The Stewartry Championships were played today at President William Neville’s home green New Abbey. The green looked well despite the recent weather and every one was hoping for a dry day.

The County Championships are sponsored by Ian Bendall and Golden Charter.

With Keith Shuttleworth playing in three finals there was a early start at 10am with the Triples. On paper New Abbey looked the favorite to win this title with Scottish Triples Champions Keith & Neil Shuttleworth being joined with their father Les. The Castle Douglas triple of Graeme Maxwell, William Brydson & Tom Maxwell got of to a great start in the first with a four then lost a four in the second end. High scoring ends was to be the feature of this game. In the fifth end New abbey got another four to lead 9-6, by the eleventh end New Abbey lead by one shot 12-11 but in the next end Castle Douglas skip Graeme Maxwell dragged the jack to get a seven to lead 18-12. Castle Douglas never lost this lead and went on to win 23-18.

The next games were on at 12.45 with the Fours, Senior Fours & Mixed Pairs. In the mixed pairs Auchencairn’s Michael Kirkpatrick & Madge Marshall were always behind the Kirkcudbright pair of Hamilton Trophy skip George Brown and his better half Patrica. After five ends the Browns were 7-2 up after ten ends 16-4 up and the game finished 19-8 to Kirkcudbright.

There was no more joy for Auchencairn in the Senior Fours when they played a in form Dalbeattie rink of Joe McCall, Bruce Richardson, Ronnie Gibson & Dennis McKnight. The Auchencairn rink of John McGarrie, Laurie Little, Bert Little & Joe Caldow started the better with two singles in the first two ends but by the fifth end were 6-2 down. With Rooker in great form Dalbeattie went on to lead 13-3 after ten ends and finished 19-4 winners.

The fours always looked a game that would be difficult to predict, the Shuttleworths were joined this time by the other Scottish Triples winner Oliver Clingan and on their home green might just of been  favorites against the Castle Douglas rink of Scott Davies, Alan Davies, Hugh Robertson & Gary Davies. Considering that the Castle Douglas rink were “Wetting the Head” of Alan Davie’s new born girl Lacey last night they got of to a great start and lead 7-0 after three ends. After ten ends they still lead 11-6 and with a three in the eleventh to lead 14-6 Castle Douglas looked likely winners but New Abbey managed singles in the next five ends to be only three behind going into the last end at 11-14. With only one bowl left New Abbey were down and out but Neil Shuttleworth tells Big Brother to drag the jack to here and we have a chance, Keith then produced a cracker, drags the jack, gets a four and wins by a shot.

The final games of the day were the Pairs, Singles & Junior Singles. The Junior Singles was between to players new to finals day and with the weather turning terrible they struggled at the start. Kirkcudbrights’s Robert McClune gat of to the better start and lead 9-0 after five ends but Auchencairns Ronan Crossan managed to get to grips with the green and the weather and was down 5-13 after ten ends by fifteen ends he was down 11-15, by end nineteen he was up 17-15. Robert then got a three in the next and Ronan replied with two singles to lead 19-18. Robert then managed to get a three in the next to win 21-19.

The pairs had the look of a good game to watch but unfortunately the weather had driven the spectators in side. With four Hamilton Trophy team mates playing it was difficult to predict the result. The Castle Douglas pair of Alan and Scott Davies got of to the better start against Martin and Alan McClymont from Creetown, they lead 6-1 after five ends and 10-7 after ten ends. A two and a three in the next two ends put Castle Douglas in a commanding position and the Creetown pair were unable to recover. This was a good game with all players in good form but Castle Douglas were just a wee bit better on the day and won 20-10.

The last game of the green was the Singles with a twenty eight end marathon that lasted 2.5 hours.Keith Shuttleworth in his third game of the day got of to the better start with three single, Bruce Richardson then replied with a three and two singles to lead 5-3 after six ends. Bruce then had the better of the next few ends and lead 8-4 after ten ends and 13-6 after 15 ends. Keith then had a better spell and was 11-15 down after 20 ends but by twenty five ends had got the game back level at 17-17. Bruce then had the better of the finnish and managed to shift the jack for a two in the last end to win 21-19.