County or National
National Competitions for men and women are run by Bowls England and the competitions for 2024 have now been played. Entries for 2025 will be managed from here later this year.
County competitions for men are run by Kent County Bowling Association and for the women by the Women's Section of KCBA . Entry dates and rules can be found on their respective websites. The Club organises entries on behalf of members through the Secretaries of the Men's and Ladies' Sections.
The KCBA divides the historic County of Kent into 4 Divisions. An interesting map shows it nicely.
County competitions, as well as producing champions of the County in a particular discipline, also provide entry qualifications for the National events held in Leamington.
In this section of the website we have monitored the progress of all Canterbury competitors in both the County and National competitions in 2024.
We have summarised the situation of bowlers from our club and regardless of future results we can claim that members of our club have done us proud in both County and National competitions in 2024.
Representing the Country
Joe Vandepeer has played in England's Junior team.
Sue Mates has carried out her Umpiring duties across the country and internationally.
Representing the County
Mick Fisher and Steve Wells have played for Kent in representative matches.
Joe Vandepeer and Tom Attaway have participated in Kent Under 25 fixtures.
Leah Bamford was chosen to represent Kent in Under 25 fixtures, until her work situation took her out of the county. She did however take part in Kent's Amy Rose victory at Leamington.
County competitions
Pete Foster and Paul Causer reached the Kent finals in the Singles and Unbadged Singles respectively played at West Wickham Bowls Club on Sunday July 21, but there the journey ended..
Pete Foster and Jeff Vane reached the Kent finals in the Pairs played on Sunday July 28 at Empire Bowls Club in Greenhithe, but just fell short against international bowlers from Appleyard.
In the Over 55 Fours the team of Chris Dawson, Alan Cornfoot, Jeff Vane and Steve Wells reached the semi-final stage but lost at Aylesham in a close match.
In the Under 25 Pairs Joe Vandepeer with his partner Isaac Jenner (Appleyard) have reached their finals which are held on Kent Finals Day which were played at Birchington Bowls Club on Sunday August 11. They won and progressed to represent Kent at the National Championships.
In the Cox Cup (of which we were holders in 2022) Canterbury A, having defeated Canterbury B, Herne Bay B, Folkestone Parks and Ashford Rail B were now in the divisional final on 5 August on Canterbury's green. This was where the journey ended.
At the end of July, the ladies of Canterbury only had the Mollie Cleggett trophy to play for in the Counties for 2024. They were through the first rounds having soundly beaten Thanet, narrowly beaten Sellindge, decisively beaten Whitstable, but sadly, despite winning at home, our loss away to Birchington was greater, so the finals eluded us this year and we have had to hand over our Mollie Cleggett crown to another club.
It has been a good year overall in the Counties for both the men and ladies with some notable victories on the way.
National Competitions
Chris Dawson and Jeff Vane played their Senior Pairs Area Final against a pair from Sheerness at Kemsley Bowls Club on Tuesday 16 July and won so they were now booked in to Leamington Spa in August where they lost narrowly, but it was a fine performance to have progressed so far.
Having beaten last year's English Champions (Appleyard), Canterbury A faced Sandwich A at Betteshanger BC on Wednesday 17 July in the Area Final of the National Top Club competition and effectively lost on the final end 2-3.
Joe Vandepeer progressed with his partner Isaac Jenner in the Junior Pairs at Leamington, but fell in the second round. Again it was a fine performance.
Leah Bamford was in Kent's Amy Rose team in Leamington who lifted that Trophy for the third year running.