Annual Report
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® ANNUAL REPORT Bowls New Zealand 2019-2020 CONTENTS President’s Report 4 Chairman’s Report 6 CEO’s Report 8 Player Participation 12 National Champions 14 International Events 18 Summerset Awards 20 Financials 26 Our People 40 Obituaries 41 Partners & Sponsors 42 Bowls New Zealand, to be the best deliverer of sport into New Zealand communities. ® opportunity to be hosted by the Honolulu Lawn streaming of our national and international events Bowling Club, the only bowling club in Hawaii. I further amplified our profile and congratulations would recommend a visit and game there once need to go to the broadcast and commentary 'normality’ returns teams who delivered this coverage. This season, after a long absence, Bowls New Unfortunately, Covid-19 resulted in a number of PRESIDENT’S Zealand selected an Over 60s New Zealand team national and international events being either to compete against Australia as part of the Trans- cancelled or postponed. The main casualties were REPORT Tasman series along with a Development team the World Bowls Championships on the Gold Coast and the Blackjacks. Whilst results were mixed, and the Disabled World Bowls in Christchurch. I I had the pleasure of presenting New Zealand am aware that Mark Cameron is working with Mark O'Connor “Caps” to the Over 60 and Development players at his team and others to see where some of these a ceremony on the Gold Coast. It certainly was an events can be reinstated. It is disappointing given emotionally charged event especially for some of that these events could have been the highlight of I have just completed my first year as President, acknowledging. They have understood the the over 60’s. Going forward I hope this becomes a respective bowling careers. and what a year it has been. In my 35 years demographics of their membership and have regular feature of our international calender. involved in bowls, I along with you have never taken steps to ensure their health and safety Finally, I am pleased to be part of a team led by experienced such an overwhelming and disruptive has been paramount in decisions they have Congratulations also to Chris Le Lievre and Sheldon Tony Lepper (Chair) and Mark Cameron (CEO) that departure from our normal way of life as we have made concerning both reopening the greens and Bagrie-Howley, who became Blackjacks 112 and 113 is resolutely determined to take a leading and experienced over the past months. clubhouse. respectively during the 2019/2020 season. productive role in supporting our membership wherever it is practically possible for us to do so. The effects of Covid-19, has meant that our Pre Covid-19, I had the opportunity to represent The profile of the sport was enhanced through the sport, along with others has had to take a step Bowls New Zealand at a number of events and Sky Sport live coverage of the Bowls3Five League. STAY STRONG - STAY SAFE and together and backwards as we all consider the health and activities both here in New Zealand and Australia. This coverage highlighted our sports diversity united we will triumph and in doing so emerge welfare ramifications to our membership. As we These included: and inclusiveness, through the involvement of the stronger and closer than ever before. slowly recover from this global pandemic, I know • Multi Nations & Trans Tasman Test Series – Parajacks and others. The in-house produced live- that the Board, Management and staff of Bowls Gold Coast, Australia New Zealand have focused their priorities to • 2019 Bowls3Five on Sky Sport Finals – enhance the wellbeing and development of our Auckland sport. • Bluff Hills Bowling Club, Napier – 125th Anniversary Our sport is extremely fortunate to have a highly • 2020 Summerset National Singles and Pairs empowered Board lead by Chair Tony Lepper. The Championship – Christchurch skills mix of the board has ensured that there • 180th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty "The strength of character is robust and constructive discussion around of Waitangi – Government House, Wellington the governance of bowls especially given the • Te Awamutu Bowling Club – Betty Gibson and unity circumstances we are facing. I thank them for Memorial 2 Day Classic, Te Awamutu shown by our Centres and Clubs their support of both Vice President Jan Tucker • Bowls North Harbour NZ Masters and myself. Championship, Birkenhead Bowling Club, during this time needs acknowledging." Auckland I can only endorse the comments of the Chair, • Rahotu Bowling Club, Taranaki – 100th when he singles out CEO Mark Cameron for his Anniversary leadership and decision making throughout the various levels of the lockdown. His regular I would like to congratulate those players, who ongoing communications to Centres and Clubs won Summerset National Bowls titles: ensured that they had an understanding of what Men’s Fours – Gary Lawson, Jamie Hill, Caleb Hope was required of them during the pandemic and as & Sheldon Bagrie-Howley we head back to normality…. Whatever that may Women’s Fours – Sandra Keith, Claire Hendra, be!! Selina Smith (nee Goddard) & Tayla Bruce Men’s Pairs – Ray Martin & Robbie Bennett Mark has lead a team of highly committed staff Women’s Pairs – Katelyn Inch & Selina Goddard who have delivered exceptional events prior to the Men’s Singles – Andrew Kelly pandemic and have shown loyalty and support to Women’s Singles – Katelyn Inch Bowls New Zealand and our membership during B1-B2 Singles – Dean Robertson the lockdown period. They, as a team, have been B3-B4 Singles – Steven Delaney working on ways that Bowls New Zealand is to B5-B8 Singles – Graham Skellern emerge at the end of this pandemic, in the best B1-B4 Pairs – Steve Delaney, Gordon Oldfield possible shape to re-energise and enjoy our sport B5-B8 Pairs – Phillip Huwyler, Bruce Sayers again. In addition to attending the above events, I also The strength of character and unity shown by attended three Bowls New Zealand Board meetings our Centres and Clubs during this time needs in Auckland, and whilst on holiday had the 4 5 Zealand. Bowls is an affordable and enjoyable sport Many thanks must go to my talented and that has something to offer all New Zealanders. I committed board. We have a full complement have always been an advocate for ripping down of members who bring to the Board a diversity the fences and showing the public how much fun of talent and thoughts. It is a privilege to work bowls can be. All clubs need to be thinking of alongside voluntary Board Members who step ways to get people to come through their doors out of their busy day jobs and apply a wealth CHAIRMAN’S and on to their greens. of experience and business acumen to the challenges of running a National Sporting REPORT Bowls NZ has been looking for a new home for Organisation. Sporting Governance certainly flies some time now and the Board has always thought under the radar and all sports people are indebted that it was a “no-brainer” that we should be to the voluntary efforts of those people who are Tony Lepper ONZM housed within a bowling club. If Covid-19 had not prepared to put something back in. Craig Bruce as come along we would be in our new home. I expect Chair of our Risk and Audit Committee and Alan that by the time the AGM comes around we will Smith as Chair of the Remuneration Committee It is with pleasure that I present to you my third staff getting to and from the office. That problem be settling into our new home at the Ponsonby make my job so much easier. All our Auckland chairman’s report. As the old rugby adage goes it got solved overnight back in March and I expect Bowling Club. based members meet regularly with CEO Mark and has certainly been a “game of two halves.” Like permanent changes in the working environment this keeps the communication flowing between everyone else in New Zealand the year will be split will come out of these learnings. All bowlers have been affected by Covid-19 but the Board and staff. into life before Covid-19 and some other version none more so than our representative teams. Our of life during and after the global pandemic. In Special thanks must also go to Sport NZ, HPSNZ revamped High Performance program was hitting Special thanks must go my two Marks. Mark an extremely short period of time we went from and their Boards. They quickly realised that these top gear as we built towards the World Champs in O’Connor, without the usual two year apprenticeship planning and preparing for all our key national were exceptional times. The rules around our the Gold Coast. Unfortunately the World Champs as Vice President, has proven to be a committed and international competitions to advising clubs funding were quickly changed and we were largely and some of our end of season New Zealand President and Board member. He finds the time to lock their doors and to abandon their greens. given the discretion to use our funding for the events coincided with the restrictions put in place amongst his busy commercial life to represent Stay home, save lives became the catch phrase good of the game as defined by us. Additional around the pandemic. Most events have only been Bowls NZ in an appropriately professional way. and that meant the end of the Bowls 2019 / 2020 funding was also added to the general sport season. With the arrival of Covid-19 New Zealand budget and it is our hope that Bowls will get its was plunged into the biggest period of uncertainty fair share of this money.