The weekend of 11/12 July saw the SPA formally celebrate our 30th Anniversary in Fochabers.

The weekend started on Saturday afternoon with Fochabers PC hosting the ‘Summer Fling’ – a friendly open competition. As well as many of the usual players we were delighted to find players from nearby Portknockie joined in too. With play starting at 1.30, the 14 teams were divided into leagues (2 leagues of 4 and 2 leagues of 3). The top two from each league would play in the main knockout while the others would thrash it out for the plate. Games were limited to 11 points so all the matches could be squeezed in in time for everyone to get ready for the evening celebrations. Winners of the main were Robbie and Emma.

On Saturday evening, 30 players (shame it wasn’t more) were greeted to a glass of fizz and sat down to a sumptuous dinner in the Gordon Arms. The SPA would like to say a big thank you to all who contributed the vast table of memorabilia, with photos, newspaper cuttings and other papers from days gone by. It was an evening to reminisce and reflect on the contribution of all of those volunteers who, over the years, having given much their spare time to further the SPA’s cause, as well as to remember those who are no longer with us. Much merriment was had and the conversations went on in to the wee hours.

On to the Triples on Sunday morning. With a few sore heads, 8 teams registered to play. The format would be a round robin of 7 rounds, with games played to 11 points. Play was brisk and, although play started at 9.45, 4 rounds were fully complete before lunch at 1 o’clock. At this point, the Sex Pisteols were out in the lead having won all their games in the morning, with five teams two games adrift. As usual we were treated to a feast at lunch, Lasagne this time, along with sandwiches and home baking.

Play finished not long after 4 pm and, in the end, the Sex Pisteols – Robbie, Derek & Colin – hung on to win with 6 wins from 7. In second were last year’s winners Lynn, Shirley and Richard (this year playing under their usual name of Pretty Vacant) on 5 wins and third were Les Champignons – Emma, Mags and Monty – with 4 wins and better points difference.

A huge thank you to Fochabers PC for hosting and in particular to Shirley Legge for organising the whole weekend – the Summer Fling, prizes, dinner, decorating the hall, collecting memorabilia etc etc etc.