Raglan’s boom summer of bowls has continued with the successful hosting of the 21st edition of the Western 1000 Open Fours tournament.
First played in 2005, the tournament was the brainchild of Terry Green and the late Blue Stephens. As the name suggests, $1000 in prize money was originally up for grabs. The event has attracted a capacity field every year it has been played, and the 2026 edition again welcomed 28 teams from throughout the Waikato.
Prize money has increased over the years and the tournament remains one of the richest events in the region. It has also been fortunate to retain many of its long-standing sponsors, with PGG Wrightson Livestock (Chris Leuthard), Seddon Park Funeral Home and FreshChoice Raglan all continuing their support as foundation sponsors.
Raglan fielded eight teams, with 20 visiting clubs represented.
This year’s winners were the Frankton Junction team skipped by Neil Clarke, with Chris Bryant (lead), Garry Taylor (second) and Maurice Parker (third). They were one of three four-win teams, all from the strong Frankton Junction club.
Twilight bowls came to an end on Tuesday, March 3, with a happy group of mostly newcomers enjoying the club’s renowned hospitality. The evening began with a “spider”, where all players surround the green and deliver one bowl to get closest to a $50 note placed at the centre. Craig Wallace proved the most accurate and scooped the cash.
After five nights of competition, two teams remained undefeated, each recording four wins and a draw – the draw coming when they played each other. One team featured non-bowlers Phil Shea, Terry Wright and Dave Robertson, along with Spark and Anne-Marie Zijlstra. The other team included club bowlers Zoran and Nadine Gusevski.
On the club scene, the championship fours have recently been completed. The women’s title was won in superb fashion by Suzanne McGarvey’s team of Kathryn Fitzgibbon, Anne Burnand and Sue Kingi, who defeated pre-game favourites Maureen Wahanga, Bev McDavitt Whyte, Sonia Moa and Anne Burnand.
The men’s champions were Colin Bouzaid, Peter Puschmann, Ross Turner and Gavin Crowley, the only undefeated team in round-robin play. It marks Crowley’s first entry on the club’s honours board.
Upcoming events include the championship pairs, under-five singles and pairs, and mixed pairs.
Anyone keen to get involved is welcome to join the club roll-ups every Wednesday and Saturday at 1pm (check-in at 12.45pm). Teams are drawn, with newcomers paired alongside experienced club members.
For more information, call Alan on 021 456 751.
