Matamata, Te Aroha, Morrinsville Clubs

A feature on one of our "newer" members who is actually been around the block a few more times than we realised!

Bridge lessons kick off on Thursday 4th May at 7pm with Tyrel and Charlotte our tutors this year. Make sure you tell your friends, the postman, electrician, relief milker, hiking friends ... maybe even your family:)

A mention on the radio and some recent successes and hands round out this months Te Aroha newsletter from Richard.

WAP

The WAP series starts this month in Morrinsville on the 26th March.

The series is a relaxed walk-in costing only $10 per person (BYO lunch).

It takes place in 5 central Waikato clubs on Sundays, once a month over the next 5 months - come along to just one or try and win some of the overall prizes by competing in at least 4 of the events.

Need to be played with the same partner (one sub allowed) and there are prizes for best non-open pairs.

We encourage you to support your club when it is held locally as well as the other events. This is a great event to hone your partnerships and is intended for any keen juniors and above.

Richard's report from the Gold Coast Congress dominates this newsletter with close to 20% of the Te Aroha club travelling across to Oz for the event.

As you can imagine it wasn't all bridge!

Where has everybody gone for their summer holidays?

What has been happening at summer bridge competitions.

Read all about it in the latest newsletter from Richard.

Today (the 1st January 2023) is the first day of semi-retirement for Te Aroha's Richard Solomon after nearly 40 years of service to NZ Bridge.

Attached is the stories and memories about Richard for your interest.

It also appears on the NZBridge website: https://www.nzbridge.co.nz/blog/10859/Farewell-(sort-of)-to-Richard-Solomon

Even bridge stops for Christmas but not for very long afterwards!

Christmas Greetings with some December news and photos, prize winners.... and a little quiz too.

Compliments of the season

Richard

Our three Life Members together for the first time
Warmest congratulations to Beth Vosper who now joins Sonia Crawford and Lesley Quilty as a life member of the Matamata Bridge Club.
Well deserved Beth

Matamata Life Members

Hope you enjoy the attached newsletter.

There’s 2 new Life Members, some really high scores and plenty of socialising
to enjoy...oh, some bridge too!

Richard

oh, if your news has not been featured, that could be because you have not told it to me!

We were sad to hear that Matamata Life Member, Ann Ring, passed away last night. She was over 90 and was still playing regularly at the bridge club ... including last week.

Ann joined the club in the 1960’s and served on the committee from 1972 – 1975 before taking a break before serving on the committee for another 13 years. This included 2 years as Vice-President and 2 years as President. She then took another break before serving for another 5 years from 2008.

Lucille and Ann Ring
Ann Ring (on the right) with friend Lucille Hughes

A total of 22 years of service to the bridge club on the committee.

During her time with the club, she has been a marker (before the advent of the computer) a partner steward and a handicapper. She attended to the flowers and cooked chickens for the tournaments.

Ann was not one to make decisions lightly. She researched things and consulted others before making a decision.

Her name has figured 8 times on the Championship Board and on the Billy Graham Trophy.

This information was taken from her Life Membership citation in 2012 and Ann has continued to feature regularly on the trophies since that time.

For the last 60 years Ann has been gracious, loyal, faithful, generous member of the Matamata Bridge Club and she will be sorely missed by us all.

Life Members: From L-R our life members in 2019, Sonia, Lesley and Ann Ring

sorry late posting it albeit Richard distributed it in October!