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As you know Jane Stearns is travelling from Cambridge each week for the next 14 weeks to take lessons at both clubs as well as running the Nesting Pairs improvers course at Putaruru fortnightly during that period. Rather than travelling to and from Cambridge two days in a row she will be staying with us on Tuesdays, returning home on the Wednesdays after the lesson in Tokoroa.

Jane will be running her Bridge-It Jane's Nesting Pairs Course at the Putaruru Club from April to July. A fortnightly, one-hour seminar, one-hour practice series of seven is designed to promote partnership understanding and tournament success.

An exciting 12 months lie ahead for the two South Waikato bridge clubs. Long-term supporters of each other they have decided to collaborate more closely over the coming year and share ideas and resources to the advantage of them both. Their first step is the launch of their joint website. It is a one-stop shop for anyone local wanting to know about their clubs and the game of bridge as well as providing news and results to the existing members.

Jane StearnsAt the helm of the rejuvenation process for the next 12 months is Cambridge-based Bridge Babe, Jane Stearns, fresh from her work with the Te Aroha and Matamata Bridge Clubs. Te Aroha has gone from struggling to find 3 tables to play once a fortnight to 8 tables weekly over the space of two years. Jane said, “When I saw how the Matamata club were supporting Te Aroha I realised what potential was available from two neighbouring clubs working in collaboration. Twice the people halves the load and I am looking forward to an exciting 2015 working with both clubs.”

A planning meeting with representatives from both clubs was positively buzzing with enthusiasm and excitement. The clubs are exploring a revamp to their 2015 playing schedules, a revitalisation of lessons combined with a big recruitment drive as well at a joint entry to the Waikato Bays Interclub competition for the first time in both clubs’ history. Electronic scoring and dealing are also under consideration with sharing those resources a possibility between the clubs to halve the costs involved. As both clubs take up the challenge of encouraging more people to take up the fascinating game of contract bridge they open up their window to the world through their new website here today.

Wednesday 24th September saw a battle ensue as four teams from each club fought for the much coveted shield. The local derby match has been ongoing for many years and is named after the stream that crosses the boundaries halfway between them.

Ngutuwera Stream

This year Tokoroa were in fine form and came out victorious with four of their pairings finishing in the top 5. Congratulations Tokoroa and enjoy the title for a year. Putaruru will be back in pursuit in 2015.

Local Waikato Bays Regional Council member Jan Spaans was guest director for the night and ran the event with Bridgemates. Cambridge Bridge Club had kindly dealt and provided boards for the teams event and Jane Stearns from that club launched the “Spirit of South Waikato” photo competition. A wonderful spread ended the evening and the players went home to examine their results for the first time on the X-Club website.

Photos of the event. The President of Putaruru is Eileen Barker and the Tokoroa President receiving the shield is Graeme Farrow.