The third placed team of Busselton's Gerry Gardiner, Scott and Matthew Pennington and Bill Gardiner with sponsor Col Maylor.
Matthew Pennington in action.
The champion team of Joe Rollnik, Colin Hotker, Phil Hutchinson and Darren Rowland from Bassendean with sponsor Col Maylor and wife Nieves.
BUSSELTON Bowling Club welcomed 200 top class bowlers to the club for a three day classic event, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in what should now be recognised as one of the biggest and most prestigious competition on the South West bowling calendar.
After weeks of negotiation by the classic organisers, instigated by the enthusiastic Piero Biagioni, the club was pleased to announce new major sponsor Col Maylor from Phoenix Shutdown Services.
Several other businesses in town were equally as happy to support such a class event.
In a carnival atmosphere with banners and flags flapping in the wind the games began with the Busselton Toyota Welcome Fours on the Friday afternoon, followed by a barbecue.
Sponsors were not forgotten and played in a soical event on Friday, showing their skills and determination to succeed.
Many of the sponsors play corporate bowls during the year and were very competitive.
Busselton Tyrepower was victorious for the sponsors while a team from Augusta, led by Owen Rafferty, won the Welcome Fours.
The weather was cool and the grounds were in mint conditions thanks to our talented green keeper Ian Pennington and his hard-working grounds committee.
Members and spectators arrived in big numbers and were entertained by some very talented and skilful bowling.
RadioWest broadcast from the event on the Saturday, which added to the atmosphere.
At the completion of the first day play only 11 teams had won all three games, which were played over 14 ends.
The exceptional bowling from many players was a delight to witness, often with a full-bodied drive with one bowl and an accurate draw with the next, leaving spectators in awe of their skill.
Winners with a massive six wins plus 60 shots up were Bassendean’s Joe Rollnik, Darren Rowland, Colin Hotker and Phil Hutchinson.
Second place was a team from Yokine, led by John Carter, with six wins plus 48.
Third was a team led by Busselton’s very own country week singles champion Matthew Pennington.
Along with brother Scott, Gerry Gardiner and Bill Gardiner they finished with six wins plus 47 shots.
Fourth was a team led by Jamie Parker, a further six shots back.
While fifth place was the last team to finish the competition, some 20 minutes after everyone else.
They were a Busselton team skippered by championship singles player Len Mazga with five wins and a draw plus 45 shots.
At the conclusion of the event flowers were presented to catering chairperson Phyl Peach, by Col Maylor, from Phoenix Shutdown Services, as she is retiring from the position of catering convenor at the end of this year after 10 years of tireless dedication..
The bowls classic marks the end of another successful season for the Busselton Bowling Club.
It saw Busselton’s first Country Week singles champion in 52 years in Matthew Pennington and its fours team of Tom Reynolds, Don Rogers, Alan Hart and Mick Stuart finishing third.
This enabled the club to gain enough points to win the converted P.S. Bignall Memorial Shield for the most outstanding club.
A seven-game win in the fours event, by Peter Hodgson, Trevor Beswick, Keith Morris and Graham Murdock, at the South West Bowls League championships gave the club enough points to be named runner-up for the league.
Three pennant teams won the flags and several players were chosen to represent the league and zone in end of year competitions.
