Southport players travel far, Gateballers reach Thailand, and Mary McMahon wins a fourth QLD Open

The members of Southport have travelled to many places to compete in Competitions. In Association Croquet Kathie Grant and Dennis Backer played in the annual Darling Downs AC Competitions in February. Kathie Grant was placed 2nd in the Division 1 event while Dennis Backer won the Joy Gardner Trophy for Division 2 players.

Anekia Brown presenting Dennis Backer with his trophy.

The annual Southport Shield for Division 4 players was held at the Club 2-3rd March. There were five competitors with three coming from Merthyr Club. The winner was Alan Anderson from that Club as seen in the photo on Merthyr's news item and second was Kevin Hamilton Reen.

Kevin Hamilton Reen from Twin Rivers, Maria Barrett from Broadbeach, with Alan Anderson, Janelle Wynn and David Bartholomeusz all from Merthyr Club.

It was a really good opportunity for these players to get immersed in the tactics and skills for Association Croquet by playing against opponents who were also new to the code. The three from Merthyr were Golf Croquet players wishing to expand their croquet knowledge and who were coached by Greg Kerswell and Lindsay David.

Three Gateball players - Julia Tai, Donna and Robert Nicholson - flew to Chiang Mai in Thailand to play in an International Masters Gateball Tournament. It was a first time experience for them to be in that city and play at that level of competition. Popular with all competitors who wanted photos taken all the time, they even were featured on the local news. Two players from Adelaide and one from Brisbane joined up to make a composite team proudly wearing the colours for Australia.

The Southport Gateball players at the International Masters Tournament in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

It was a hectic month for Donna who was awarded her Level 1 Referee badge along with another Club member, Kerry Lamerton, at the recent Moreton Bay gateball competition. Congratulations to both of you.

Donna Nicholson and Kerry Lamerton with their Level 1 Referee Badges.

There is a busy schedule of events for Gateball with the first one at Southport being the Gateball Triples to be held on Sunday 7th April.

Southport hosted a very keen group of Gateball players from Cherry Street Club in Ballina. It was a return visit since 6 of our players went to their Club last December. We played several games and Ray Chapman from that club was able to practice his Refereeing Skills.

Playing Gateball with friends from Cherry Street Ballina.

The very strong cohort of Golf Croquet players are getting ready for the Regional Pennants matches. IntraClub competitions have been organised to develop their competitive skills. They will have been inspired by the result from the 2024 QLD Women's Open Singles Golf Croquet Championships. Mary McMahon won it for the 4th time. Congratulations, Mary! What a marvellous achievement. Prior to this event, Mary travelled to Cairnlea in Melbourne to play in the second President Eights event.

Mary McMahon holding the Fleming Trophy for the 4th year in a row.

Another regular competitor in Golf Croquet Championships is Gabby Spencer who came 3rd in the QLD Open Singles in Golf Croquet in the recent competition.

By Southport Croquet Club. From the Croquet Newsletter, March/April 2024, pages 25-27.