Horsehay bowlers dominate Highley League competitions

Horsehay’s dominance of Highley Bowling League competitions this season has hit new heights.

Craig Baugh is its new Division One singles champion, winning an all-Horsehay final at sunny Stockton on Sunday.

He followed in the footsteps of ladies singles winner Kelsie Harris by beating clubmate Steve Reeves 21-9 in the final to take the Mark Bennett Memorial Tropoy.

Six Horsehay bowlers made the last eight for finals day and the losing semi-finalists were Gavin Bridge (Horsehay) and John Clarke (Stockton).

The Division Two finals were played on the same afternoon and league chairman John Palmer said: “Chris Newbrook (Shifnal) won that trophy by beating Rob Gee (Mortimer) 21-15 in the final.

“Losing semi-finalists were Mick Furness and Paul Mills (both Shifnal) and league treasurer and Mark's widow Jeanette Bennett presented the trophies.

“Many thanks to Stockton Bowling Club for their hospitality, plus all the card markers and measurers.”

Open competitions

The reigning Champion of Champions is finding out exactly how hard it is to run open bowls competitions these days.

Ash Wellings is promoting the new Reclaim Tax Hanwood Open with a £3,000 prize fund and the Bill Longmore Trophy plus £1,000 to go to the winner on Saturday, August 29.

“Less than a week to go until the opening sessions of the Hanwood Open and, due to drop outs, spaces have become available this weekend,” said Wellings. “They are on Saturday at 2pm (two spaces in that qualifying session) and 6pm (four spaces).”

Meanwhile, two of the eight places in the Bayley Ladies Triples on Sunday, August 9, at the Wellington club are still up for grabs and, 24 hours earlier, there’s room in the Viv Lomas Shield for junior bowlers at Horsehay.

And there is still plenty of time to enter the Molson Coors Newport Open on Sunday, September 24, when a maximum of 64 will target a £400 first prize.