Triple the fun in Yarrawonga-Mulwala
The 9th annual Joy Johnson Memorial Classic women’s triples tournmant was held over two glorious, sunny days on Saturday 29th – Sunday 30th August. But the fun all began on the Friday night!
Experts at finding fun ways for the pre-event ‘calling of the cards’, the team behind the planning of the JJMC and their helpers from Yarrawonga-Mulwala Golf Club Resort really know how to squeeze as much fun and joy into two-and-a-half days.
This year, after team numbers were determined by successfully shooting a scorecard with a toy Nerf gun, it was time for some chair aerobics! Who would have thought you could have so much fun sitting down! Instructor Kim, backed by three joyful and upbeat tunes, had the whole room bopping along, nimbling up, stretching those limbs, ready for two big days of bowls ahead.
Every year the competition is fierce, with many sharing their fond memories of Joy Johnson both out on the greens and off. Joy’s family members and major sponsors of the tournament are often in attendance, taking pride in presenting the winners with their prizes after play concludes on the Sunday.
A highlight of this year’s event was the Saturday evening panel discussion over dinner. MC’d by Courtney Bennington, those in attendance were treated to first-hand insights into the inner workings of the recent Commonwealth Games. It’s not every day a mother and daughter step out together as ITO’s on a world stage, but that’s precisely what Laureen and Rhoanna Smith had the privelage of doing. Joining them on the panel was Sharyn Renshaw, who commentated for the entirity of the bowls at the Games, quite a feat, covering hours of matches over very long days, and from all accounts her voice is still recovering! All three were fresh from Glasgow and shared some of their most memorable moments from the Games, with a highlight being Rhoanna’s selection to officiate the Women’s gold medal match at her first international event as an ITO.
In addition to her MC role, Bennington provided general tournament support including assisting with Bowlslink competition setup and live scoring, with everything running seamlessly all weekend. She was joined by partner Culum, who since 2024 has been contracted to provide live streaming of the tournament, as well as assisting with social media and photography, and the duo team up on the commentary desk. The development of these add-ons really gives the event a point of difference and makes for an enjoyable experience for participants.
What we really admire about this tournament, and what makes it stand out from the rest, is the ongoing committment to change and progression, and since 2024 this has included things like:
- Use of Bowlslink for draws, results, and live scoring.
- Dedicated social media channels (Facebook and YouTube).
- Live streaming (paid service).
- Entertainment – welcome events, games, calling of cards, dinners, panels, live music.
- Exclusive tournament merchandise (polos) and pop-up bowls shop on site.
- EOI for entries
- Seeking external assistance and support
The organisers were very chuffed to receive fifty EOI’s for this year’s event, with only twenty-eight spots available, testament to it’s popularity, and the field was their strongest yet with the final results being very close so every last shot came into play to determine the winners. “Joy would be very stoked at how far this has come, she’d be very proud”, said her good friend and former Victorian teammate Anne Miles.
This isn’t a tournament that is simply unboxed and rolled out on the same dates every year. It is a project of passion for all those involved, who strive keep it fresh and are committed to thinking outside the square, making it one of the premier women’s bowls weekends on the calendar.
We congratulate the members of YMGCR and particularly Anne Miles, the driving force behind the Joy Johnson Memorial Classic, her large cohort of volunteers, club staff, sponsors and the entire team behind this brillaint women’s bowls event. We look forward to seeing the 10th anniversary event take shape in 2027 and the continuation of Joy’s legacy to the bowls community.
📷 Culum Bennington
Click image to view or download Case Study document.
If you or someone at your club is interested in running a similar tournament, you can access the Case Study, as well as many more resources, on the Women In Bowls page.
