Medicine Hat Memorial Tournament

The Medicine Hat Lawn Bowling Club held its only Bowls Alberta sponsored tournament this weekend.

The Medicine Hat Memorial Triples Tournament was held this weekend by the local club, with 15 teams, totalling 45 players, from Highlands LBC, Commonwealth LBC, Royal LBC, Calgary LBC, and Medicine Hat LBC taking part in the action.

Medicine Hat’s tournament is the only tournament on the Bowls Alberta calendar that gives lawn bowlers who don’t normally play in provincial championships a chance to play. Teams are supposed to be made up of a mix of veterans, novices and beginners.

Saturday saw teams play five games, with teams divided up into four groups and play continuing on Sunday. The first couple of games on Saturday morning provided a challenger for bowlers, as they to adjust the playing on a wet green due to the rain storm.

By Saturday afternoon, as the temperatures rose, the lawn bowls got faster and faster and made for some good games.

Wes Bresee, Jim Clegg and Sam Ferrier of Medicine Hat LBC won the eighth annual trophy with a 7-4 score over Keith Bacon, Kathryn MacGregor and Mike Belliveau of Calgary LBC.

On the B side, Ed Gallacher, Chris Bezovie, and Blair Whitman from Highlands LBC of Edmonton defeated Barb Moll, Curt Moll and Eric Moll of Medicine Hat LBC 7-3.

The C champions were Barb Spencer, Tony Spencer and Monika Pachon of Highlands LBC. They defeated Mike McGee, Brian Hutcheon and Frances Poelen of Commonwealth LBC of Edmonton.

The D champions were from Calgary LBC. Peter Ballinger, Jo Anne Liberty and Laura Levesque beat Susan Kitzen, Deborah Mlinaritsch and Ann Black of Highlands LBC.

The Ben Osterman Award was awarded to the top skip, as voted on by participants, to two skips this year. Keith Bacon and Peter Ballinger, both of Calgary LBC tied in voting. The participants felt both skips displayed the virtues of a good skip – good sporting behaviour, knowledge of the game, hard work, and competitiveness.

Barb Moll, Curt Moll and Eric Moll were awarded the Howard Davison Award, as voted on by participants, for being the team the late Howard Davison would have wanted to play with.

Davison treasured fun, good sporting behaviour, laughter, competitiveness, and time with friends and family.

Canada Day Tournament

Four teams vied for the annual Burniston Family Trophy on Canada Day. Weather was an issue for some of the morning with some serious thunder and rain storms happening in and around Southern Alberta. Play was halted at one point for 20 minutes when there was a deluge of rain. 

Skips were drawn out of a hat of the six females playing. The four skips then drew the rest of their team out of the same hat. 

Team Bower - Linda Bower, Wes Bresee, Pat Ferrier, and Braydon Gordon

Team Starling - Janette Starling, Sam Ferrier, and Curt Moll

Team Sanregret - Yvonne Sanregret, Mike Gilchrist, and Cave Starling

Team Bresee - Jean Bresee, Barb Moll, and Doug Sanregret.

Due to the weather, the skips decided that the round robin would be sufficient to determine a winner. Originally we were going to play a playoff round. 

Team Bower and Team Bresee were tied at 2-1 in the standings, but Team Bresee had beaten Team Bower to win the tiebreaker. 

The bronze medal team was Team Starling, who were tied with Team Sanregret, but had beaten them in the round robin, too. 

Alberta Coach Visit

Mike O'Reilly, Bowls Alberta coach, spent a few hours with interested members and showed them different drills and skills they could practice. The focus was on the bowls delivery, but we also practiced rolling jacks and using the bowls pushers. 

Dave Dennis Memorial

The Medicine Hat Lawn Bowling Club held its first singles tournament of the season Sunday with 14 competitors.

Seven men and seven women took part in the fourth annual Dave Dennis Memorial Tournament that resembles a backyard bocce.

Instead of competitors playing in lanes, they were allowed to use two bowls and play anywhere on the green.

On the women’s side, Barb Moll won her third consecutive gold medal with an 11-6 win over Pat Ferrier, and Jean Bresee secured bronze after holding on to an 11-8 win over Janette Starling.

On the men’s side, Wes Bresee won his first gold medal with an 11-5 win over Frank Buck, and Cave Starling took home bronze after beating Sam Ferrier 11-4.

All entry money ($140) was donated to the Margery E. Yuill Cancer Centre to help provide local cancer patients treatment and care.

Open House BBQ and Membership Sign Up

 

New Board Acclaimed

At the autumn general meeting on 30 September 2023, a new board was acclaimed. 

The club thanks Joan Theriault for her years of service as the club president. Curt Moll will moved from secretary-treasurer to the position of club president. 

Jean Bresee announced she would remain on as club vice-president.

Cave Starling was acclaimed as the new secretary-treasurer, with his spouse, Janette Starling, accepting one of the new director positions.

Barb Moll and Linda Bower announced they would remain on as directors. Barb is the director in charge of youth programming and rentals, while Linda will stay in charge of the kitchen. 

Jitney Champs Declared

Jitney is meant to be more of a social event that is played every Wednesday. Everybody plays two 6 end games, points are added up, and a high man and woman win a paltry sum share of the pot. 

However, there is an overall jitney champion declared and for the third time in a row, Linda Bower wins it for the ladies side, and Mike Gilchrist for the men's side.