Rogue Valley Regional: May 15–21 RUMPETTHE DISTRICT 20 T www.ACBLD20.org Vol. 13, No. 1 Bridge Across the District Spring 2017 Sam Asai is new D20 president By Amy Casanova In the month before the deadline two He has served on the district’s finance com- The Trumpet others, Jean Johansson and Hal Montgomery, mittee. He would like to apply his analytical stepped forward and another, Mary Alice skills to the financial statements and en- At the Oregon Trail Regional, Sam Asai Seville, considered it but then withdrew. sure enough time for the board members to was elected president by the District 20 This was the first time there were three study them before the annual meetings, board. Asai has served twice before, in candidates in a contested race. It’s exciting since it can be difficult to fit everything in 2002-04 and again in 2009-11. to know that there are members of our dis- with adequate time to spend on each item. Asai originally was not sure if he wanted trict willing to volunteer their time to help He thinks the future of bridge in our area to serve as president again, but by Decem- organize our regional events. is bright. “All of the clubs in the Portland/ ber two directors had asked if he would re- Asai was a CPA and currently runs an or- Vancouver area offer lessons that are attracting consider, and no other candidates had chard with his son in Hood River. He sells presented themselves for the job. wholesale and to the food service industry. Continued on Page 11 The ‘Bridge Queen’ turns 100 Neyhart wins national race Irva Kay Neyhart of Corvallis has won the national Ace of Clubs race for the 2500–3500 bracket. Neyhart earned 856.65 masterpoints in 2016, with 479.25 at club games. Neyhart StarsA new class of Districtof 20service members arrives was fourth in on the national Goodwill Committee her Mini-McKen- ney bracket, just By Jen Smith Irva Kay Neyhart 0.26 behind The Trumpet Our first honoree is a very active third place, and third among all Spring is on its way, member of the Albany-Corvallis bridge players in Dis- which can only mean community; served as a member of the trict 20, behind one thing — a new crop district finance committee until last of Goodwill Committee month; gives lessons at the Emerald Huub Bertens Irva Kay Neyhart and members is in full Bridge Club near Eugene, where she Roger . She was 148th among bloom. These folks are also is an active member; is one of the McNay all ACBL players in the Barry appointed to the com- district’s top players by number of master- Crane Top 500 and had the mittee by district director points won per year, and the top-winning ninth-most club points. Merlin Vilhauer. Meet woman; and recently won a national Ace If she maintains her current the newest honorees of Clubs award. It’s no wonder Irva Kay pace, the five-time winner of Dis- and see what made each Neyhart made the Goodwill cut this year. trict 20 Ace of Clubs races will rise to the top this year. Continued on Page 10 be a force in the national race for years to come. All but one of those who had more club points In honor of Betty Rossmann’s 100th birthday, her daughter reveals were in the top bracket, so Ney- the secret to Betty’s long, successful bridge career. See story, Page 11. hart’s total would have been good enough to win the next ACBL board approves two brackets and finish second in the one after that. Two other District 20 players measures to1993. cut Paul Cuneo costs will complete finished second nationally in Winners of annual the remainder of Morse’s term. Spring in Medford Mini-McKenney races. Louis A.J. Stephani of Cincinnati was Beauchet of Sherwood OR, who elected to the board from D11. awardsThe trip to are the fall named was second in the 100–200 I have served the past is what we all need bracket, was also fourth among NABC in Orlando was three years as a represen- warm and very nice, as I write this article on a come to I/N players. all youth players and ninth tative to the World Bridge you might expect in frigid 19-degree morning in Gold pairs are offered among all juniors. Dawn Camp- Federation. I will serve sunny Florida. The tour- January, dreaming Tuesday through bell of Portland was second in three more years on the nament was not well at- of the warmer days Friday. On Thurs- the 1000–1500 bracket. Dennis WBF board and will not tended. It seemed that of spring and all day we have a Harms of Corvallis placed 10th seek re-election. the number of local play- the bright, cheerful 299er stratified in the Ace of Clubs for the Eldon Clayman of ers was down. colors of bulbs, pairs game, 299er 1500–2500 bracket. Valdese, N.C., was named At the board meeting, perennials and Swiss teams, and Results from District 20 races Merlin the 2017 Aileen Osofsky Bob Heller of District 7 blooming trees. Margi Redden will are on page 3. ACBL Goodwill Member was elected president. He Vilhauer The be hosting one of of the Year. Eddie Wold of Rogue Valley represents North Carolina, D20 District Director brings us her famous I/N Houston was named 2017 Regional South Carolina, Georgia all that and more. Judy Davis parties between Honorary Member of the Year. Oregon Trail and eastern Tennessee. These games, Tournament Manager sessions that day. Nancy Erickson of Indio CA was Regional Two have left the board — Beth held at the Inn at Come get your honored as the 2016 Nadine News | 11 Reid of D11 and Dan Morse of the Commons in Medford, gold points! Wood Volunteer of the Year. INSIDE D16. Morse had the longest Ore., May 15–21, are open Results 18-19 tenure on the board, serving since to all, with a special wel- Continued on Page 17 Continued on Page 11 Page 2 The District 20 Trumpet Spring 2017 Flint joins staff AloofBy the time this paperto reaches online the couldplay? be a myriad These of other reasons. events Maybe bleak. But are thanks toworth my family and it Jim Flint of Ashland OR has taken bridge clubs, the North American Pairs, people aren’t aware of the events at all, or friends, I cobbled a plan together and on the role of copy editor for the Trumpet, as of this issue. held every year at the Spring NABC, will be how easy it is to participate. Maybe they found myself on an airplane. Flint is familiar to history. I am impressed that there are pairs have no interest in attending an NABC so I really enjoy exploring new cities, navi- Trumpet readers. The representing just about every corner of the don’t bother to play in the finals. gating their public transportation, people- longtime writer of the district, and they all competed against While I most certainly prefer playing watching, looking at architecture and Jackson County unit each other in their respective flights. That face to face, I understand that organizing different trees and plants. It felt so good to report, he has since is not easy to achieve considering how a fair event in a location accessible to all get away from wintry gray Portland and 2014 also written large District 20 is. We have players from is virtually impossible. You will not see me my problems and just have one thing to “The Bidding Tool- Boise, Hawaii, Portland, Vancouver and playing on BBO unless it’s a few weeks do: play bridge. It felt like an investment in box” column for the Albany going to the NABC. prior to the district finals and I the future. Trumpet. What makes it possible is on- am practicing. Ted and I did quite well the first two Jim Flint A former editor line play. The district finals have I detest the robots, and while qualifying sessions and we were fourth and publisher in Central Washington, been run on BBO for a few years. playing with random people from going into the finals, but totally fell apart Flint brings more than 40 years of There have been many frustrat- around the world is cool and in- after that. I don’t know that I even knew newspaper experience to the Trum- ing issues. Some of them are teresting, ultimately I think it’s what that meant at the time, having a car- pet. He is a Washington Newspaper beyond the control of the organ- kind of bad for your game. I find ryover or any of the terminology. I was Publishers Association award winner. izers of these events, but the some will do outrageous things very inexperienced! A special column from him ones that are their responsibility, (OK, myself included) because I still have a hard time understanding I feel will be resolved. they don’t trust their partners, or will be coming soon to the aspects of this game, even after having Trumpet’s Facebook page. Certain problems are due to Amy Casanova because it’s “just online,” and had the opportunity to represent District players’ lack of education about sometimes that behavior carries Managing Editor 20 four times at nationals. But I do know how to play on BBO, browser over into their real game. How- that my life is richer for having played.