Congratulations to Award Winners for 2024/2025

Coffrey Odgers Shield – Marie Russell & Trish Sharpe 59.24 Ave
Burrells Monday Pairs – Barrie Iredale & Elizabeth Dalton 58.454 Ave
Thursday Pairs – Marie Russell & Trish Sharpe 59.24 Ave
Individual – Elizabeth Dalton 58.32 Ave
Improvers – Mary Werfel  27.63 Improve %
Ant Ractcliffe Masterpoint Chase – Barrie Iredale  22.44 Total

A most enjoyable final day for 2025.  Thank you to the BBC for hosting drinks and nibbles. Very pleasant indeed!

It was Thank you all round.  Thank you to the Members who stoically played on during the interruptions.  Thank you to the Leadership Team
who worked tirelessly so that everything possible was done to ensure that play continued. And all the ‘Helpers’ behind the scenes.

Special presentations were made to Sherri Gates and Paul Bayley for their contributions to the club.

I have been playing with Bente for two years .We have become friends . She is a great bridge player , a grand master no less and lovely to play wi

Penned by Dick Evans 10/9/25:
Hemingway is said to have created the phrase "style is grace under pressure"

For my ninetieth birthday Robyn McGain brought a magnificent birthday cake, big, black,
silver words, and placed it at the SHBC kitchen opening.  Unaware of this I came with
a little sponge cake carried by a grandchild.  He put it on the table and everyone,
thinking it was the cake, ate it!  Robyn seemed not to have noticed, appearing calm 
and cheerful.  But I realised soon after, that she was devastated.
Not a word until I told her I understood.  She took her cake home for the chooks...

Best example of style I have seen!

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Members were pleased to welcome a surprise visit from Peter Stokes,
now happily residing in  Arrowtown, New Zealand.  He joined his erstwhile
bridge partner, Suzanne Thomas at bridge on Monday 8th September.

News from the past President, Bob Young. (edited

"We are now well settled in a residential complex, for over 65’s called Ellesmere Lodge located in Brackley, Northants (NN13 6EJ). There are a number of similar people living here, some as couples, but mainly single women, ages ranging from 65 to a few over 90.

We are getting back into bridge, the local club suits us well,  it is not too serious. I check up on the scores a the Bowral Bridge Club every week.

There a lot of events at our Lodge, which are very enjoyable."

3 November Southern Highlands Congress 2025 Rakesh Kumar's report:

Our popular annual Congress, held over the weekend of 1-2 November, was once again a great success.

Special thanks to Steve Brabyn, the organiser-in-chief, as well as to the many SHBC committee members and volunteers who helped make it happen; and once again, to Jo Goodacre for the marvellous catering!

The usual format applied for both the Swiss Pairs on Saturday and the Teams on Sunday: 6 × 9-board matches with IMPs scoring. We were fortunate to again have the events very capably directed by Jeff Carberry.

In the Swiss Pairs, the winners in the Open section were Judy Murray and Anne-Marie Hazell, who also won the trophy for best regional pair. In second place were Karen and Andrew Creet.
 

Renewal of your Club Membership $50 (from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027) is now due. 

Members with a MYABF Account 

The Club will automatically collect this fee ($50) from your MYABF account on 1 July 2026
No action needs to be taken by you

Thank you for using MYABF as a means of payment for both your table fees and your annual subscriptions.  
It greatly reduces our administrative work load for which we are extremely grateful.
__________________________________________________________________________
Members without a MYABF Account
and Members who are registered with MYABF,
but don't use the auto top-up option

Your payment options are:
1.    Direct Credit of $50 to BBCC’s Bank Account
       BSB: 633 000 A/C No: 200091957

Please ensure that you include your ABF Number in the box that says ‘What do you want
your payee to see’, followed by your Surname and First Name

2.    Cash Payment:of $50 to Suzie Crawford who will be available on our Mon & Thurs 
        Bridge days.

The Committee respectively encourages you to sign up for the MYABF system to pay your table fees and annual subscription.
 It is most efficient and reduces the workload considerably.

To sign up and/or activate auto top-up please contact me 0409 488 600 and we will get you set up.

Kind regards
Margaret Horwitz (Secretary) 
 

Sad news indeed – everyone loved Charlie!

Condolences to Jannette, his many friends in The Highlands & The Bowral Bridge Club.

Thanks to Barrie Iredale and Marie Russell, we have been able to delve into some interesting  facts about  Charlie and the start of the Bowral Bridge Club.

Charlie and his late wife Norma were inaugural members of the Bowral Bridge Club along with Marie Russell & Barrie Iredale.  Originally The Bowral  Bridge Club, played at Annesley  before it moved to the Bowral Golf Club, around 2002.

Charlie used to wander up the road to the Golf Club to help with the set-up as early as 2002 and continued until he became unwell.  Laterally it was a good opportunity for he and Barrie to have a chat, mainly about sport.

He was a familiar figure wandering around the tables collecting money (real $) until recently!

Thank you for your huge contribution and your company over the years Charlie!

Pictured above:  Jannette Smith, Charles Windle, Joan Rooke.  Margi Hutchison, Charlie Windle celebrate their 90th. Thelma Huxham with Charlie

Registration Form

Arrive in time to be seated by 9.15am

Because there is a limit of 12 tables at Annesley, members must book a table by registering in pairs with your names and ABF numbers.

Registration opens at 12 noon the Tues before the day of play.
Once the maximum number of tables is reached, your booking will be wait-listed and the system will advise you by email.

Click here to open the form to Register

Committee Members elected:
Left to right: Margaret Horwitz Secretary,  Suzie Crawford, Elena Barry, Christine Jack President, Sherri Gates Vice-President, Jenny Beer Treasurer, Helen Crisp.

Thankyou and best wishes to Ron Moller after 8 years as the Treasurer.  Welcome to Jenny Beer as the new Treasurer

A thrilling finish to a most successful day of bridge.

Congratulations to the Power Team: Joan Power, Marion Bearup, Elizabeth Dalton
& Barrie Iredale who sprinted from behind to win by 1  on the 9th/final round!

Gracious in their defeat the Olson Team: Sue Olson, Trish Sharpe, Marie Russell &
Shirley Brereton congratulated the winners expressing their pleasure, and how
fitting it was, that the winning team included Barrie Iredale at his Inaugural Event!.

In third place was the Conolly Team:  Wendy Conolly, Gloria Campbell, Lucy Fisher
& Gael Golla.

All Gold Point winners

Our “champion” organiser, Sherri Gates, who made this event possible was very pleased
with everything, and thanks everyone, the players, the set-up people and the catering team.

Especial thanks to Jeff Carberry from the Illawarra who generously gave his time to assist.

Mention must be made of the magnificent spread!  Every imaginable delicacy! 
Snacks all day, lunch – who needed dinner?

The Barrie Iredale Teams Event will be an annual BBC event, planned to coincide with
The Grand National Open Teams (GNOT) which means that it is a Gold Point event.