It started with a phone call saying can we use your terrain for a return match with Halifax. This was two branches of Pendragon 41 an older version of Round Table one from either side of the hills. There’ll be 18 people. Last year it was played at Sowerby on a small terrain and teams had to queue up to play. Of course we said yes and a date was set and we said we’d supply the boules and a few club members to act as umpires, run a 2 round competition with 3 triples each and present a trophy and some medals.
We said our clubhouse would be available if they wanted to put on light refreshments and they said they would. On the morning of the event I heard that they had visited the terrain and were now bringing 37 people! Frantic rearranging took place as we had to borrow another 10 sets of boules from our friends at Heckmondwike but we made it and at 1830 the terrain was ready, the scorecard was ready. A man in a van had arrived with 120 bottles of beer, a large ice bucket and 20 baguettes and some players had arrived. As we listed the teams it became clear that we weren’t going to start on time as players were arriving in drinks and drabs, some stopping off at the Junction en route. At 1900 we started with 11 triples and one pair. There were still latecomers and the final total was 39.
The games were played in a good spirit. After 2 rounds Huddersfield based teams had won 9 and Halifax teams just 3. Huddersfield were presented with the trophy. Here’s Charlie & Elizabeth.
But it still wasn’t over as we had 3 medals for the winning team members. There was draw between Huddersfield 2 and Huddersfield 3 both win 2 wins and +9 so a super over was played. The super over had 2 boules and produced a magnificent climax to a rip roaring evening. They’re planning to do it again next year.
Huddersfield Pétanque 