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Northland News with Tania Brown
Greetings from the Winterless North yet again. In my firm we are all still running around in tank tops and our new winter uniforms arrived today, polo shirts.
We have been busy here with tournaments most weekends, and ground breakingly the next tourament in Dargaville is apparently on a Sunday.
A shame we have had to cut the supplied lunches at most of our tournaments but the costs became too prohibitive with the majority voting to keep the costs down and BYO lunch. A point tournments still have lunch supplied and although the entry has to reflect this, they are still well supported with a whopping 18 tables at our recent Tournament here in Whangarei.
Round the Tournaments
First things first and some results and a sharing of some memories from one of our famous 90+ year old players.
March 23rd was the Barrells 100% Teams tournament in Whangarei. This was well attended by Auckland players who arrived in droves, ate the lovely lunch and then went home with all of the prizes.
First were Neil Stuckey, Barry Palmer, Denis Humphries and David Dolbel with the Jacob team second and Fraser-Hoskin team third.
THE RAIDERS FROM THE SOUTH
They came. They played. They ate. They conquered.
1st 2nd 3rd
Denis Humphries, Barry Palmer, Rebecca Johnston, Steph Jacob Jeremy Fraser-Hoskin, Andrew Janisz
Neil Stuckey and David Dolbel Tom Jacob and Brian Mace John O'Connor and John Craig
Top Northland team were the Brown team (Not this Brown unfortunately) who came a credible 7th.
Next was the Quail Ridge Twin Salvor in Pahia. Again well attended (The North are becoming famous for their hospitality) by Auckland. This tournament saw a large contingent appear, using the seminar Geo Tislovell was holding in the North, as an excuse to have a fun weekend away. (Most people would call it a party trip). It shows Bridge isn't just about playing cards. It Is also about building some really good friendships. I would like to add that each Auckland player on the trip had to play with someone they had never played with before. Needless to say some of the morning scores were ho hum with a vast improvement happening in the afternoon.
Roger Toplis, Corina from Quail Ridge, Roger and Corina and Jane Snow and
Wendy McEntegart and Ashley Bach GeO Tislevoll
Congrats to the winners,Ashley Bach and Wendy McEntegart, with a rocking 68.27% in the afternoon to take it away from GeO Tislevoll and Jane Snow. Lovely to see you all. Both pairs are seen here with the sponsor for the day, Corina, from Quail Ridge Country Club and Roger Toplis from the Pahia Club.
90+...AND TIME TO RETIRE
On this day one of our Bridge stallwarts here in the North announced his retirement from playing. At 90+ he felt he just did not have the memory and ability any more. Memories were shared and there was not a dry eye in the room. We salute you, Lloyd Purdie.
Even though Lloyd says he no longer has a memory, Lloyd reminisced...
"We attended the very first Congress in Rotorua, about 8 junior players.How brave were we!
Judy and Peter (Brown) will be remembered for winning many tournaments in the north out of Dargaville, Peter was a great prankster, and asked us to make and wear bunny ears. In those days, a welcome evening was organised on the Friday night before the Congress started, and those poor little country bumpkins, not knowing anybody, attended wearing their bunny ears. We made friends then and there.
Lloyd is on the left with Arleen on the ground. It looks very like Patsy Walters and Margaret Hooson
on the right.
While living and playing bridge in Dargaville in the 70’s, there was a lovely Irish lady called Philo, who was a good player and also a wonderful cook. She made me many delicious apple pies.
One particular night, playing against her, I had the urge to psyche with a void….she led the suit and I trumped it – that was the end of the apple pies!"
Next was the Broome Family Tournament held in Whangarei on April 13th. Jayne Broome generously gives prizes to both the top and the bottom pairs to encourage new players to come along. Congratulations to Patsy and Lee Walters winning the Open section and Vanassa McGoldrick and Mike Curran seen here with Lee Walters (Club Captain) and Jayne Broome. I think next time I should put Vanassa on that chair so the long and short of things are not so obvious.
Vanassa McGoldrick (she is the smallest present)Laurie Brockliss and Jayne Broome. Kim Thomas and Yvonne McKinnon
and Mike Curran had a golden morning in Keri Keri.....
May 4 in Keri Keri saw us again playing in a two tournament competition on the same day. Olive Dent, our director extraordinaire, deservs a medal for managing two tournaments within the one room. The big excitement was, after the first session had to be played with a phantom in the Open Section, was that Lloyd Purdie reappeared out of retirement for the afternoon.
1st Open Pair were Lee Walters and Patsy Walters. 1Ist Junior pair were Laurie Brockliss and Jayne Broome, who also managed 3rd place in the Intermediate/Junior section. 2nd were Vanassa McGoldrick and Mike Curran who managed a whooping 68.75% in the morning and the overall winners were Yvonne McKinnon and Kim Thomas. Well done to all. Some great scores and another fabulous Saturday spent not doing housework or gardening.
Whangarei Open Pairs
Last but not least was this last weekend's tournament. Again we played host to a lively crowd from Auckland. This tournament was very generously sponsored by Yovich & Co Investment Advisers who are a long standing very reputable Investment firm here in the North. We are very grateful for their support, and the support of all Bridge sponsors around New Zealand.
There could only be one winner on the day and that was the mixed Northland/Auckland pair of Andrew Liu and Jerry Chen. There could however be two 2nd place getters, both with an average of 62.14%. It is not often that happens. Congratulations to Patsy Walters and Matthew Brown along with John Wang and Gary Chen.
Winners Alone Second Together
Jerry Chen and Andrew Liu (with sponsor, Gary Chen, John Wang, Matthew Brown and Patsy Walters
Wally Yovich
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