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CLUBS

20 members - joined NYSMBA 1991 

Sec : Dave Turton - 01653 628682

The club was formed in 1984 after three "Amplefordians" attended a demonstration by Jim Rose of Regalgrene in the local village hall. Fired with enthusiasm they purchased two mats and 'ABC' was born. In their first year they launched an annual open pairs competition which continues to this day attracting bowlers from throughout the county. Although membership peaked at 36 in 1992 it has since then been slowly declining. The club has 4 mats and up to 2002/03 played at the St.Albans Leisure Centre (Ampleforth College).  Due to developments at the Centre in 2003, the club has now moved back to its original venue at St. Benedicts in the village where there is room for only 2 mats. In 2004, the club moved to a new venue in Crayke as a result of which they have had to drop their original name and continue under the new name of St. Cuthberts. They are members of the Ryedale, Kyle Valley and Vale of York leagues - club nights areTuesday/Thursday 7-9pm.

Sec: Margaret Burdock - 01723 584197

Sec: Heather Allen - 01642 778228

The home of this, one of our remotest clubs, is the village hall at Chop Gate some 12 miles north of Helmsley. It owes its origin to Roy Barker, who in the winter of 1994 organised a trip to Sessay for a mini-bus full of locals to play a strange game called carpet bowls which most had never heard of. The evening was enjoyed so much by all who went that Roy organised another trip not long after, this time to Helmsley SMBC to play another strange game……short mat bowls.

After that, fired with enthusiasm for this new game, the club was set up with two second hand mats from Helmsley which unfortunately had to be cut back to the minimum length due to the size of the hall. Friendly games with Kirbymisperton and other local clubs followed (Trevor Collier being a great friend and helper) as well as some tuition from Edwin Smith and Dorothy Knaggs of Scarborough. In 1995, having gained some experience, they affiliated 14 enthusiastic members to the County Association and applied to play in the Kyle Valley league. They were warmly welcomed into both these organisations and the latter even modified their minimum distance stipulation to allow them to join in. Since that time they have gained much experience and in 2000 with the help of lottery funding the village hall was extended allowing full size mats to be used at last.

Although still a small club, their members have had their share of success. Their team has been Kyle Valley East Division runners up for the last three years whilst some club members have regular games playing not only for the White Horse Region in the Yorkshire (North) league but also for the NYSMBA County team. In 2001 members Arthur Jackson and Heather Allen were in the counties Mixed Fours team that reached the ESMBA National semi-finals in Daventry and the following year, these two, along with Len Lofthouse and Max Cook became North Yorkshires first winners of the Rinks Cup in the Northern Zone Championships at Barnard Castle. More recently the club was a founder member of the White Rose (summer) League and were runners up in their inaugural season last year. The Chairman, George Cook, also carved and presented this new league with its new annual shield. George, his wife Nancy (Treasurer), and fellow founder members Gladys Garbutt, Les Featherstone and Ron Knaggs feel that sportsmanship has always prevailed in the club and although it has now grown to 20 members they are always looking for others to join. 

The historic town of Boroughbridge lies at the confluence of the Rivers Ure and Tutt and on the route of the Great North Road. Just an arrows flight away to the south east lie the remains of the Roman town of Isurium Brigantium (Aldborourgh) whilst to the south west can be found the bronze age megaliths known as the Devils Arrows which at 22 feet stand taller than Stonehenge.

Much more recently, in February 1997, Short Mat Bowls took root in the local Leisure Centre when several keen and committed players from other more established clubs decided to strike out on their own. These included Jean & Ken Calvert, Richard & Dorothy Kay, Barbara & the late Ron Pickles, Jean Dixon, Kath Ogden and Eric Richardson. Such was the enthusiasm of the original 17 members that they had no hesitation in entering two teams in the Kyle Valley League in their very first season and with such an experienced core of players, success was never going to be far away. After coming second in their KVL Division in that first year they became overall League Champions in 1998/99. A quiet season followed when the club move to the newly built Coronation Hall – appropriately on the site of the Battle of Boroughbridge (1322) but they soon bounced back to take the leagues KO Cup in 2001/02 and the league Championship once again last season. In 1997 they were also one of the founder members of the Vale of York Pairs league and having been runners up in three of the last four years will be continuing to strive for the top place next year. Two years ago the club started an annual friendly contest with neighbours Yoredale and last season this was expanded to include Knaresborough. The clubs play for the “Calvert Cup” (presented by Jean & Ken) and is based on matches played during the afternoons only.

Apart from their league successes, Boroughbridge SMBC has several players who have achieved wins across the county in open competitions and who have qualified on several occasions for the Northern Zone Championships. Several play regularly for the County Team and a few have also been down to the National Championships as our county qualifiers. The club house is also the home for the Ousedale region of the Yorkshire (North) League. Most notable are Jean & Ken Calvert who between them over the years have had success in all four disciplines in most of the counties key competitions. Having together won the Northern Zone Pairs crown several years ago, 2003 saw them once again making their mark with Jean’s triple just missing out on the Championship title whilst Ken became our first winner of the Singles title.

BSA are the initial letters of Broughton, Swinton and Amotherby, three adjacent villages on the B1257 west of Malton. Formed by Matt Fenwick in 1996, they field 2 teams in the Scarborough league. Although relatively small they have a keen membership with some very successful individual players, who not only play regularly in the Yorkshire (North) league but have featured prominently in recent County Championships and other open competitions. They also run a popular annual Triples day which over the years has helped them acquire 10 mats. These, together with their large venue at Swinton Leisure Centre, have enabled them to play host to the four annual County Championships as well as the annual St. Cuthberts competition.     

Lying on the A1041 about six miles to the south of Selby, Carlton (along with Eggborough) can lay claim to being the southernmost of the counties clubs. It was in 1987 that a small group of enthusiastic people including Joyce Gregory and current Secretary, Mary Dickinson, introduced Short Mat Bowling to the list of activities carried out in the village hall after the idea was suggested by the Selby Sports Council. They had little knowledge of the game, but after borrowing a mat from Nobby Clark and some sets of bowls from Selby Sports Council they soon “got the bug”.

Within three years, after friendly games with such clubs as North Duffield and Tate & Lyle and with a growing membership, they had sufficient money (with the help of a few grants) to purchase their own equipment. By 1991, confidently sporting new red club jumpers they joined the Selby league, albeit with some trepidation. In 1995 they had progressed enough to gain promotion to the Division 1. There was a temporary crisis when in 1997 when they had to withdraw from the league due to falling numbers but in 1998, they were back on their feet, re-entering the league and winning Division 2 to gain promotion for the second time.

Since then, their team has performed consistently well and remained in the first division ending up in fifth place in the last two seasons. With five new members joining recently, they are hoping for another good season in 2004/05, perhaps improving their league position at the expense of one (or more) of the four “big boys” (Tate & Lyle, Escrick and Market Weighton B & C)!         

The club meets on Friday evenings throughout the year with an additional session on Sunday evenings during the winter and would welcome new members.

The opening of a Sports Hall at the Galtres Centre in Easingwold in 1991 provided the first real opportunity for Short Mat Bowls in the town and the club was formed a few short weeks thereafter. Only one mat was available initially though keen club members soon persuaded the Galtres management to purchase a second allowing entry into the Ryedale League for the 1991/92 season. Around this time the club was also one of the six clubs which were involved in the meetings that resulted in the forming the NYSMBA.

The Ryedale League proved a source of keen competition for Easingwold and during its 6 years of membership it won the league championship four times – three of those in succession. In 1993 the club played an important part in the formation of the Kyle Valley league and entered two teams in their first season. In 1994/95 the ‘B’ team won this league for the first time with it’s ‘A’ team as runners up. This season too saw the instigation of the Easingwold Open Triples and also of the Kyle Valley Leagues Challenge Cup (a competition which the club hosted for the next seven years until the league assumed full responsibility in 2001/02).

At the end of the 1997 season the club withdrew from the Ryedale league and set about the formation of the Vale of York Pairs league. This has proved a source of intense competition in pairs bowling and provided the club with four successive league victories and four wins in the annual Pairs Tournament day.

The decision to play a stronger team in the Kyle Valley League, made a few years ago has provided the ‘B’ team with a good run achieving three successive league titles in the last four seasons and also three wins in the leagues  KO Cup. Although last season was the first time in quite a few years that Easingwold had no league championship to claim, it still won three Cups – the VOY tournament, the KVL Challenge Cup and the KVL KO Cup – a unique triple.

Whilst anno-domini has taken something of a toll in members, the club membership remains strong. It bowls regularly on six mats and can provide good bowling for more members than ever. It can certainly accommodate any bowlers in the Easingwold area and they would be assured of a good welcome from present club members.

Situated in a small village to the SE of York, the club started life in 1991/92 thanks to Frank Arnold, then a member of Melbourne. Initially this required some structural alterations to the village hall to open up the playing area which originally had a dividing wall. As a small club they admit to lacking strength in depth but with occasional flashes of brilliance they have twice proved good enough to gain promotion to the Selby Leagues first division (only to find themselves dropping back in the following year). However they are proud to have produced the counties 2004 Junior Champion in Francis Boatman (currently at University). Their Secretary Gail, invites any Short Mat bowler to join them for an evening where they will be warmly welcomed. 

The club started life in 1983 as a carpet bowl section of the new flat green club constructed by the Eggborough Power Station. After a disastrous fire in 1984 destroyed the club house and all equipment the Power Station then constructed a larger club house with new equipment and carpet bowls continue until 1987. In that year the Selby league was formed and Eggborough decided to change to Short Mat, entering one team. It was not long before a third and then a fourth mat were obtained and a second and then a third team were entered in the league. They meet on Monday afternoons (1-3pm) and Wednesday evening (7-1030pm).

Founded in 1985 this small club is one of the oldest in the county. Although they have only 2 mats, a small membership and only meet once per week on Wednesdays (7-9pm), their team is one of the most successful in the Selby league (of which they were co-founders).

Founded back in 1986, the club has remained a 2 mat club playing in the local village hall. In 1993 they were one of the founder members of the Scarborough league in which they managed to field 2 teams from the start. They became the first winners of that league and have had much success since, with 3 further league championships and three Challenge Cup (KO) wins to the credit of one or other of their teams. Club members have also notched up wins in other competitions including the Scarborough Pairs, the Ampleforth Pairs and the Kirbymisperton Pairs and Triples. Several of their players have also represented the county in the NZ IC league.

This club was formed around 1990 after some of the early members had been to see the game being played at Ampleforth. Initially using a mat hired from Harrogate Council, loans from the Village Hall and several of the founder members soon enabled their own equipment to be acquired. In 1993 they joined the NYSMBA with 21 members and were one of the founder clubs of the Kyle Valley league in which their best placing so far was 3rd place in 2000/01. A small but enthusiastiv and competitive club, they now have two Kyle Valley teams and one on the Vale of York (pairs) league. Club members have seen success in the Ripon Triples, the Swinton Triples and the Kirbymisperton Triples as well as contributing to the successful Ousedale side that were placed first in the Yorkshire (North) league in 2001/02. Several members also regularly represent the county in the Northern Zone IC league and have also qualified for the finals at both the Northern Zone Championships and the ESMBA Nationals.

Founded by John and Shirley McDermott (ex Easingwold SMBC). the club, named after the local district council, finally saw the light of day in 1994. With three mats and an initial membership drawn primarily from the Thirsk Athletic and Sowerby Flatts outside clubs, there was an immediate thirst for competitive bowling and the new club immediately joined the Kyle Valley league, finishing as runners up in their second season. Since then, the club has a very consistent record, finishing 1st or 2nd in this league (in which they now have 3 teams) in every year. In 1997 they were founder members of the Vale of York league taking the title in the inaugural season and finishing in the top 3 ever since. Several of their members play regularly in the county team. They also play in the White Rose Summer league 

The club was formed in 1995 after an initiative by Malcolm and Marion Richardson and is now one of the largest in the County. They have 4 mats at their main venue at Scotton Village Hall where they meet Monday morning and evening and  Friday afternoons. They also have 3 mats at the Knaresborough Community Centre where they play on Thursday evenings. They have 2 teams in the Kyle Valley league, one in the Vale of York league and also participate in the White Rose Summer league.

Marton got its first taste of Short Mat in 1991 as a result of a "Sport forAll" initiative by Ryedale Council. In 1992 there were more "taster" sessions and finally the club was launched in November 1993. However for the first few seasons there was only social bowling due to the irregularity of the floor. This was rectified in the summer of 1997 when it was completely re-laid on a solid concrete base. Thus with a new floor and a little experience, Marton joined the Scarborough league for the 97/98 season during which they gained promotion to the top division. Currently they have 3 teams in this league as well as some members who regularly represent the Ryedale region in the Yorkshire(North) league. They are a 2 mat club meeting on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday evenings (+Monday evenings for league matches) but during the summer bowling is limited to Wednesday afternoons.

Joined NYSMBA 1991 - left the Association in 1994

Geoff Dye and Geoff Whitehead, committee members of the Sturge company Sports & Social Club in Selby, approached the management back in 1985 to request the inclusion of Short Mat Bowling as one of the facilities available to employees. Approval was soon gained and a single mat obtained making it one of the oldest clubs in the county. The following year a team was entered in the newly formed Selby League which they won for the first time in 1987/88 and have more or less dominated ever since. In fact they have gone on to win this league in no less than thirteen of the leagues seventeen years also taking the KO Cup on four occasions and the Tuesday Triples league in three of its first four years. The two Geoffs are still key to the clubs success and Geoff Whitehead will not forget his win over the English National Champion, Philip Mills, when the NYSMBA team played the England team in 2001.  

Unique amongst North Yorkshire clubs this is the only “works” club not open to the general public but it still has to compete for members from employees who have Pool, Darts, Dominoes and Table Tennis available to them. The company, in spite of ownership changes (Sturge became Harman & Reimer then Tate & Lyle), has continued to support the club (and the Selby league) by providing equipment and cups.  However the works canteen does not have an ideal floor so the club, numbering around 25 social and league players, still only play on a single mat laid down in the optimum position.

The club was opened on December 1st 1985 by John Spence (then Ryedale MP) after obtaining a £500 grant from the Sports Council Small Projects fund. Under Chairman Roy Manthorpe the first six years provided social bowling to a membership whose ages ranged from 14 to 90. After they affiliated 21 members to the newly formed NYSMBA in 1991 they started league bowling with the Ryedale league. In 1994 with a peak of 33 members they joined the Scarborough league in which they now have two teams. Although they have never won either of their leagues, their members have won the prestigous annual Ampleforth Pairs on no less than three occasions (1991, 1993 & 1995)

 Joined NYSMBA 1993 - ceased to exist in 2001 due to lack of support

Jim Rose of mat makers Regalgrene was active in the county during 1984, running demonstrations of the game in various village halls. One of these was at Welburn, a small village close to Castle Howard where several players including Sid and Audrey Gibson, Eddie Coulson and Mike and Ann Kitchen had already “tasted” the game at Slingsby which had recently started up a Short Mat Club. After Jims visit, at a well attended meeting on January 9^th 1985, the club was formed and a committee elected. Sid subsequently organised a grand Bingo session in Malton which raised £689 and together with a loan from the Village Hall, the first equipment was bought.

Like many of the early clubs, games were mostly played on a friendly basis for several years including some at Whitby where the rifle club had converted a disused indoor rifle range into a bowling rink. Welburn affiliated to the ESMBA in 1986 and in 1989 club members Ron and Mabel North were winners of the Regalgrene Trophy in the 4^th Ampleforth Pairs competition. In 1990 the club were founder members of the Ryedale League in which they were runners up in the first year. They affiliated to the NYSMBA in 1991 with 23 members and in the following year both Eddie and Mike had several games for the newly formed County Team.

Since then their success has been limited although they were runners up in the League once again in 1993/94 and also runners up in the Tilley Cup in 2001/02. However, as with much in life, perseverance pays off and in 2003/04 they were justifiably proud to take the KO Tilley Cup away from defending champions Helmsley after a convincing 50-36 victory in the Final.   

Although they now have only 17 members their enthusiasm for the game remains high. They get together in the Village Hall on Tuesday evenings and if you know of anyone who would like to join them please contact their Secretary.     

Les Stelling had been playing Short Mat at the Easingwold club for several years when he saw an opportunity to bring the game to Ripon in the newly opened Leisure Centre. So with help from the Harrogate DC and the support of several members of the outside clubs at Ripon Spa and Dishforth, Yoredale SMBC was born in 1996. They entered 2 teams in the Kyle Valley League the following year and also joined the Vale of york Pairs League in 2001. To help fund the high cost of the Leisure Centre fees, they introduced an annual Open Triples in 1998 which sees entries from up to 36 triples playing across 9 mats.