THE EAST Coast Low tried its darndest over the long weekend to cruel one of the premier lawn bowls events on the Mid North Coast – but the players who had come from far and near were undaunted.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Soggy yet defiant, the bowlers played cat and mouse with the rain in the 41st Ken Howard Memorial Bowls Carnival at the Nambucca Heads Club.
But it’s fair to say that the Men’s Fours – sponsored by Geoff King Eastland Motors – did not go as the organisers had planned thanks to the weather.
Continuous rain forced the event to be shortened after three games over two days’ play. Even then play over the two days was continuously interrupted by scuds from above, and at times played in the rain.
Despite the disappointing conditions the bowlers managed to stay focussed and patient and completed the carnival in good spirits, pledging to return again next year.
The winning team, collecting $4000 in prize money was a composite team outfit, who got together only a day or so before the competition.
The skip was Rod Chetwynd from Port Macquarie, the 2nd and 3rds were Ross Strahle and Peter Doyle respectively from Armidale, and the lead was Terry Steele, a novice in the team from Nambucca.
Peter Doyle now has his name on the Ken Howard Shield four times, so ‘Steelee’ is up there with some very good bowlers.
Once again – and this time in extremely testing conditions – the Ken Howard Memorial Carnival Committee did an excellent job in organising and coordinating all the associated jobs and people who go to making a successful carnival.
* Ken Howard was a colourful radio and television personality, who embraced Nambucca Heads as his home in retirement.
During his illustrious career as a race caller, Ken worked for radio stations and on television. His accurate calls and excited tone made him a recognisable voice on the track, and his passion for that continued into his retirement, where he became a fixture at local race meets.
Ken became a regular on the Nambucca Heads bowling green, as lawn bowls became his passion, as well as fishing.
He died in 1976 at his home at the age of 62. Ken Howard’s passion for lawn bowls has been remembered with this annual carnival named in his honour.
