Lawn Bowls

Waimea’s Moving Forward

Waimea New Shed

The Waimea Bowling Club was established in the early 1950’s to provide a bowling club for the Westown area of New Plymouth.

“The biggest challenge that our club has is how to get more younger players playing bowls, which is a challenge for clubs everywhere. We are spending money upgrading the clubrooms and upgrading our green and making the place more pleasant to be involved with,” Peter Old, Secretary/Treasurer, said.

“The grant was used for a new greenkeeper’s shed which replaced the old shed. It was 70 years old, and really not fit for purpose, and hadn’t been for about the last 25 years.”

A grant of $25k from Toi Foundation enabled the club to rebuild the greenkeeper’s shed. “We were able to put some of our funds in to complete the lining of the inside, driveway and new equipment to meet the full cost of the completed project. We would have struggled without the grant,” Peter said.

“It’s a large, Versatile shed, that is low maintenance. It has a big garage door that we can take the equipment through. From my perspective, being involved in the running of the club, it’s a great asset.”

“The shed itself looks neat and tidy, and it sits right next to the bowling green. We have been able to outfit it inside to cater for everything that is needed.”

“Everything that makes the club what it is, is inside that shed. The green attracts people to the club, because they want to play bowls on the best surface they can. Without the equipment being stored, we wouldn’t be able to have the excellent green we’ve got,” Peter said.

 

Ranford Brothers Combine for Taranaki Open

Nolantown and Tower

A long-held family dream of the Ranford brothers combining in the Taranaki men’s Open fours is coming true this week.

Four brothers from the famed Hāwera family – Bill, John, Keith and Peter junior – commenced the Open playing at the West End greens in New Plymouth yesterday.

“It’s been a long-time coming,” said Bill, the eldest.

The Ranford family were mighty contributors to the Nolantown club, where father Peter senior, like Bill, became a life member.

An entrepreneur and go-getter, Peter senior was instrumental in establishing the richest bowls prize in Taranaki, the Nolantown classic.

The tournament remains popular, and has been held at the Tower club ever since Nolantown merged with Hāwera.

While the brothers, who also have two sisters, grew up at Nolantown club, Bill acknowledged it was mother Noelene that had been the glue that kept the family together.

The initial desire to play together was sparked by another brother, Ron, who now lives in New Plymouth and plays for Fitzroy.

“I had asked them for years to join together,” Ron said. “But they were always too busy – until this year.”

Unfortunately for Ron, when the brothers made the call earlier in the season he had already committed to another side.

But there is some consolation – and initial bragging rights.

The brothers are all staying with Ron for the week. And while the four Ranford brothers lost both games on the opening day – including a second-round defeat to last year’s runner-up Raymond Martin (Victoria) – Ron’s side, which is skipped by Bill Johnston, had a win and a loss.

The loss against Martin showed the Ranford brothers are still more than capable, as they clawed back into the match but fell short, just, 22-20 against one of the tournament favourites.

Vogeltown Centennial Celebrated

Vogeltown Bowling Club

Taranaki Anniversary weekend is shaping up as a joyous occasion for the Vogeltown Bowling Club when it celebrates its centennial with an array of activities planned.

The club, which becomes the fourth in New Plymouth to reach triple figures, has a rich history of success and loyalty from its Norman Street location. It has had a number of talented players and consistently produced excellent playing surfaces. And as befits a club so close to Pukekura Park, it has always been superbly presented in park-like surrounds.

Jeff Burgess, organiser of the centennial celebrations, said a big weekend is planned, commencing with a formal function at Pukekura Raceway on the evening of March 9. Bowls New Zealand President Jeanette Sinclair and New Plymouth District Councillor Gordon Brown will be among the more-than 120 guests in attendance.

“We are delighted with the effort that has been made by a number of past members to attend the celebrations,” Burgess said, noting that a number of past members are returning from outside the province for the weekend.

A premier men’s two-day tournament, sponsored by Professionals Real Estate, takes centre stage on Saturday and Sunday, with many of Taranaki’s top bowlers scheduled to compete, before the event concludes with a women’s fours event on Anniversary Day.

The Vogeltown Bowling Club actually began life on Hori Street but shortly after, due to the growth of the club and the sport, moved to its current location, which is nestled just behind Carrington Street.

From an earlier era, George Pulford, Joe Peel and George Mason were among the club’s most prominent players, while in later years, noted performers have include the 1998 Taranaki open fours winning skip mighty Mick Kennedy, Dean Elgar and the colourful Rex Pollard, who holds the record of Vogeltown titles, with in excess of 40.

A women’s section was added to the club in 1960, with current member Gale Fache being the most dominant force over the years.

As an indication of the quality of the greens, the club has hosted the final of the men’s open fours on a number of instances, most recently in 2012.

In recent years, a golf croquet section has also been added to the club.

“A lot of work has gone into ensuring that this is a celebration to remember,” Burgess said. “Vogeltown has much to celebrate and to look forward to.”

– Grant Hassall
bowlsnewzealand.co.nz/club-news/vogeltown-celebrate-100-years-bowls/

Stratford-Avon Invites Everyone to Play

Stratford-Avon Bowling Club reporter Iain Parker says lawn bowls is a sport everyone can try, regardless of experience.

“It is a great low-cost, low-impact sport, suitable for everyone to play either at a highly competitive level or at a more sociable level.”

Secretary Janet Ravji says the sport has no age barrier, with opportunities for secondary school students to get through to national championships.

“There are now great opportunities for secondary school students to pursue club and regional championships, that qualify them to play for national championships. Lincoln University is now offering bowls scholarships to add to the other comprehensive sports scholarships they offer.”

Ian says lawn bowls have changed over the years.

“Gone are the days of all-white uniforms and only black and brown bowls. The bowling greens of the world are now a festival of colour with new game formats, of different time durations to suit more people.”

The club runs a number of sessions to cater for everyone, Janet says.

“We run early season Saturday sessions and later in the season we run the popular Friday evening Business House Bowls Tournament. This is played in the bowls three five format as seen on TV.”

The club is holding an open day, where people can come and find out about the club.

“Everyone is welcome. Lawn bowls is a great sport for everyone, and we have members from secondary school age and up. This will be happening whether it is wet or fine.”

nzherald.co.nz/stratford-press/news/stratford-avon-bowling-club-invites-everyone-to-try-lawn-bowls-at-open-day/A4YROGRNQUFKBYTWYLFFTV5W5M/

 

Rahotu Celebrates 100 Years

A bumper weekend is planned for the Rahotu Bowling Club when it clocks up a century over the coming days.

Secretary Peter Charteris said the club had registered 28 teams of fours for the official tournament, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday. All the activities are at the club. Three games will be played on Saturday and two on Sunday, with teams rotating on and off.

Bowls NZ president Mark O’Connor will be in attendance on Sunday and so will most of the Rahotu community itself – with some 220 expected for the hangi.

Handing out the prizes on Sunday will be the three oldest members of the club and the three youngest – the latter all being current students at Opunake High.

A number of past members will naturally attend, including life members like John Morgan and Ron Bingham and past Taranaki president Peter Bennett. Veteran Kevin Mischefski, who at 90 is still winning club titles at his adopted Stratford-Avon, will be there, too. Mischefski grew up adjacent to the Rahotu club and won the club and western division junior title away back in 1947.

The club’s origins date back to February 1920 when a preliminary meeting was held and a committee was set up. Progress initially was slow at laying the original green. It was made up of four rinks and was located at the Rahotu Domain. Its official opening didn’t occur until February 1921 where the Rahotu hospitality was laid down for the first time. Arthur Chapman was the first president and his wife prepared the dainty afternoon tea at the official opening.

After eight years the club was donated land besides the Rahotu Tavern – its current site – by the then publican, Ted Whittle, father of Waimea’s favourite friend, Ken.

Whittle believed that having the club so close to the pub would be good for business – and so it proved. Charteris noted that hospitality and sociability remain integral parts of Rahotu. “We have 20 members and 15 of them drink beer!”

The Rahotu club has benefited greatly from the Lowry family, with descendants joining in the early 1920s.

A number of members of the family have performed with distinction on the green, including Taranaki gold star holder Des.

Rahotu gets the Queens Telegram

Chances are you’ve probably never heard of ‘Rahotu’.  Let alone been to Rahotu.  And let alone played bowls at Rahotu.

However, Rahotu is quietly famous for a number of reasons.  Five of them.

Firstly, Rahuto is the most westerly settlement in Taranaki.  That sounds about as west as it gets in the North Island of New Zealand, but the shape of Maui’s legendary catch means that the Far North of Kaitaia claims a more westerly place on the planet.

Secondly, it’s just a few kilometres down the road from Parihaka, site of one of the most talked-about land confiscations in New Zealand history.

Thirdly, it’s also just a few kilometres from the Cape Egmont Lighthouse … a ‘second hand’ cast-iron lighthouse that was originally built in London for Mana Island in Wellington Harbour, before being re-homed in Taranaki.

Fourthly, it was the home of the Rahotu Rugby Club where Beauden Barrett played his early game, before continuing to play for the Coastal Rugby Club, an amalgam of Rahotu, Opunake and Okato clubs.  Rahotu is the Barrett family’s backyard.

And fifthly, Rahotu is the home of Bowls Rahotu … a bowling club that will shortly celebrate its centenary.

“The club was formed back in 1920 by local cockies and townspeople” says Secretary/Treasurer Peter Charteris. “The council gave them a bit of land in the Rahotu Domain – enough for a 4-rink green and a small clubhouse. The club started with a membership of 33.”

Eight years later, the local publican of the Rahotu Hotel, Ted Whittle, spotting a way to increase liquor sales, donated land next door to the hotel which the club made its new home by constructing an 8-rink green.

“We’re still in the same place today,” adds Peter, “although ‘new’ clubrooms were built in 1991.”

Over the last hundred years, Rahotu has bowled way above it’s weight in the Taranaki Centre.

“The Pennington’s, David and Len, won numerous centre titles in the 50s and 60s,” recalls Peter, “Their dad, Harry, was a Rahotu club stalwart as well – he built the original clubrooms with the help of other club members.”

The Penningtons head a long list of Rahotu bowlers who have made a splash at centre events.  Names like Des, Eric and Ian Lowry; Gordon Mabey; Bill Mitchell; Gerald Dawson; Cliff Leatherbarrow and more.  “Trevor Wilde, Cor Hofmans, Ray Schultz and Peter Bennett won the HANZ North Island Tournament 4 times – in 1978, 1980, 1981 and 1987.”

Many of Rahotu’s stars now play at the West End Bowling Club in New Plymouth.  “A lot of our players end up retiring in town,” says Peter,” but they still retain a soft spot for Rahotu.”  So much so, that the challenge for the West End – Rahotu ‘Log of Wood’, created in 1987, has become a twice-a-year fixture between ‘the Townies and the Coast’.

As has competition for ‘the Horns’ – an annual fixture between the Waitara Bowling Club and Bowls Rahotu.  “One of our juniors, Ivan Harris, created the trophy when he moved to Waitara and went to work for Borthwicks in Waitara.  A huge steer from Pungarehu arrived at the works one day with near perfect horns, and Ian decided the preserved and mounted horns would make a great trophy between his new club at Waitara and his former club at Rahotu.”

“They’re just a couple of the tournaments that have become annual fixtures here,” says Peter.

“We have 4 days during the season when the whole community seems to turn up to play progressive bowls.  We’ve had ‘Barrett Days” over the past few years, where Smiley has got his kids released from rugby for the day, and got them along to play bowls.  The locals love the fact that the Barrett boys still enjoy coming home to where they grew up. And to where their 4 grandparents played bowls.  Three of them played at Rahotu while Ted Barrett played down the road at Warea and Oakura.”

It’s probably a Kiwi thing.  We like our heroes to stay humble and grounded.  It’s probably the egalitarianism many of us inherited from our ancestors who fled the class society of the home country.

It’s also what makes communities like Rahotu tick.

“We’re not just a bowling club,” observes Peter, “the local Lions Club uses our clubrooms, as does the local primary school.  In turn, we get fabulous support from the whole community – at last count, 34 local businesses sponsored Bowls Rahotu.”

At 100 years old, Bowls Rahotu is doing an amazing job.  All with just one cotula green, 20+ playing members and 10+ social members.

Congratulations Rahotu.

Bowls New Zealand
bowlsnewzealand.co.nz/club-news/rahotu-gets-the-queens-telegram/

Paritutu Young Guns Claim 118th Taranaki Open Men’s Fours

Paritutu Winners

If the final of this year’s Taranaki Open Men’s Fours is anything to go by, the future of Taranaki bowls appears to be in almighty shape, with four Paritutu young guns getting the job done among elite company.

The format, now in its 118th year, played host to a remarkable 182 teams – an increase of 24 sides compared to the previous year and proving to be the highest number of entries since 2015.

Spearheaded by Hamish Kape, and ably supported by Aidan Zittersteijn, Kaylin Huwyler and Daryl Read, the quartet proved impressive throughout, navigating their way through some stern challenges over the traditional 25-end format, becoming the youngest team in the history of the event to take the spoils.

But their win certainly didn’t come without drama – Kape and his troops having to dig deep to stay in touch with former New Zealand international Peter Belliss, forced to chase a four on the final-end to keep their title hopes alive. Alas, Zittersteijn, a commonwealth games bronze medalist, stepped up to the challenge, trailing the jack several metres back to his team’s waiting bowls – holding four for the draw. A couple of wayward run shots from Belliss, and an added shot from Kape saw the local’s pick up a stunning five-count, progressing their way through to the grand finale.

Though, as good as the closing stages of the semi-final were, all eyes were firmly on the all-Paritutu club clash, with Kape lining up against Brendon Walton and his combination of Trevor Johns, Gary Barber and Aiden’s father John Zittersteijn – John himself, a former New Zealand indoor bowls representative.

After 10 ends in the final, Kape’s side led 8- 6. The side showed good intent following afternoon tea when they extended that to 13- 6 after 13 ends, though five singles to Walton had it 13-11 after 18 ends, shaping up for a thrilling finish.

However, some outstanding skipping from Kape saw the young guns retain advantage, extending their lead to 18-12 with four ends remaining. Though, not to be outdone, Walton and his side continued to show grit and determination, closing the gap to 18-17 with one end left to play.

A long end, into the wind, saw Read and Huwyler drew good shots. Walton attacked twice on the wide hand, both times swinging under the head to leave Kape’s side with the accolades, but Walton’s team still with many happy memories of the week.

The other semi-final saw Walton and Co. defeat defending champions Craig de Faria, Dave Wilson, Steve Walker and Jordan Linn, matching their clubmates and booking their spot in the final dance.

In other results (for the non-qualifiers), the vastly experienced Thames Valley duo of Karl Garrett and Colin Gawith secured the pairs’ silverware, staging a fierce comeback opposite composite pairing Matthews Higginson and Andy Dorrance, 22-11. Beaten semi-finalists were Bruce Colgan and Camron Horo and Inglewood’s Chris Gyde and Bernie O’Sullivan.

Meanwhile, attention now turns to the Taranaki Women’s Open, with 82 combinations vying for the prestigious title later this week. Qualifying is now underway.

-Sam Morton

Bowls New Zealand

Okato is back competing in Taranaki women’s bowls.

Okato Women's Bowls

After an absence of 10 years, the coastal club is back firing on all cylinders, which includes competing in this week’s Taranaki women’s Open fours.

The club, best remembered for the likes of Howard Andrews, Raewyn McEldowney and Val McEldowney, has been a mens-only entity for the past 10 years, after the women’s division fell into recess.

That was until the likes of Linda Kape and Fiona Liddall brought it back into life. There are now seven affiliated women bowlers, with four of them taking part this week – Kape, Alesha Quay, Ashleigh Megaw and Bernie Butler.

Kape is the most experienced of the quartet, coming from a family of bowlers, including husband Ken and sons, Jamie and Hamish. Prior to this season, she had played one event, 10 years ago.

She is the team skip – or “mum” as her three younger teammates, who are all first-year players, refer to her as.

All of them were introduced to bowls through the active social games that are run at Okato. And while the side is yet to register a win this week, meaning it cannot qualify for post section, they are learning quickly, and most importantly, having a lot of fun.

Among the tips they have picked up is documenting their misdemeanours, like recording the wrong score, walking down the other end at the incorrect time or swearing. There’s $20 up for grabs, a pointer they picked up from the vastly experienced and successful Tauranga teamed skipped by Mary Campbell in the first game.

“We mingle afterwards, but bring good attitudes. We hope to be back next year for revenge!” Kape said.

There are seven sides that have recorded four straight-wins, meaning they have already qualified. They are Patty Symes (Tower), Campbell, Teo Thoresen (Central Levin), Margaret Taylor (Waitara), Lesley McLinden (Royal Oak), Alison Winter (Central Cambridge) and Dot Collis (Waitarere Beach).

Defending champion Alison Rennie (Carlton Cornwall), whose side was skipped on Wednesday by Louise Fitness, suffered its second loss of the Open, going down 26-24 to Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood) in the afternoon. Nicoll drew a front toucher on the last end to win it.

In the same position as Nicoll, needing two wins on Thursday are Gayle Melrose (Papakura), Natarsha Grimshaw (Kia Toa) and Wendy Green (Ngongotaha). The latter two both rebounded from double defeats on Tuesday to win both matches.

Grant Hassall

Manaia Bowling Club roll up for another year

http://www.opunakecoastalnews.co.nz/pdfarchives/September%2022%202022.pdf

OPUNAKE & COASTAL NEWS Thursday, September 22, 2022

Manaia’s own Auckland Cup was being competed for when the Manaia Bowling Club had their opening day on September 11. It all harks back to when a couple of busloads of Aucklanders would travel to Hawera for the Easter Trots, meet at the Waimate Hotel in Manaia and play bowls at the local bowling club. In appreciation of their stay in Manaia they presented a trophy to the Manaia Bowling Club which can be competed for in either triples or fours. On Opening Day they were playing triples. “This is a real good turnout for opening day,” said Ross Clark, who for the past six years has been club president. “The club’s going really well. We’ve re-established the women’s bowls which is growing all the time and a couple of our ladies have made the Taranaki Juniors team for the last couple of seasons.” Membership currently stands at 40-45 playing members, and a number of new players were at the opening day, including Dee Young. “I played twice before, Manaia Bowling Club roll up for another year years ago,” she said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to join.”

The Manaia Bowling Club was founded in 1899, celebrated its centenary in 2000, and is looking forward to celebrating its 125th jubilee in February 2024. Those wanting to see something of the club’s history as well as that of other Manaia-based sporting clubs need look no further than the museum which bounds the southern end of the playing greens. As well as photos, records and honours boards from the Bowling Club’s 125 year-long history, there is memorabilia from other clubs, much of it previously kept in the Manaia Sports Complex, which like Manaia’s town hall was closed after failing to meet earthquake standards. “We’ve just started the museum,” says Ross. “We’ve got the tennis club to go up, and the Waimate Netball Club wants to put their photos on the wall.” Glance across the photos in the museum and familiar names of well-known local sporting identities come into view. These include a number who have both played for the local Waimate Rugby Club and represented New Zealand, like the Good brothers, Alan and Hugh, as well as Billy Glenn, a member of the 1905 Originals, the first team to be called All Blacks, and the first All Black to later serve as an MP. Manaia Bowling Club secretary Megan Peters says the museum can be opened up on appointment. “This is quite cool,” she said. “We’ve had a bus stop here to have a look from the Hawera Park Bowling Club.” Kelvin Putt has been a member for the last 40 years and says in his time he has held every position in the club. He has seen a number of highlights along the way, including being part of the Manaia team that were the Taranaki Third Division Inter Club champions in 2017-18.

Last year the Manaia Club ended a 10 year drought by winning the Symes Shield for Men’s Fours which is competed for every year between clubs in the Taranaki Southern Division. As well as looking to its past, the club is also looking to its future with refurbishments to its club rooms including a new roof, new windows and a paint job. The Manaia Bowling Club is becoming something of a hub for the community. The Manaia RSA are now based here, and have shifted their honours boards and memorabilia from the War Memorial Hall to the club rooms. Another new addition, installed less than a month ago is the defibrillator, handily located on the outside wall a short distance from the entrance to the bowling green. Ross says the defibrillator is available to the general public 24/7, doesn’t need any codes and is under security camera surveillance.

Hawera Park Bowling Club Gearing up for Centenary

“We will hold our centenary in 2021,” said Bill Batchelor, the Hawera Park Bowling Club’s genial manager, surveying the host of mid-week bowlers relaxing over their afternoon tea. Already there are reminders of the upcoming event in the clubhouse as a novelty Fine Box beside the wall for players delivering wrong biased bowls.

The establishing of a second bowling club for Hawera was an expression of the post World War I desire to have sports facilities available to the residents of the town.

There was already the Hawera Bowling Club, 25 years old, well established, and regularly hosting teams from major centres throughout New Zealand but local sentiment was that a second club was needed at the western end of town.

The Borough Council was already aware of this and had planned a site on the Camberwell Rd side of the park for the Park Bowling Club, that only waited for an organiser.

Charles Curtis was a well known local man, partner in the coach building business Curtis and Spragg, and had been bowling for the Hawera Bowling Club for some years and answered the challenge.

He called a meeting on the December 22, 1920 where he explained to the 25 present the value of having a second bowling club for the town. A committee was elected, Patron, the Mayor Mr Dixon, President Mr Curtis, vice presidents Messrs Lewis and Black, Treasurer Mr Westerway, auditor Mr Stannard, Committee, Messrs Card, McPhillips, Butler, Burrell and Stannard.

The initial subscription was set at two guineas and 30 names were handed in for would-be members.

They wasted little time ploughing their allocated site at the park, the green prepared and sown, registering the club as an incorporated society and applying to be accepted by the Taranaki Bowling Centre.

The next thing was to have plans for a pavilion that were quickly accepted by the borough council, the architects Duffill and Gibson called for tenders, which were won by Mr Burrell on July 16, 1921.

He set about providing the club with a pavilion that would last until burnt by a disastrous fire many years later when it graced a new green in High St.

Mr Curtis, as President of the Park Bowling Club, responded to invitations to the opening days of the numerous clubs throughout South Taranaki during October 1921, meeting bowlers at Pihama, Auroa and Opunake; Hawera opened on October 6, but the park club was delayed by rain until November 2, when representatives of Hawera, Patea, Waverley, New Plymouth and Inglewood were present.

The brilliant sunshine of Wednesday, November 2, brought out a large crowd of enthusiastic bowlers and visitors who heard the welcoming speech from the club President Charles Curtis, where he told of the hard work the committee and the supporters had put in over the past 12 months to be able to have their own green and pavilion.

He concluded by giving advice to bowlers’ wives, when he said that if their husband was not in the best of humour they should send him off to the bowling green because there was no better cure for a ‘grumpy hubby’ than a game of bowls.

Mr JD Sole, the president of the Taranaki Bowling Centre spoke next and after congratulating the new Park Bowling Club told the assembly that in the current year (1921) there were 13,301 bowlers in New Zealand of whom more than 1000 lived in Taranaki, the third largest bowling centre in New Zealand.

After the speeches and a game “a bountiful afternoon tea was provided by Mrs Curtis of which several hundred people took part”.

Arthur Fryer
https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/lifestyle/74445175/arthur-fryer-hawera-park-bowling-club-gearing-up-for-2021-centenary