Paterson Trophy still with its regular ‘owner’

Press, 1 September 1982, Page 26

Paterson Trophy still with its regular ‘owner’

JACK BURROWS

reviews Canterbury’s

amazing tenure of the' renowned indoor bowls trophy.

The symbol of South Island indoor bowls supremacy, the A. S. Paterson Trophy, has enjoyed a virtually permanent home in Canterbury since 1957.

The trophy has made only brief sallies away, before again returning to the fold. A grain and seed firm, that has since been swallowed up in various mergers, was the donor of the trophy. A subsidiary of the firm manufactured bowls for a time in Lower Hutt.

The first contest for the trophy was held as a quadrangular tourney at Timaru. in 1957, between the North Otago, South Canterbury, Ashburton and Canterbury associations.

With the fighting spirit that has become the hallmark .of Canterbury teams, Bev Penney won the last singles game, to commence a long association between Canterbury and the trophy. In the following four years, Canterbury held off 21 challenges from Marlborough, Greymouth, Hokitika, Nelson, Southland, Ashburton, South Canterbury and North Otago. An important feature in competition throughout this period, as indeed it is at present, was.the Canterbury strength in singles play.

Southland became the trophy holder in 1962, but Canterbury prevailed again .in 1964.

Ashburton, with coaching assistance from a Canterbury representative, Norm Hocking, who lived in the area for a short period, held the trophy briefly in 1965, before losing to Southland in the same season.

Canterbury travelled to the deep south in 1967 to commence a 14-game tenure of the trophy. But the Welch Trophy, which had previously been contested on a challenge basis in the North Island, became a further target that year for Canterbury. A North Island Paterson Trophy had been introduced in 1967, and the Welch Trophy became the symbol of national supremacy. Canterbury was successful in winning it the first two years, defeating Auckland in 1967, and Waikato in 1968. A golden era of indoor bowls commenced for Canterbury in 1971. It was to last for eight years, over 41 Paterson Trophy challenges, and including five Welch Trophy wins. The Welch Trophy contest was reconstructed on a membership basis, to a triangular event in 1977, incorporating two North Island districts.

Canterbury was equal to the occasion, securing the

national final at the first of these contests at Napier, with Auckland and Manawatu as its opponents. In 1977, also, the South Island was divided into two zones. necessitating an annual zone final to find a South Island Welch Trophy representative.

Many fine players have taken their places in Canterbury teams over the years, with pride of place going to Alf Williamson. He represented Canterbury from the first contest in 1957, through to the 1982 challenges. Trevor Austin, Gary Barnes, Lloyd Bellis, Leon McLennan. and Williamson have all gained Welch Trophy Gold Star badges.

Canterbyry took the Paterson Trophy from Otago last season, and went on to defeat Auckland and Upper Hutt Valley, at Rotorua, winning the Welch Trophy for the eighth time.

Six challenges this season have produced clear wins to Canterbury, which will now meet Golden Bay-Motueka at Westport on Saturday to find this year's Welch Trophy finalist.

The combined team will field the same eight which held Canterbury to a narrow 30-26 win last season.

The Canterbury team remains the same as that which scored a decisive 41-15 win over South Canterbury in the recent challenge. The teams are:-

Canterbury.—L. McLennan, A. Williamson. N. Tomlinson, M. Austin, D. Philpott. L. Bellis. M. Berkeley. R. McCutcheon.

Golden Bay-Motueka.-R. Inglis, M. Johnston, Mrs. R. Inglis. G. Edwards, R. Robb. R. Duncan. L. Inglis, M. Duncan.