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Pendle Win Best Ever Festival

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Pendle Win 2012 Federation  Jubilee Festival of Croquet

Successful Pendle team – Federation Jubilee Festival Champions 2012
Whatever did we do to upset the weather gods?  They threw everything at us during the 2012 Federation Festival of Croquet  –  dark clouds, heavy rain, high winds, thunder, even a few hailstones, before relenting their punishment to give us glorious sunshine for our presentations.  This was the biggest Festival tournament to date and the 27 teams representing 9 clubs seemed to agree it was also the most enjoyable.  The Southport club take great pride in hosting this event and provided an environment that would be difficult to better.  The amount of work involved in preparing and setting out 15 lawns each day is staggering not to mention the awesome standard of catering which served about 80 players daily.  The infamous North Lawns were in their best ever condition demonstrating the progress made since the club took full responsibility for their maintenance earlier this year.  The opportunity to meet so many croquet players from across the region in one event makes this Festival unique and continually reminds us why we have a strong North West Federation – together we succeed in making Croquet a competitive endeavour played in a spirit of great friendship.The Golf competition was won by Pendle who won all their matches.  Similarly, Westmorland won the Handicap competition , remaining undefeated in this event.  Llanfairfechan only lost one of their Short matches to take the Short trophy.  In a tense final match, Fylde won the Advanced shield (for the second year running).Team performance in each event gains points to determine the championship club.  By a small margin Pendle were declared 2012 Festival Champions with Westmorland a close runner up.
SHORTGOLFHCPADVPtsPlace
Bowdon5-----2-----78
Bury233197
Chester444-----123
Culcheth-----2----------29
Fylde3153123 =
Llanfairfechan75----------123 =
Pendle68----------141
Southport1612106
Westmorland-----76-----132
Advanced Winners – Fylde
Handicap Winners – Westmorland

 

N.W. Fed. Festival of Croquet 2012

The teams they came from Timbuktu,
All decked in colours, red and blue.
The challenge rang the North West through,
For Southport’s croquet lawns.

Frantic members measured lines,
Laid the hoops twice, fifteen times,
Spread tea and buffet super fine,
For Southport’s croquet lawns.

Gazebos raised defied the rain.
And sure enough the rain it came.
But wind and hail don’t stop the game
On Southport’s croquet lawns.

Black clouds thundered overhead
And to the clubhouse spectators sped,
But on they played the North West Fed
On Southport’s croquet lawns.

Four events, twenty seven teams,
Hundred plus players walked the greens,
Made a real inspiring scene
On Southport’s croquet lawns.

Brave at golf Rod Sutton played,
Newly joined, but not afraid,
To join in matches here assayed
On Southport’s croquet lawns.

Our Advanced team scooped up second place,
The Golf team’s third did not disgrace,
But trophies eluded every chase
On Southport’s croquet lawns.

The Advanced was won by Fylde I reckon
The Short went west with Llanfairfechan
Westmorland’s Handicap won collection,
From Southport’s croquet lawns.

But Golf gave Pendle pride of place,
The sun shone to light the winners’ face.
Best in the North West is no disgrace
On Southport’s croquet lawns.

The hoards of players dissolved away
Reflecting on friends they made at play
But will return another day
To Southport’s croquet lawns.

By Kath Thomas, SBCC, 2nd July 2012

Short Winners – Llanfairfechan
Golf Winners – Pendle

Gallery – press any image to start slideshow:

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Comments

  1. Brilliant poem Kath – and you even managed to find something to rhyme with ‘Llanfairfechan’ ! Great.
    We all had a wonderful, happy weekend. Thanks to everyone at Southport for all their hard work and a big ‘thank you’ to Margaret and her team. Hope she approves of the photo I took.
    Love to all – Georgina
    Llanfairfechan & North Wales CC

  2. First time contributor, long-time reader of this website.

    I was moved to write after reading the poem on this page. What a wonderful piece of work!

    There’s so much information everywhere these days and this is a magnificently different way to present an event report. You should be commended, Kath, for this great poetic account of what was clearly a wonderful spectacle for all and sundry.

    I hope to see your work in the local paper one day.

    Bravo!

    Chris

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