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Croquet season comes to a sunny end
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Members of Bishop Monkton Croquet Club enjoyed a sunny end of the season when they held a 'Laying Up of the Mallets' event.
Members played a series of six games, which resulted in John Hague and Anthea Ebbutt taking home the men 's and ladies' awards. The event included a carvery lunch at the Lamb & Flag.
Presenting the prizes, club Chairman Richard Field said the club had enjoyed a successful first season and had plans to expand further next year. He thanked members of the committee and the 24 founder members who had helped get the club off the ground.
Special thanks went to Alan Wigby who has
maintained the two lawns to a high standard throughout the season.
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SUNNY SMILES: Some of the players who took part in the close of season event. |
First match win for croquet team
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Bishop Monkton Croquet Club are ending their first season on a high, with a 77-75 points win on Monday over the Ripon Spa Hotel Croquet Club.
The friendly, the first to take place on their new ground on the Playing Fields, was keenly contested with the result being decided on the last few strokes.
The Bishop Monkton team comprised: Richard Field, John Hague, Simon Horner, Bill Betts, Steve Barlow and John Dawson.
In a previous match, at Ripon in April, the Bishop Monkton team went down by 74 to 61 points - so Monday's result levelled the honours.
The season will end on October 12 with a 'Laying Up of the Mallets' club day. The day for members will include a carvery lunch at the Lamb & Flag.
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EXCITING: The match in progress
NOTE: Bishop Monkton residents will always be given priority membership to the club. If interested, call Richard Field (677795), John Hague (677276) or Pauline Houseman (677693).
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Rosemary shows us how
Members of the Bishop Monkton Croquet Club, who the day before had been providing coaching for beginners, received some coaching of their own on Wednesday, September 17.
Rosemary Longbottom, from the Ripon Spa Croquet Club, provided the group with a useful session on various aspects of play, including explaining different shots and also resolving various unresolved queries.
Rosemary was thanked by Richard Field, Club Chairman.
Ladies get hooked on croquet!
Eight members of the Ladies Group had a go at croquet on September 16 evening - and at least five of them were hooked, and plan to become members of the club next season.
'It was really good fun, and we found we took to the game really quickly. We are now looking forward to
playing next season. We are lucky to have such a facility in ther village', said one lady.
The Ladies Group is the first village organisation to respond to Bishop Monkton Croquet Club's open invitation to any club or organisation to bring along a group of members to try out the game, and receive some basic tuition. Six more members of the Ladies Group will be coming up next Tuesday for another session.
If your club, or any indiviual, would like to take advantage of the club's offer for an afternoon or evening session of free basic tuition and a few games, please contact Richard Field (677795), John Hague (677276) or Pauline Houseman (677693).
'It is very rare for a village of this size to have its own croquet club, so we are hoping as many Bishop Monkton people as possible will come along and get involved. We can guarantee they will have a lot of fun!' said Richard Field, Club Chairman.
Narrow defeat at Burley in Wharfedale
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The club narrowly lost a keenly fought friendly match 49 - 47 against Ilkley U3A Club at its new ground at
Burley-in-Wharedale on Wednesday, August 27.
The team comprised: Richard and Pat Field, Alan and Anthea Ebbutt; and John Hague and Steve Barlow.
During the previous week club Chairman Richard Field and his wife, Pat, had represented the Bishop Monkton club at the opening of Ilkley club's new ground. Earlier members of the committtee also visited York CC and were introduced to Association croquet.
Bishop Monkton is already planning home and away matches with Ripon, Ilkley and York for next season. |
Croquet Club plays its first friendly
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Bishop Monkton Croquet Club played its first competitive match on Saturday, August 9, being narrowly beaten 74-61 by a team from Ripon Spa Hotel Croquet Club. The away match was shortened to five rounds due to the weather.
The Monkton team comprised: Steve Barlow, Bill Betts, John Dawson, Alan Ebbutt, Richard Field, John Hague, Simon Horner and Richard Houseman.
The Bishop Monkton club has another friendly planned - against Ilkley CC at Burley-in-Wharfedale on August 27.
Membership push in Bishop Monkton
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Bishop Monkton Croquet Club has launched a campaign to try and get more members from Bishop Monkton. 'Everyone is welcome to join us, and we are happy for anyone to come up and have a few free trial sessions to see if they like the game', said Richard Field, club Chairman.
The campaign has involved a leaflet drop featuring a 'Move over John Prescott' message to every household; posters on every noticeboard; and an invitation to every village club and organisation inving them to send members for a free trial session.
Anyone interested in giving the game a try should contact Richard Field (677795), John Hague (677276) or Pauline Houseman (677693). |
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Croquet Club off to a sunshine launch
CUTTING THE RIBBON: England open ladies croquet champion Sam Curry prepares to
cut the red ribbon to officially launch Bishop Monkton Croquet Club. Behind are some of
the members and guests who attended the event.
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The sun shone for the re-arranged launch day and associated ‘open day’ of Bishop Monkton Croquet Club on its new ground on the village playing fields.
It is unusual for a village to have its own croquet club and Bishop Monkton is now one of only a handful of such clubs in
Yorkshire
. The club has 22 founder members who will now be able to play on either of two full lawns which have been created this spring.
A group of special guests, members and villagers were present to hear the club chairman Richard Field call this another auspicious day for Bishop Monkton, which he said was already known as a go-ahead and caring community.
He cited the success stories behind the creation of the new Village Hall, the Bowls Club, the Life Savers, the village website, the installation of new village speed signs and soon to follow a Village Hall extension and a new children’s play area as just a few examples of what had been achieved in recent years.
Richard paid tribute to Mervyn Beecroft, Parish Council Chairman, and Richard Houseman, Chairman of the Village Hall and Playing Fields Committee, as ‘inspired leaders’ who had achieved so much for Bishop Monkton. Both attended the ceremony.
The Croquet Club was the latest innovation, and Richard said he hoped more villagers would come and enjoy this new facility and some would perhaps become members. Among those obviously enjoying themselves trying out the game for the first time on Saturday were Mervyn and Pauline Beecroft, Florence Bowes, Margaret Lodge, Sheila Robinson, David and Margaret Simpson and others.
Richard had particular praise for Alan Wigby who had been largely responsible for converting a rough pasture into the neatly mown lawns that now exist. He and his wife, Kathryn, were made honorary members of the club.
CATCHING 'EM YOUNG: The club's
enthusiasm to attract new members has
gone perhaps just too far!
Four lower pictures by Basil Birchall
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ON TARGET: Pauline Beecroft lines up the
ball watched by Florence Bowes and
John Hague.
KEEN COMPETITION: Richard Houseman and
Mervyn Beecroft at play. Behind them there is
cricket in progress.
HOOPING TO WIN: Richard Field tries
not to miss another easy one, egged on
by his wife, Pat.
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English ladies open croquet champion Sam Curry cut a red ribbon to launch the club and afterwards she and her partner, Fergie, gave a brief demonstration of how the game should played.
Almost 20 players then took part in a fun competition to see who could get the lowest score through the first four hoops.John Feeny and Richard Field tied on 12 each, and Richard won the play off, squeezing home on 11 shots.
Master of ceremonies was John Hague, (vice chairman) and other Committee members who helped organise the day were Roger Parrish (treasurer), Pat Field (secretary) and Pauline Houseman (events and social secretary). Steve Barlow also gave valuable assistance.
Anyone from Bishop Monkton interested in joining the club should contact Richard Field (677795), John Hague ( 677276) or Pauline Houseman (677234). | |
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