Te Tai Rāwhiti teams qualifed for top-16

Te Tai Rāwhiti bowlers who qualified in the top 16 teams at the Aotearoa Māori National Bowls Tournament were, back (from left): George Vaotuua, Steve Jenkins, Joe Wimutu, Shaun Goldsbury, Chad Nathan and Willie Murray. Middle: Anita Vaotuua, Puna McRoberts, Hori Tamihana, Peter Nathan, Steve Goldsbury, July Hoepo and Gerry Kora. Front: Diane Murray, Cheryl Jenkins, Alisha Ruru, Jessie Davis-Law, Del Tamanui, Jasmine Merrick and Erica Thompson. Sitting: Marcus Merrick. Pictures supplied

Five of the seven Tairāwhiti teams at the Aotearoa Māori National Bowls Tournament this month qualified for the top 16.

The Tainui rohe hosted the 50th Aotearoa Māori National Bowls Tournament, which took place on February 3 and 4.

Tournament headquarters were at the Thames Bowling Club, and four other clubs provided additional venues.

A total of 113 teams took part — 64 in the men’s section and 49 in the women’s.

Seven teams represented Te Tai Rāwhiti rohe. The men’s were skipped by Andy Tamanui, Joe Wimutu, July Hoepo and Shaun Goldsbury. The women’s teams were skipped by Del Tamanui, Anita Vaotuua and Dayvinia Mills.

Teams played five 10-end games on the first day. Of the Tairāwhiti teams, three men’s and two women’s teams qualified for the top 16. This was a noteworthy achievement, considering the standard of competition.

On the second day, Goldsbury’s team topped their section of the top 16 with three wins, and qualified for a semifinal, where they lost a close measure on the last end for a 7-6 loss.

Wimutu had two wins and Hoepo had one win. Tamanui played in the flight section and had three wins.

In the top 16 of the women’s section, Vaotuua had a win and a draw, and Tamanui had one win. Mills was in the flight section, where she had two wins.

Next year, Te Tai Rāwhiti rohe will host the 51st Aotearoa Māori National Bowls Tournament. This rohe has previously hosted the tournament in 1986 (at Tokomaru Bay), 1991, 2009 and 2015.

At the conclusion of this month’s tournament, the Taonga Tuku Iho, the treasured trophy whose mauri or life force is said to keep the tournament alive, was formally handed over to Tamanui, who accepted it on behalf of Te Tai Rāwhiti rohe in a moving ceremony. Tamanui is a councillor and life member of the Aotearoa Māori Bowls Board.

Te Tairāwhiti teams at the tournament —

Men: Andy Tamanui, Mark Walker, Keith Tamanui and Keith Walker; Joe Wimutu, George Vaotuua, Steve Jenkins and Puna McRoberts; July Hoepo, Hori Tamihana, Gerry Kora and Willie Murray; Shaun Goldsbury, Steve Goldsbury, Chad Nathan and Peter Nathan.

Women: Del Tamanui, Jasmine Merrick, Diane Murray and Erica Thompson; Anita Vaotuua, Jessie Davis-Law, Cheryl Jenkins and Alisha Ruru; Dayvinia Mills, Dianne Phillips, Sandy Booth and Carole Bartlett.