2008 SOUTHERN CROSS POOL COMPETITION

Well what can I say fathers day weekend, raining, cold everything against us to hold a pool competition in a paddock at Colo but all bad aside Cindy and I feel it may have been one of the best, with 20 players lining up to the challenge.

In true club spirit most people turned up on the Friday to brave the weather pitch tents and campers and get down to an enjoyable weekend.

A tarp was erected about the middle of the camp to house the club BBQ, to form a central cooking area for all to use and later a burial plot was dug to allow camp ovens to do what they do best. Saturday came still wet until midday then it started to clear, the two Bobs (Waller and Dennett) turned up they pitched tents and prepared for the night. Bob D had his fluro,s to add light above the pool table which worked well. We gathered fire wood, with the help of chainsaws we got some good size pieces to keep a fire burning most of the night.

As the reserve was all ours except for one other keen camper it was decided we would lay claim to the under cover BBQ area, with tarps placed around it then the pool table was placed into position it turned into a rather good pool hall. The competition started at beer o'clock (around happy hour) (about 4pm) Cindy and I drew the players names into pairs then it was on to find a pool champion for 2008. While the games were being played our chefs were lining camp ovens at the burial site three different types of meats and an oven full of vegetables, sacrifices we make as campers. Six o'clock saw us all heading to the fire to chow down on what I would call a very enjoyable meal, it can not get any better, a roast meal, a glass of port a damn good friends all sitting around the fire eating and talking and just having fun.

After all this it was time to resume the comp, round one had ten games all winners into the next round and all runner ups went back into a draw for a second chance to keep the players in pairs. This continued thru out the night until it was decided to call it quits for the night as the air got cold and the established fire was lonely. The stars were out and the rain was gone. So we all headed back to the fire, chairs were placed alcohol topped up and we all sat around the fire and talked until the cold got to the better of us and bed seamed like the place to be.

Sunday came the weather was excellent clear sky's, sun coming up, bacon and eggs and a cup of coffee and tea were on the menu for Cindy and my self. After breakfast it was time to finish off the pool comp but before we could start we had to donate money to the local council in the form of camping fees and then off we went back to the pool hall to play the remaining 5 rounds. We eventually came up with the final two to play off and congratulations to Lindsay Rutherford for winning the 2008 pool competition and congratulations to Irene Holman for being the runner up.

But the main winners were Cindy and myself, to me having all that turned up in the weather conditions we had show the true club spirit of old. We would like to say a big thanks to Brian and Jodie Norrish, if we could not talk them into allowing us to use the pool table, this weekend would not have been as successful as it was, and thanks to Trevor, Lindsay, Will and Mark for assisting with loading and unloading the table into the trailer at Brian and Jodie's place. Also thanks to Bob Dennett for adding light to the table and keeping a constant supply of pancakes, cream and jam coming to spectators and to Lindsay's beanie, and a special big thank you to

The Holman's, Carmodys, Norrish,s, Palethorps, Rutherford's, Waller's, Ward's, Bob Dennett and to Jenny (who came to the last monthly meeting and joined us on the weekend) these weekends are only successful when people turn up, have fun and enjoy them selves and under all the circumstances I think this was the case. You ALL made this weekend one to remember and we are looking forward to next year and hopefully a repeat of this year again THANKS.

Colin and Cindy