Tom Holmes Trophy

The Tom Holmes trophy is all about curling fellowship and sociability.  It gives a chance to players who normally play "front end" curling in the major club competitions to skip a team.  It also gives them a chance to get their names on a famous old club trophy.

This year's format saw three short games of curling, two ends each until the last game of three ends.  The winner was decided first on ends won, then shots-up.  Much was the noise generated by senior curlers shouting instructions up to rookie skips - all great fun!

The "Bravest Shot of the Day" award goes to Donald Kennedy who, despite the very real risk of driving the opponent's stone onto his own shot, went for it anyway and scored a three for his troubles.  Brilliant!

The winning skip, Lois Copland, had to play a thrilling take out and lie for the two shots she needed to overhaul her nearest challenger (and opponent in the last game), Karen Munro.  She was ably supported by Andrew Cargill, Katie Wood and Colin Campbell.

A successful and happy post-competition dinner over the road at the Hampton hotel was followed by the club prize-giving.  Some members got into the spirit of things more than others, and my thanks to Anne Anderson for providing me with the photograph of Raymond Preston.  No words are necessary, except maybe, "why?"



Lois was exuberantly happy at "getting the monkey off her back" as she put it and offered effusive thanks to her team.  None of the rest of you had to live with her the next day.  All I'm saying.  And I can say that in the sure and certain knowledge that I am in Rosenheim, Germany and she is in Balerno, Scotland - amazing how distance adds bravery!

Brilliant club day out - and a fitting climax to the season; congratulations to all involved in the day's organisation.