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Although the final was a repeat of last year’s, it was an even closer affair. The Singles, 5
between Luke Haddon (who subsequently went on to win the British Isles Singles for
Wales) and Jim Mannell, was the first to finish. Luke and Jim had played each other in the
earlier rounds, a contest just won by Luke, though Jim had won more ends. However, in the
final, despite Luke putting Jim under pressure numerous times, by the start of the last end Jim
held a one shot advantage.
In an exciting final end, in which shot changed hands several times, Luke narrowly missed
a long draw for two on the last shot, so the game was tied at 5 all over nine ends, which was
very tight indeed.
The Pairs were the next to finish, the two Bens from Skewen, Jackson & Haddon playing
Hazel Berry and Andrew Pinkawa. The Skewen Pair gained a 9-1 lead, but Templecombe scored
a four on the penultimate end and tied the final end to lose only 9-5. The match result now de-
pended on the Triples, in which Templecombe were represented by Chris and Celia Jeans &
Alan Berry. When the Pairs finished, Skewen were strong match favourites as their Triples then
led by three shots at 6 - 3, with two ends to play. However, Templecombe gained a four to get
right back into the match.
At the start of the final end, Templecombe led by a single shot on the scoreboard at 7 - 6
and pressed hard to hold at least enough shots to draw the match by the time Chris Martin, the
Skewen skip, came to play the final wood. Chris gathered the jack, but didn’t quite stay close
enough to it, so Skewen lost two shots and the game by three. The match score finished equal
on three points each, but Skewen retained the trophy on shot difference by the narrowest of
margins, a single shot.
Cerne Abbas Invitation Triples

Eight teams from Devon, three from Somer-
set, including the holders, Hadspen and one
from Dorset, played four games each, the
winner being the team with the most points.
By the final round, three teams were in the
running with maximum points, the holders,
Hadspen, last year’s runners-up, Woodbury,
from Devon and Stalbridge from Dorset.
Hadspen and Woodbury met in the

Winners Nigel Wheaton,
Steve Wheaton and Sue Smith

final round, but Woodbury couldn’t maintain their
earlier form and Hadspen won by a good mar-
gin. So Stalbridge needed to win their final game
well to wrest the trophy from Hadspen, who had
a superior shot difference. Stalbridge just man-
aged to win the game and so finished on maxi-
mum points, but Hadspen retained the trophy by Runners-up Clyde Lawrence, Roy
four shots.
Eugene Balbinski Reilly and Pam Telfer-Davey