Another successful Pétanque tournament saw Jane Stanton & Geoff Leader both clinch their inaugural Stragglers trophy.
They overcame Mike Coward and Bones Batchelor in the final.
Many thanks to Mike and Jane Coward for their excellent organisation of the 2026 event, which saw £270 raised for our charity.
Congratulations to this years winners, Paul & Sue Jackson.
The event raised £410 for this year's charity and our thanks 'as ever' go to Mike & Jane Coward for organising.
This year saw 24 players trying capture the Gordie Peace trophy at our annual pétanque competition.
Congratulations to Mart Stanton and Charlie Tucker, with an extra time win over Paul Jackson and Mike Coward! 😂
More importantly, the afternoon also raised £385 for this year's charity and our thanks go to Mike & Jane Coward for organising.
Another successful afternoon at Beech Hurst for the annual pétanque competition, playing for the Gordie Peace trophy.
The winning pair, were Julia Biggs and Denis O'Rourke, and 'apparantly' the losing finalists were unlucky! 😂
More importantly, the afternoon also raised £tbd for this year's charity.
Another successful afternoon at Beech Hurst for the annual pétanque competition with 10 pairs playing for the Gordie Peace trophy.
Won by the two JJ's, Jane Jupp and John Jefferson.
More importantly, the afternoon also raised £358 for this year's charity.
The pétanque raised an excellent £365 at Beech Hurst, the day included a raffle and silent auction.
Mike and Jane’s organisation was excellent as usual. A thoroughly enjoyable, sunny day .
Winners Mike and Jim!
The magnificent bank holiday weather welcomed 28 Stragglers playing in pairs and some additional spectators offering their advice on the finer points of the game. After each pair had competed in 3 round robin matches a semi final line up was drawn up by rules only the President knew which resulted in the final being contested between Ron and Jim against Dave F and Terri.
Despite the crowd cheering for the underdogs Dave and Terri the victors were the Yorkshire & Lancashire pairing.
The trophy now entitled the “Gordie Peace Bowl” following Gordies passing earlier this year was presented to Jim and Ron by our president Mike.
Our thanks go to Mike Coward and his wife Jane, together with Jennifer for organising the tournament and for putting on a magnificent a spread of fine French cuisine. Most importantly the afternoon raised £260 towards this years charity.
Following the cancellation of the previous weeks scheduled tournament, the torrential rain was replaced by glorious late summer sunshine for 32 Stragglers and guests to compete for the coveted Pétanque title.
The format of the competition was again 4 round robin leagues with the top pairing of each league going forward to the semi-finals.
Following almost 2½ hours of pulsating and exciting matches the final was played between Chris McNeill and Charlie Tucker against Julia Biggs and Gordie Peace, whereby the victors were Chris and Charlie, thanks more to Chris’s skill than Charlies experience.
Again the event was organised by our President Mike Coward and thanks should go to his wife Jane, together with Gordie and Jennifer for organising a great spread of fine French cuisine and refreshments.
More importantly the afternoon also raised £260 towards this years charity.
For a change 'glorious weather' welcomed a large 32 player turn out with additional spectators too! 4 'Pistes' were heavily utilised in the round robin leagues, where the winners of each league progressed into the knock out semi finals.
Following a much needed break for refreshments, something which was much needed by that point. Jim Pearson & Jane Jupp and Nick & Georgina Mussell triumphed in the semis to meet in the grand final. In spite of the crowds encouragement, worthy winners Jim & Jane were just too good and sadly Nick & Georgina had to look gracious in defeat.
Despite Gordie's best attempts to sabotage the organisation, another successful afternoon was run superbly by Jane & Mike 'El Presidente' Coward which raised £260 towards this years charities.
With the afternoon starting with grey skies intermingled with sunny intervals, 24 Pairs (we think) took part.
Again 4 round robin leagues were contested with the winners of each league moving into the knock out semi finals.
With light rain watering the pistes during the semi finals gave us the final pairings of Mart Stanton and Dave Bird against Ron Wilkinson and Charlie Tucker.
A close affair saw Messrs Stanton and Bird make the winning throws and be presented with the magnificent trophy as Ron trudged off into the distance again a beaten man!
As always another successful afternoon was run in chaotic fashion by Mr Mike 'El Presidente' Coward which raised something towards this years charity.
With the winning combination of the weather clearing just in time and a huge 32 player turn out, this years tournament was destined to be a great success from the outset. Something that the volume of pictures clearly demonstrates!
This year saw 4 highly contested leagues move into sudden death quarter and semi finals before the grand final.
In the final Jim Pearson & Geoff Goater took on Mike Coward & Jane Jupp, who all seemed very excited to be there.
But sadly the crowd by now had a more pressing engagement with polishing off the cheese and wine and frankly couldn't care less what happened. In the event messrs Pearson & Goater triumphed.
As ever, another excellent event which raised £190 thanks to fantastic organisation by Jim & Cath Pearson.
A total of 20 people in 10 teams of 2 players took part in this years highly contested Pétanque Tournament.
The finalists had to qualify from 2 leagues, helped by the kamikaze efforts of most of their other competitors who seemed more interested in the Cheese and Wine. However, as ever the final was a real treat for the crowd and a 'Sarsfield' family affair too; with Charlie Tucker 'retaining the Trophy' with Karin Sarsfield, who miraculously came back from 1-6 deficit to clinch victory from a somewhat perturbed Roy Aiken & Pat Sarsfield.
Yet another excellent event with great organisation by Mr & Mrs President and quality 'herringbone design piste raking' by Gordie Peace.
A total of 36 people in 12 teams of 3 players took part in this years Pétanque Extravaganza Extraordinaire.
Despite the constant threat of looming black clouds and a subsequent downpour, the teams battled through the heats resulting in a sudden death playoff just to make the semi-finals. However, the final was a treat for all the crowd with a exhibition of skill worthy of a national championship. Triumphant by just 1 point '7-6' the victorious team of Jacko, Bones & Charlie proved immodest in victory with a shout and a jump, much to upset the two time loosing finalist Mr Ron 'Yorkshire' Wilkinson.
Nevertheless, a great time was had by all at yet another excellent event with great organisation by Mr President and a wonderful new trophy generously donated by our 'piste raker' Gordie!
"VIVE LE PÉTANQUE" to the victors go the spoils, Geoff & John with the President.
24 players in 12 teams took part and after three rounds the top teams moved into the semi-final. The eventual winners Geoff Goater & John 'Bones' Batchelor produced a breathtaking display to defeat the highly skilled 'Wilkinson' team duo who, at one point, Led 6-5. In the next end, however, they had no answer to the new champions who took all 4 points on offer to clinch the victory.
Modest in their success, the team paid tribute to the president for his fine organisation of the event.
Funds, including a raffle raised £240 for the charity and the event was deemed to be a great success.
