Border Trophy, a Division 1 Open Singles win and a story of young Zach at Tweed Heads

State of Origin, that is to say Border Trophy. Hung, Drawn and Quartered more likely!

Poor little Tweed Heads battling it out with little support. Murwillumbah was on Safari on Norfolk Island. One brave, handsome gent from Ballina. Send him to visit any time. I had better not mention his name!

Up against the forces of Mighty Southern Queensland. A match that should have been held at the previous winner's venue. But that is absolutely fine. Tweed Heads prides itself on its hospitality and thoroughly enjoys visitors.

Dave Luxmoore and John Finlay put together a delightful day. Tweed was off to a stunning first round on home ground. Finding out how new hoops react for the very first time. Nice slow courts covered in dew. Balls diverging in interesting patterns. Out comes the sun. Those canny players from the North remembering every little nuance of the courts. Well you have no doubt guessed, thereon in was a trouncing for Tweed Heads. Those wiley Association players ended up even stevens. Queensland left congratulating themselves on a much improved Golf result.

It was delightful to see that the experienced Queensland players offered friendly advice to Tweed's many new and inexperienced players. This spirit of encouragement makes the day.

At the end of a beautiful, sunny, friendly day Tweed Heads did win the bottle of booze in the raffle, with which we drowned our sorrows and voted the day a happy experience all round.

"Where have all the people (flowers) gone, long time passing", to the lovely song attributed to Peter, Paul and Mary.

And which always pops into my mind sitting watching a tournament with an 80 or 90 year old Croquet player. Don't they love to reminisce? Those were the days, over a hundred entries for the Gold Coast Association Tournament. Spectators lining the extent of the grounds. Given the state of the weather, during the Gold Coast AC Tournament, when the daytime temperature rose to only 13 Centigrade on one day this year July 2022, why would anyone want to play or watch for that matter!? There was a glorious Sunday then more miserable days. Not that, indeed, does it stop Croquet Players from "getting out on court and playing the game". My Father's motto was "it never rains on the Golf Course", well ditto for Croquet.

So we can put forward many theories on the decline in the number of entrants and spectators. But, further along in this story, we welcome one of those little items of pure Gold. More of that later.

Tweed Heads hosted Division 1 Open Singles. Lachlan Berryman made an impressive and steady, beautifully thought out conquest to emerge as winner. Dave Luxmoore danced his way through his games. I am quite sure he will be "danseur" in the next life, or perhaps it was the last life, jeteing across a stage. Not quite sure how the lady partner can safely be lifted ahigh with a clash of croquet mallets though.

I am proud of the team at Tweed Heads, Jackie and team keeping organisation on track, even with a breakdown of online scoring available. Kitchen Staff warming the cockles of the players hearts with hot soup. And, quite obviously, when the first two days came to an end the revelry started. Perhaps that was the Club's big mistake, raffling off the cartons of Guinness from St. Patrick's Day! They were instantly broken into and a glass of the foaming brew partaken.

Day 3, Div 2 (4-9) Singles. Here comes the little item of pure Gold. I do believe there was a collective "dropping of jaws" as A YOUNG MAN WALKED IN. A Canadian young man to boot. Now none of us are going to let pass an opportunity to promote Croquet to all ages so I hope you will enjoy a human interest interlude. I haven't quite decided if this is boy meets girl or boy meets Croquet story, but I prefer to think both. Especially as their first child will shortly arrive.

Zach Kominar, born and brought up in Ontario. Graduate in Computer Science. The next horizon in his life? Well Bond University was recruiting for a two year Law Degree. That was certainly a very pleasant way to gain a Law Degree. Or was it that those magic indicators were wafting on a stiff breeze with the trade winds between two Continents! Well, of course you have guessed quite accurately. Boy meets girl. Zach meets Nadine Austin. Zach and Nadine finish their Law Degrees and go try their luck at working in Sydney. After a couple of years Nadine's lovely Boss feels, and suggests, that these young people are not meant to be in Sydney. He whisks them off to visit his home in Brisbane.

Zach Kominar.

Boss, Ron Sinclair, takes the young people round the sights. Just maybe you have guessed once again! They drop by his Club Merthyr Croquet Club at New Farm Park. And there you are, Zach is hooked, line and sinker and has not left since. Nadine plays but has taken a back seat here. Firstly AC play with a very diverse group of friends. Into Golf Croquet, then some coaching and return to AC Competition play. Zach is a very competent competitor. I heard another player call him a cheeky 'so and so' for peeling through hoop 4 so it did not give away a lift! So whilst I commend all to present this story to encourage younger members of their Club or Community to play Croquet, I return to the games.

Days three and four just about as miserable as day one. Sunny Day 2 disappeared somewhere. A delightful mixed bag of players. Whilst we know this is serious play there was an enormous amount of camaraderie and encouragement. There was one very new player. His few faults were ignored and only pointed out after the match. When I might add the newcomer had come runner up. It is never too late to be a sporting person, giving others a friendly hand. I should perhaps note here that all matches were self refereed. Peter Deeth won, John Young came runner up.

I do hope all our visitors enjoyed the four days as much as our Club did. Apologies that the Guinness had run out for days three and four! See you all next time and do bring more generations of your families to play.

By Penny Guthrie, Tweed Heads. From the Croquet Newsletter, August 2022, pages 33-35.