Wellingtonian teenager Marshall Kenny is one of the youngest competitors at the Taranaki Men's Open Fours. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin
Hundreds of lawn bowlers have descended on Taranaki this week for the men's open fours competition - considered one of the largest and most prestigious club championships in the country.
More than 180 teams - including five from Australia - have entered the event, which is being hosted at 10 clubs across the province.
The Devon Hotel Taranaki Men's Open Fours has being going for 121 years and is one of New Zealand's oldest lawn bowl competitions.
Bowls Taranaki president Grant Hassall said that was half its attraction.
"Part of it is the history, the tradition of the event," he said. "There's been a lot of great players, of course, over those years that have taken part in it.
"Taranaki has built up a reputation for running a very decent tournament with good hospitality on good greens with great comradeship and excellent competition amongst some of the best bowlers in the world."
Quartets face off over a mammoth 25 ends - considered the bowls equivalent of a test match in cricket.
Dan Pullman and his Hāwera Park team started the day with a double whiskey and beer chaser. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin
"Matches take something like three-and-a-half and four hours to complete, so they're no quick matches in that respect.
"In this competition, there are 10 hosting clubs from Urenui in the north to Stratford in the south, and there are 182 teams of four, with 57 from Taranaki, 120 from other parts of New Zealand and five from Australia."
Dan Pullman and his Hāwera Park team were priming themselves for the day ahead, when RNZ visited the Paritūtū club in New Plymouth.
"It's a tradition that we always start with a double whiskey and we have to have a chaser to help get it down, and especially because it's John Kearney's birthday today. He's 71 today this guy here."
Pullman said the liquid breakfast was good for his game.
"It helps me get my eye in, and then I ease off and just, you know, go with the flow."
Taranaki Bowls president Grant Hassall. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin
Tony Smith was skip for a combined quartet from Queensland.
"Aw mate, I can't believe the hospitality here," he said. "It's been absolutely unbelievable and the scenery just gorgeous.
"We had a team that came across and played at a carnival at Tannum Sands, and they said, 'Come, please', so we did and we're really glad."
The weather, however, had been less than optimal.
"It's been frigging terrible, but it's okay. You've got to take it as it comes, you know.
"We're just glad to be here."
At 18, Wellingtonian Marshall Kenny was one of the fresh faces in the field.
"I was camping one day, and me and my family decided to go and play bowls for a bit of a laugh. I was pretty good, so some olds guys said I should join up."
Tony Smith, foreground, was skip for a combined team from Queensland. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin
Kenny said the sport was growing in popularity with young people.
"It's good fun," he said. "You get to mix with older generations and get to speak to people of all ages, and I think young people are starting to enjoy it more, which is good.
"We're getting lots more young people playing and, yeah, they should definitely join up."
Paritūtū's Kevin Crawford was nearing his 87th birthday and had bowled for 45 years.
"I love the game so much and I've had a lot of pleasure out of it," he said. "I've played all over the country over the years and just absolutely love the game'
"I'll play it as long as possible."
He said the camaraderie of bowls was as vital as the competition.
"It's just so wonderful to keep up and catch up with these players every year at this tournament and other tournaments. That's the social side of it, which is very important."
Not all the action at Paritūtū was on the greens. Celebrated bowler Barbara Batley was in charge of the kitchen.
Barbara Batley, second left, was in charge of the team running the kitchen at Paritūtū. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin
"We have six in the kitchen working and four helping out in the clubrooms, so there's 10 of us all voluntary," she said. "We're getting their morning tea ready, which consists of bread, luncheon, tomato, cheese, red onion, pickles and relish.
"The players come in, and we make a pot of tea and they make themselves a sandwiches."
Jocelyn Stevenson and June Gledhill were buttering a mountain of bread slices. Stevenson was happy in her work.
"We've been here since 8.30am and we're actually doing quite well today, because there's usually three of us and there's only two today.
"I just love the camaraderie, and just everybody mucking in and helping. It's just a great club to be in."
After already losing one day and an afternoon to rain, the Taranaki Men's Open Fours Lawn Bowls championship is due to wrap up on Monday.
The Devon Hotel Taranaki Women's Open Fours competition, featuring about 80 teams, will begin on Tuesday.
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