Just a few end-of-season bits of news and some nice photos. Including:
The September Shield: who were the winners?
Bowls bash: Top class jewellers shine at Gildredge
German visitors: All the way from Ravenesburg
Pullen Cup: Gildredge help first win since 2006
Top Club challange: Who won? The ladies or the men?
Challange Cup: Did the B team beat the A team?
Challange Shield: What a performance from Ken, Andy and Charlie
The town men's league awards
Closing drive: So soon!
September shield
The September Shield is a men's Thursday club morning competition that runs after the John Batten league has finished. Teams compete against each other over several weeks and the league leaders are declared the winners. This year's September Shield winners are........
Photo L to R: Bob Hapgood, Andy Wratten, Alan Wenham
Bowls Bash
Bowls Bash is the national pay-and-play initiative that aims to help clubs encourage new people to have a try at bowls. A new game format has been designed that uses fixed jacks and five end sets. The essence of bowls is retained, but the game is faster moving and more engaging for new bowlers. At Gildredge our bowls bash events have mainly been through community/business groups. They all pay a green fee and drink at the bar. Several hundred pounds have been raised from the five organisations have come this year. We hope some may become future members. The latest was a group of 23 staff from Brufords Jewellers who enjoyed an evening of bowls and a fish-and-chips supper. Thanks to Marilyn Doust, Chris Willing and Jo Doust for running the evening.
Photo: L to R: two of the Brufords staff who were proud of their shots. Caitlin Rowson from Brufords who organised their staff event.
Visitors all the way from Germany
Stephan Lehnert and Daniela Immler are from Ravensburg Germany. They bring 40 students over to the UK every year for a week. David Forge looked after them and helped them learn about this game which is not played in Germany. They both really enjoyed playing bowls and for first time playing, they both did very well.
Photo: L to R: Stephan Lehnert and Daniela Immler are from Ravensburg Germany.
Gildredge help Sussex Vice Patrons (east) win the Pullen Cup
For the first time since 2006 the Sussex Vice Patrons from the east of the county have won the Sussex Pullen Cup. The Pullen Cup is a competition between Vice Patron teams from across the county. The Sussex (east) team come from clubs like Gildredge, White Rock, Polegrove, Hampden Park, Sidley Martlets, Wadhurst, Hertsmonceaux, and Eastbourne. Matches are played over 21 ends on six rinks with the combined shot total giving the winners. The final was held at Newick where the team triumphed over a team from West Sussex. Jo Doust helped in the victory by leading on one of the rinks which was also the top rink. The Vice Patrons are a men's team (there is no ladies equivalent in Sussex). The standard is good, but it is all voluntary and meant to be sociable. They play friendlies, a league, and the Pullen Cup over the season. Duncan Pickering also plays for them. Jo and Duncan would be happy to chat with anyone interested in playing a few matches around the county.
Photo: The victorious Pullen Club winners after the match at Newick being presented with the Pullen Cup by County men's President Mark Broadway
Gildredge Top Club challenge
Saturday 17th September saw the second annual Top Club Challenge between the ladies' and the men's Top Club teams. The teams compete for a lovely glass vase kindly donated by John Morris. This year the competitions was played according to the ladies Top Club rules i.e. fours, triples, pairs, and singles. The winners would be the team with the most wins, but if it was a 2:2 draw then the total shot count would be the decider.
Photo: The ladies' and men's teams line up ready for the match
In a competitive match the men emerged as 3:1 winners to retain the trophy they won last year. The ladies won the singles but the men won the pairs, triples and fours. The match was played in a great spirit and followed by sausage rolls and liquid refreshment in the club house.
Photo: John Morris holds aloft the Top Club trophy to celebrate the men's victory
The Challange cup
The Challange Cup is a knock-out that follows the men's evening league. Home-and-away triples play 18 ends with the combined shot total deciding the winners. Both Gildredge A and Gildredge B reached the semi-finals which were played on 18th September at Eastbourne bowls club. The A and B teams were drawn against each other in the first semi-final! Both teams kept their selections secret for the big showdown. The A-team believed in their top billing and the B team were out to prove them wrong. In the event the A-team won comfortably on both rinks and progressed to the final against Eastbourne A. Gildredge were out-classed in the final and Eastbourne won well on both rinks.
Photo: One of the B-team triples face a tricky head against the A-team in the semi-final. B-team L to R Chris Willing skip, Andy Roberts #2, Jeff Barnes lead. Further down the rink are L to R Ray Jeffs#2, Rob Ramsden skip, Jo Doust lead
Photo: Challange cup runners-up. L to R: John Morris, Ray Jeffs, Rob Ramsden, Jo Doust, Arthur Strevens, George Murray
A round-robin plate competition was held for losing teams at the same time as the final. One triple from each of the losing semi-finalists, plus triples from the Eastbourne clubs who were knocked out earlier in the competition battled each other in a round-robin format of three 6-end matches. The Gildredge trio emerged triumphant and are plate champions 2022.
Town men's league
The challenge cup day also say the presentation of the men's league trophies. Overall it was a successful season for the men's town competitions teams. The C team finished halfway up division two, the B team were division two champions and are promoted to division one, the A-team were runners up in division one, the A-team were runners-up in the Challenge Cup, and Ken, Andy, and Charlie won the Plate.
Challange shield winners: L to R Ken Wratten, Charlie Gowler, Andy Wratten
Photo: The B team who won the town league division two and are promoted to division one. Representing the team to collect the trophy are L to R: Russell Calderwood, Jim Steer, Brian Welfare, Andy Roberts
Photo: The A-team who were runners-up in division one of the town league. Representing the A team to collect the award are L to R: George Murray, Ray Jeffs, Arthur Strevens, John Morris, Rob Ramsden, Jo Doust
The closing drive
Sunday 25th September saw the closing drive. Both the lower and upper green were resplendent with members in their whites under a blue sky and warm autumnal sunshine. A great afternoon's bowling was followed by fish and chips, rolls, and cornetto. Thanks to Petina and Bob for organising the after-match food so well.
Photo: Getting ready to start the closing drive
Fours and triples enjoyed some competitive yet friendly bowling. It hardly seems yesterday that the club was celebrating the opening drive of the season, but a busy and successful summer has made the time fly by. Roll-on the spring!
Emerging as top rink with some superb bowling were Howard, Derek and Alison. They were presented with the trophy by ladies' captain Sandra McKay.
Photo L to R: Howard Medway, Derek Box, Alison Williams, Sandra McKay