowls but for any reason can not make it on the day should still fill out the registration form. Play will be for the full day starting at 9.30am, mufti or club colours. Please bring your lunch. We look forward to seeing you there!

Registrations have now closed, if you still would like to attend, please either let the Centre Office or your Selector know.

Centre Office: Ian Lewis – 027 757 8800
Men’s Selector: John Garrud – 027 751 3427
Women’s Selector: Don Christensen – 021 127 6163

Taranaki v Waikato

Results of the Taranaki v Waikato fixture being held at Frankton Junction on August 31 and September 1.

Womens, round 1: singles (A Debique) lost 20-21; pairs (A Rowlands, I Taunt) lost 10-12 (to L Mundell and D White); triples (A Crehan, L Halls, G Fache) won 16-10 (over L Bennett, M Wilson, J Stockford); fours (E Ward-Campbell, G Wolfe, T Atkinson-Watt, J Moeahu) lost 5-24 (to J Logan, G Dwane, V Coll, T Jakes). Round 2: singles (A Debique) lost 5-21; pairs (A Rowlands, I Taunt) lost 13-16 (to M Wilson, G Kawana); triples (A Crehan, L Halls, G Fache) lost 18-13 (to R Brown, G Dwane, D White); fours (E Ward-Campbell, G Wolfe, T Atkinson-Watt, J Moeahu) won 15-8. Round 3: singles (A Crehan) lost 14-21; pairs (A Rowlands, I Taunt) won 16-15; triples (E Ward-Campbell, L Halls, G Fache) lost 7-13; fours (A Debique, G Wolfe, T Atkinson-Watt, J Moeahu) lost 6-19. Round 4: singles (A Rowlands) won 17-16; pairs (J Moeahu, T Atkinson-Watt lost 8-27; triples (E Ward-Campbell, L Halls, I Taunt) lost 7-30; fours (A Debique, G Wolfe, A Crehan, G Fache) won 13-10. Round 5: singles (A Rowlands) lost 16-21; pairs (J Moeahu, T Atkinson-Watt) lost 11-17, triples (E Ward-Campbell, L Halls, I Taunt) won 18-13; fours (A Debique, G Wolfe, A Crehan, G Fache) lost 9-13.

Final standings: Women – Taranaki six wins v Waikato 14 wins.

Mens, round 1: singles (D Goodin) lost 16-21; pairs (S Sabine, M Symes) lost 14-18; triples (S Fleming, K Smith, C De Faria) won 18-11; fours (S Fevre, M Hawken, S Temperton, S Walker) won 19-9. Round 2: singles (D Goodin) lost 2-21; pairs (K Smith, C De Faria) lost 14-15; triples (S Fevre, M Hawken, S Walker) lost 11-18; fours (S Fleming, S Sabine, S Temperton, M Symes) lost 10-17. Round 3: singles (C De Faria) won 21-18; pairs (S Temperton, D Goodin) drew 14-14; triples (M Hawken, K Smith, M Symes) lost 9-21; fours (S Fevre, S Fleming, S Sabine, S Walker) lost 8-20. Round 4: singles (S Walker) lost 12-21; pairs (D Goodin, C De Faria) drew 14-14; triples (S Fevre, S Sabine, S Temperton) won 22-10; fours (S Fleming, M Hawken, K Smith, J Garrud) lost 7-17. Round 5: singles (M Hawken) lost 10-21; pairs S Fleming, J Garrud) lost 15-16; triples (S Fevre, S Temperton, C De Faria) won 18-13; fours (S Sabine, K Smith, S Walker, D Goodin) lost 9-13.

Final standings: Men – Taranaki five wins and two draws v Waikato 13 wins and two draws.

Taranaki v Waikato celebrates the life of Ron Buchan

This weekend sees Taranaki take on Waikato for the Ron Buchan Plate. This new fixture celebrates the life of a man who gave his all to the sport of Lawn Bowls.

When Ron Buchan was pulled out of the billiards room by his father as a teenager and pushed towards the bowling green, neither of them would have comprehended that this was the commencement of one of the most remarkable careers bowls has ever known in New Zealand.

Ron completed 77 years as a bowler, earning distinctions galore both on and off the green. Among the highlights were:

  • An MBE for services to the game
  • Life Member of the NZBA
  • Inaugural inductee to the BNZ Hall of Fame
  • A New Zealand representative and playing No 2in the NZ four that won gold at the first World Championships in Sydney in 1966
  • The NZ fours winner in 1957
  • The NZ singles winner in 1964 and 1965

Ron was largely based in Te Aroha, originally playing for the club based at the Domain and then Tui Park. In those days, Te Aroha was part of the Waikato-Thames Valley Centre. Ron was a magnificent stalwart of the centre, which included being the Dominion Councillor on the NZBA. He had a superb mind and was an expert on all things bowls, especially laws. He was hugely successful within the centre as a player and in later years moved to Hamilton.

But the trophy for this clash between Waikato and Taranaki is fitting to be named in Ron’s honour as he also had a brilliant association with Taranaki as well.

He first competed in the Taranaki Open in 1933, finishing runner-up, and the following year became the first visitor to win the title. While other bowls commitments meant that Ron missed a few Opens over the years he competed in more than 50 editions. The last resulted in qualification in 1999 when he was aged in his 90s. A school master Ron, lived and worked in Hawera and Opunake in the 1930s-1940s and was the Taranaki champion-of-champions singles titleholder during this time.

No person has had the breadth and depth of association with both centres as Ron Buchan MBE has. This trophy, therefore, is an appropriate tribute to a brilliant bowls man.