All News

 

Plenty of inter-club rivalry over the last few weeks with both the Top of the South Intermediate and Junior competition and the Howorth Cup.

The Howorth Cup

The Howorth Cup is the premier interclub competition in the Top of the South.  It has been running since 1956.  Over recent years, the host club has coupled the event with a 5A tournament making a weekend of bridge.  However, with 10 clubs now in our region, 9 of whom were up for the challenge this year, Westport held the competition over 2 days and by all accounts there was some fun on Saturday night!  Nelson retain the title for the third year but it was close to the very end and swung on the last match. 

1^st       Nelson

2^nd       Marlborough

3^rd       Richmond    

Congratulations to the winning team of Steve Gray, Lindsey Guy, Susan and Tony Hinkley, Kevin Hill, Wayne McCoy, Sita Monaghan and Carol Minchin.

Motueka Intermediate Pairs

Motueka hosted their intermediate tournament on Saturday 16 May. 25 tables; a very impressive turnout, so prizes awarded in four grades.

Spades      1st                                    3rd

Jo Price & Linda Dow               Chris Sutton & Jann Dyer

Second were Sue Gibbs and Ann Baker .                     

Hearts          1st                                  2nd                                         3rd

                                      
Julia Armstrong & Carol Gatenby Jocelyn Bogue & Teri Sonal    Joan Heaphy & Kay Cotton

 

Diamonds  1st                                2nd                                          3rd

                                                
Ruth Field & Barbara Wilson   Duncan Edwards & Carrie Elliott  Fran Wilkinson & Nancy Garlick

 

Clubs   1st                                           2nd                                                   3rd

                               
Timothy Packard & Steve Penny   Diane Stuart & Dawn Bensemann  Bruce Bogue & Bev Hurst

 

Many made a weekend of it and were playing in the Intermediate and Junior interclub.  This competition has been running for several years now and is proving very popular.  It was close in the top three placings with Golden Bay being the outright winners for the second year in a row and get to hold on to the trophy kindly donated by Picton’s Keith Harrap.  Congratulations to the Intermediate team of Christine Mead, Jean Beatson, Jude Edmondson and Suzan van Wjingaarden and the Junior Team of Pam Wood, Paola Panzeri, Rhoda MacDonald and CJ Webster.  And a huge thanks to the Motueka Club for hosting the full weekend. 

Golden Bay  winning Interclub teams

 CJ, Paula, Pam, Rhoda, Christine, Jean, Jude and Suzan

 TOPS Main Centre Pairs, Kaikoura

A week later and off to Kaikoura and a report from Pam Whitehead:

Kaikoura Bridge Club held their annual Ensor Builders Tournament the weekend of 22nd May. 130 people played in the event including NZ’s top player and overall winner Michael Ware from Auckland. The tournament was a huge success mainly due to the generosity of the local community, and the members of our club, a huge team effort.
Many Kaikoura pairs featured but the most pleasing result was that of Bev Hurst and Rosemary Hargreaves, up and coming Junior players, who were 2nd overall in the event, out playing all the Intermediate grade players in the event!

David Skipper, Pam Whitehead
and Michael Ware

Results 10A Open

1st Michael Ware & David Skipper 
2nd Timothy Schumacher & Jeremy Fraser-Hoskin
3rd Gong Yunfei & Julia Zhu 

Restricted Open

1st Sam Gurney & Tony Quinlivan
2nd Pam Whitehead & Stuart Grant

Intermediate/Junior 

Spades division

1st Viv Hurst & Linda White
2nd Raylene Hunter & Colleen Adam
3rd Kerry Roberts & Gill Webby

Hearts Division

1^st Julia Armstrong/Judy Honeybone
2nd Pat Murphy/Lyn Anderson
3rd Rona Maslowski/Tom Rose

Diamond Division

1st Leonie Tregenza/Mary Banks
2nd Rosemary Hargreaves/Bev Hurst
3rd Jane & Peter Tyler- Gordon

Clubs Division

1st Izzy Green/Bruce Murphy
2nd Rosemary Smart/Robin Denley
3rd Maureen Morris/Diana Watson

 Nelson 5A Open Pairs

And back to Nelson on 29 May for their 5A, generously sponsored by Marsden House.  22 Tables and an army of helpers from the club keeping the kitchen running and calmly directed by Craig Shanahan.  The weather was atrocious so what better way to spend a day?  Chris Henry and Toby Oberdries continue their winning streak, taking out the top slot and a great performance by Mary MacCallum and Carolyn Gatenby in the Diamonds section coming 4^th overall.  A very sociable day with lots of after play banter while waiting for the results.

 

                                                          Tops in Spades

                       1st                                        2nd                                          3rd

                                  
Tony Oberdries &Chris Henry  Phil Rutherford & Ray Curnow    Jana Bott & Toby Gordon

                                                                and in Hearts

                                        1st                                                 3rd

                     
                Susan & Tony Hinkley          Kevin Hill & Wayne McCoy

Second were Sheila Beggs and Jo Price.

    1st                                                   Diamonds      2nd                                              3rd

             
Mary McCallum &              Steve Aitken & David Laing      Garry Brunton & Doug Sarkies
Carolyn Gatenby
(4th overall)

                              Clubs

         1st                                                  2nd                                          3rd

    
Peter Grooby & Marina Gosnell        Joan Heaphy & Kay Cotton  Carrie Elliott & Rosemary Kenning

 

Marlborough Junior/Intermediate Pairs - 12th June

A break over the long weekend and the Juniors and Intermediates were battling it out again in Marlborough on 12 June.  Another full house with 28 Intermediate pairs and 16 Juniors. Wonderful to see so much enthusiasm in these grades.

The intermediates were split into two grades with Kathy Dowling and John Clarke taking the top slot.  Ann Cowan and Paula Kenyon were the winners of the Juniors.

 

Intermediate

Spades

1^st       Kathy Dowling and John Clarke

2^nd       Sue Gibbs and Ann Baker

3^rd       Gill Webby and Kerry Roberts

 

Hearts

1^st       Malcolm MacKenzie and Alister Boyl (2^nd overall)

2^nd       Simon Langford and Lori Godden (3^rd overall)

3^rd       Monique Telfer and Kay Buchannan

 

Junior

1^st       Ann Cowan and Paula Kenyon

2^nd       Annie Simmons and Sylvan        

3^rd       Nancy and Robin Taylor                  

 

 NBS Richmond 5A Open Pairs

And the final tournament was the NBS Richmond 5A.  Nelson Building Society are incredibly generous with their support throughout Top of the South, sponsoring several club tournaments.  Thank you!  Richmond awards NBS donated trophies to the top performing local junior and open players.  This year Grant Crystal and Sally Ussher won the Junior and Susan Hinkley and Carol Minchin the Open.  Congratulations to the four of you.  And the junior junior team of Zoe, Paige and Hollie kept everyone fed and watered throughout the day – thanks girls – a big day with another full house.  And finally congratulations to the overall winners, sisters, Ruth & Mary Allison.

The South Island Pairs was held in Blenheim in early July. A great event by all accounts and has been reported elsewhere. Visitors took the spoils with Tony Hinkley and Adrian Abraham being the top TOPS pair.

And finally congratulations to Jim Jessep, Marlborough’s most recent Silver Grand Master.  And welcome to Richmond’s learners who are now playing club sessions.

 

Go Back View All News Items