A pair of Belleville youth are on their way to a long-running lawn bowling competition.
11-year-old Elise and 14-year-old Isaac Kerr travelled to Iroquois in Eastern Ontario this past Saturday to compete in the Governor General’s novice singles playdown tournament at the Iroquois Lawn Bowling Club and won to qualify for this event.
The Kerrs will be heading to Elmdale LBC in Ottawa along with two men’s and two women’s fours teams to represent Ontario vs. Quebec on August 31.
The prestigious tournament has a long history, dating back to 1928 when then-Governor General of Canada, Viscount Willingdon presented a silver trophy to the Eastern Ontario Lawn Bowling Association for annual competition between Men’s ‘fours’ teams from the Eastern Ontario LBA and the Québec Lawn Bowling Federation.
The tournament alternated between the two provinces hosted by various Clubs.
In 1993, the ladies joined the event and in 1994, GG Raymond John Hnatyshyn provided a new trophy to match the Willingdon Cup which is played for by Ladies ’fours’ teams from Ontario and Quebec.
To recognize both the historic and feminine quality of the tournament the trophy was named the Governor General’s Rose Bowl.
The Eastern Ontario Lawn Bowling Association became part of the Ontario Lawn Bowls Association (OLBA) in 1957, thus the ’Ontario’ side of the Tournament Committee is governed by District 16 of OLBA.
The Tournament also includes competition between the Ladies and Men’s Novice Singles winners of the OLBA and their counterparts of the Quebec LBF.
Elise (11 y/o) and Isaac (14 y/o) may be the youngest Governor General playdown competitors and winner’s ever and hopefully the tournament winners on August 31st in Ottawa