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Men's 2026 County Competitions Update

At the County semi-finals day held at RLS on Sunday 26th July, Bill Claridge beat Keith Wooding from Coventry Avenue in this year's 2-Wood Singles competition, two shots on the final end securing a 15-14 win, in what was a very closely fought contest.  Many congratulations to Bill, who will now face Welford's Chris Brereton in the final and has qualified to represent Warwickshire in this competition at the 2026 National Championships in August.  UPDATE - Bill was beaten 7-17 in the final.

 

Many congratulations too, to David Halliwell, Jeremy Ashley, David Hurst and Andy List who beat a rink from Stratford skipped by Malcolm George 18-14 in the semi-final of this year's Men's County Senior Fours competition in a match played the week before.  They will now face a rink from Coventry Avenue in the final, with the winner going on to represent Warwickshire at the National Championships. UPDATE - David, Jeremy, David and Andy were beaten 5-23 in the final.

 

 

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Ladies 2026 County Competitions Update

Once again this year there have been a number of great performances by RLS lady members in the various 2026 County competitions and the club will be well represented at the Finals Weekend in August. Congratulations to you all :-

 

In the 2-Wood Singles competition, Emily Kernick beat fellow club member Ellie Hurst in the semi-final and will now face Liz Wooding of Coventry Avenue in the final.  Emily will also represent Warwickshire in this competition at the National Championships in August.

 

In the 4-Wood Singles competition, club members Emily Kernick and Kirsty Richards will face each other in the final and will both be representing Warwickshire in this competition at the National Championships.

 

In the Pairs competition, having beaten fellow club members Anita Cowdrill and Tracey Turner-Smith in the semi-final, Kirsty Richards and Emily Kernick will now play Gilly Greenbank and Liz Wooding from Coventry Avenue in the final.  Both pairs will represent Warwickshire at the National Championships.

 

In the Fours competition, Michelle Meadowcroft, Jacqui Ashley, Emily Kernick and Kirsty Richards will face a rink from Rugby Thornfield in the final and will represent Warwickshire at the National Championships.
 

In finals that have already been played, Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White were beaten in this year's final of the Senior Fours competition by a rink from Welford, skipped by Moira Parsons.  As only the winners of this competition qualify for the National Championships, this means that Dawn, Anita, Jenny and Janice will not be able to defend the National title that they took in this competition in 2025.

 

Finally, in the Junior Singles competition, Amy Williams was beaten in the final by Lily-Mae Adams of Welford.  Whilst Amy does not qualify to represent Warwickshire in this event at the National Championships, as uncontested winners of the Warwickshire Junior Pairs competition, Amy and Lily-Mae will be there as the Warwickshire entrants in that event.

All of the finals that have not yet been completed, will be played as part of the ladies 2026 County Finals Weekend being held at Rugby Rail BC on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd August, timings as follows :-

 

Saturday at 10.00am - Fours final.  RESULT - Michelle, Jacqui, Emily and Kirsty won 21-6.

Saturday at 2.00pm - 4-Wood Singles final.  RESULT - Emily beat Kirsty 21-7.

Saturday at 5.00pm - 2-Wood Singles final.  RESULT - Emily lost 10-17.

Sunday 2nd August at 2.00pm - Pairs final (Kirsty, Emily).  RESULT - Emily and Kirsty won 19-17.

 

We wish all our ladies good luck !

 

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Dawn Horne and Janice White Just Miss Out on Place at National Championships

 

After beating Joy Cooke and Gill Maund from Sherwood Park BC 17-8 in the final of the Warwickshire Area of the Bowls England Ladies Senior Pairs competition earlier this month, Dawn Horne and Janice White just missed out on a place at the National Championships in the last 16, when they were beaten 18-10 by a pair from Wellingborough BC in a match played on a neutral green at Banbury Central on 19th July.  Having beaten pairs from Coventry Avenue, Welford and Stratford in earlier rounds it was a disappointing end to their run in the competition, but nevertheless, still a great achievement from Dawn and Janice to reach the final 32 stage.  Well done ladies.

 

  

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England Call Up For Matt Swift and British Isles Championships (Updated 2/7/26)

 

 

Many congratulations to club member Matt Swift, who was called up for his first England cap at the recent British Bowls International Series.  Matt represented England as part of the Para Squad that played 6 matches over the course of 3 very hot days at Ayr in Scotland during the last week of June, returning with a very well desrved gold medal as part of England's championship winning team !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also playing at Ayr during that same week were Emily Kernick and Kirsty Richards who were both part of the England Women's International Squad that also came away with gold medals after 8 matches played over 4 days of competition.

 

Many congratulations to Matt, Emily and Kirsty.

 

 

 

Finally, in the two days prior to the International series of matches, the British Isles Bowls Championships took place at Ayr.  As the BE champions in the 2025 Ladies Senior Fours competition, Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White represented England in this event, but unfortunately, were beaten in their semi-final tie by Ireland.

 

 

 

 

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South Warwickshire Short Mat League

 

Many congratulations to Dorridge Dragons by becoming champions for the 2025-26 season.

 

It was a very close final table with last year's champions RLS - Archers being second by just one point.

 

Results 2025-2026 - Final Results

 

League Table 2025-2026 - Final League Positions

 

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Club Night

 

Many congratulations to all the teams that took part in this years competitions and in particular to Taylors Bowls and Chalkdust who were the divisional champions.

 

Teams and Team Members 2025

 

Fixtures & Results up to 22nd July 2025

 

Final Table as at 22nd July 2025

 

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Club Competition Winners 

 

The main finals weekend for the 2025 club competitions took place on Saturday 6^th and Sunday 7^th September.

 

Congratulations go to all our newly crowned champions and runners-up :-

 

Men's 4-Wood Singles – Graham White (Runner-up: Bill Claridge)

Ladies' 4-Wood Singles – Dawn Horne (Runner-up: Janice White)

Men's 4-Wood Handicap – Greville Reader (Runner-up: Dave Harding)

Ladies' 4-Wood Handicap – Kirsty Richards (Runner-up: Ellie Hurst)

Men's 2-Wood Singles – Jerry Horne (Runner-up: David Hurst)

Ladies' 2-Wood Singles – Caroline Halliwell (Runner-up: Anita Cowdrill)

Men's "Novice" Singles – Chris Harding (Runner-up: John McGarry)

Ladies' "Novice" Singles – Jane Whyatt (Runner-up: Chris Weare)

Men's 4-Wood Pairs – Mario La Barbera & Ray White (Runners-up: Tim Clifford & Graham White)

Men's 3-Wood Pairs – John McGarry & Paul E Smith (Runners-up: Malcolm Dineley & Andy Gardner)

Men’s Chosen Pairs – Jamie Parker & Dave French (Runners-up: Bill Claridge & Graham White)

Ladies' Drawn Pairs – Julie Ford & Christine Leigh (Runners-up: Christine York & Christina Hurst)

Ladies' Chosen Pairs – Caroline Williams & Jenny Wickens (Runners-up: Caroline Halliwell & Jacqui Ashley)

Mixed Pairs – Bill Claridge & Heather Mills (Runners-up: Derek Bolam & Sheena Harris)

 

​In addition, the Hooper Cup triples competition was held on Sunday 21st September and was won by the trio of Pauline Dineley, Chris Brock and Dave French (Runners-up: Maria French, Derek Bolam and Graham White). 

 

A selection of photographs taken over the main weekend and on the day of the Hooper Cup is available to view by clicking on Home at the top of this page, then Gallery, then 2025 Club Finals.

 

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RLS Members at the National Championships

 

The BE National Championships were held at Victoria Park between Wednesday 13th and Sunday 31st  August (inclusive).  During the championships, a large number of club members took part in a wide variety of competitions.  Highlights as follows :-

 

Thursday 14th August – Dawn Horne and Janice White were beaten 9-16 in the last-16 of the Women’s Over 60’s Pairs.

 

Sunday 17th August – Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White won 23-16 in their first round match in the Women’s Over 55’s Fours competition.  Matt Swift played in David Tucker's "David's Royal Blue Team" in a BE Celebration match.

Monday 18th August – Ellie Hamblett won 21-11 in the first round of the Women’s Under-24’s Singles competition but was beaten 13-21 in the second round.  In the Women's Over 55's Fours, Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White won their second round match 23-16 and an hour later played the quarter-final match, winning that too, 20-8.

 

Tuesday 19th August – Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White won their semi-final of the Women’s Over 55’s Fours on an extra end after the match finished tied at 16-16 and then took the National title with a 23-12 win in the final.  (A detailed account of their route to the 2025 title can be found on the home page.)

 

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Congratulations to Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White, 2025 Bowls England Women's Over 55's Fours National Champions 

Wednesday 20th August – In the Women’s Fours competition, Caroline Edwards, Caroline Williams, Heather Mills and Tracey Turner-Smith won their first round match 19-10 but were defeated 8-22 in the second round.  Pauline Dineley, Sheena Harris, Chris Leigh and Jane Whyatt lost 12-18 in their first round match.

 

Friday 22nd August - In the Women's Triples competition, Caroline Edwards, Anita Cowdrill and Tracey Turner-Smith won their first round match 22-6 but were then defeated 6-18 in the second round.

 

Sunday 24th August - In the Women's Pairs competition, Caroline Edwards and Heather Mills won their first round match 22-19 but were then defeated 18-21 in the second round.  Kirsty Richards and Emily Kernick won their first round match 21-8, but were also eliminated in the second round when they were beaten 16-19.

 

Tuesday 26th August - In the Women's 4-Bowl Singles competition, Emily Kernick won her first round match 21-10 and then her second round match 21-13.  Unfortunately, Heather Mills was beaten 21-6 in her first round match.

 

Wednesday 27th August - Emily Kernick won 21-10 in her third round match in the Women's 4-Bowl Singles and then won her quarter-final match 21-19.

 

Thursday 28th August - Emily Kernick lost to Devon's Sophie Tolchard in the semi-final of the Women's 4-Bowl Singles by the narrowest of margins, 20-21.  In the Mixed Fours competition, Kirsty Richards and Emily Kernick (together with Luke Horne and Ben Harris) lost 18-21 the quarter-final.

 

Saturday 30th August - RLSBC Ladies beat Alton Social BC (Hampshire) 4-0 in the quarter-final of the Women's "Top Club" competition.

 

Sunday 31st August - In the semi-final of the Women's "Top Club" competition, RLSBC Ladies beat Wigton (Cumbria) 73-62 on shots after the match ended 2-2, with our ladies taking wins in the singles and fours and Wigton winning in the pairs and triples.  In the final, wins in the singles, pairs and fours saw the team beat Kings (Devon) 3-1, to be crowned 2025 Women's National "Top Club" champions 

 

 

 

Many congratulations to everyone involved with the team

 

A detailled account of their route to the title can be found on the HOME page.

 

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RLS Ladies Qualify for “Top Club” Finals at National Championships

 

Our Ladies National “Top Club” team travelled to Waddesdon BC, near Aylesbury, on Sunday 10th August to face Buckinghamshire champions, Gerrards Cross, in the last 16 of this year’s competition.  Having been crowned Warwickshire area champions after wins over Stratford, Coventry Avenue and Welford, followed by a win over Northamptonshire champions Desborough in the last 32, the team was attempting to reach the quarter-finals at the National Championships for the third time in the past 5 years.

 

Despite the team securing the first point of the match with a 21-9 win in the singles game, the evening turned into a nail-biter, with the other three matches all being extremely close as they entered the final stages.  However, four shots on the last end of the rink game gave RLS a second point with a 19-16 win and the tie was won shortly afterwards when 2 shots on their final end gave the pairs a 19-18 win.  Having already won the match, the triples game wasn’t played to a finish, ending with RLS trailing 13-19 after completing 16 of the scheduled 18 ends, meaning an overall 3-1 win for the team.

 

In the quarter-final, they will play Alton Social from Hampshire at the National Championships.  The match is scheduled for the final weekend and will take place at 12.45pm on Saturday 30th August on D Green.

 

Both the semi-finals and final will then take place the following day, on Sunday 31st August.

 

Please come along and support the team if you are able to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Club Members and Teams Excel at 2025 County Finals

 

The finals days for both the men’s and ladies’ county competitions were held over the weekend of 2nd/3rd August and club members and teams lifted numerous trophies :-

 

• Ellie Hurst took the Ladies Unbadged Singles title with a convincing 21-2 victory.
• Emily Kernick took the Ladies Four-Wood Singles title with a 21-6 win over Heather Mills who collected the runners-up trophy.
• Kirsty Richards took the Ladies Champion-of Champions title with a 21-18 victory.
• Caroline Edwards and Heather Mills took the Ladies Pairs title with a last-end 22-19 win over Kirsty Richards and Emily Kernick who collected the runners-up trophy.
• Caroline Edwards, Caroline Williams, Heather Mills and Tracey Turner-Smith took the Ladies Fours title with a 28-6 win over Pauline Dineley, Sheena Harris, Chris Leigh and Jane Whyatt who lifted the runners-up trophy.
• Caroline Edwards, Anita Cowdrill and Tracey Turner-Smith took the Ladies 2-wood Benevolent Triples title with a 13-9 win and also finished as runners up in the main Ladies Triples competition when the very last wood of the match saw them just edged out, 19-20.
• Anita Cowdrill and Graham White took the Mixed Pairs title with a 19-9 win.
• Wins in the Singles, Pairs and Fours were enough to give the RLSBC Ladies “Top Club” team a 3-1 win over Welford to lift the County “Top Club” trophy for the third time in the past 4 years.
• A rink representing RLSBC won the men’s Ivens Cup.  This year’s team of Bill Claridge, Neil Weston, Dave Harding and Greville Reader completed a close-fought 17-15 win over a rink from Nuneaton in the final to lift the trophy for the club for the third time in the past 6 years.

 

All our champions and runners-up in the 4-Wood Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours will go forward to represent Warwickshire in this year’s BE National Championships which take place at Victoria Park from 13th to 31st August.

 

There were also two County competitions that were played through to a conclusion at Lillington on Saturday 19th July :-

• Dawn Horne, Anita Cowdrill, Jenny Wickens and Janice White beat fellow RLS members Pauline Dineley, Caroline Williams, Chris Leigh and Jane Whyatt in the final of the Senior Fours.  Dawn, Anita, Jenny and Janice will go on to represent Warwickshire in this competition at the 2025 National Championships in August, where last year, they won the silver medal as National Runners-Up.
• Ellie Hamblett was runner-up in the Under-24 Singles.  Ellie will also be representing Warwickshire in this competition at the 2025 National Championships.

 

UPDATE:

Photographs of all of our 2025 County Champions and Runners-up can be viewed here. 

 

Many congratulations to all our 2025 County trophy winners.

 

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RLSBC Men’s Ivens Cup Team Reach Final

 

The Ivens Cup is a men’s single rink knock-out County competition that excludes players from the current “County Senior Squad” (i.e. Middleton Cup players).  In recent years RLS teams have performed well in this competition, lifting the trophy in both 2019 and 2023 and our 2025 team of Bill Claridge, Neil Weston, Grev Reader and Graham White has now won through to another final.  Wins against Snitterfield, Kineton, Whitnash and Welford saw the rink win the South Warwickshire section of the competition and a 22-7 semi-final win over Erdington Court (Birmingham Area winners) has now secured the team a place in this year’s final, in which they will face a rink from Nuneaton (Coventry Area winners) at 10.00 am as part of the men's County finals day at Welford on Sunday 3rd August.  UPDATE - The team beat Nuneaton 17-15 in the final to lift the trophy for RLSBC (see County Final report above).

 

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Ladies Shine in 2025 National Competitions

 

As well as the long list of members’ achievements in Ladies County competitions, there have also been a number of great performances in this year's BE National Ladies Competitions.  Many congratulations to you all :-

• Ladies Senior Pairs :– Dawn Horne and Janice White, having battled through four rounds to win the Warwickshire Area, have now defeated a pair from Leicestershire in the first regional stage of this competition to secure their place in the last 16 at the National Championships (their first match will be played at 9 am on Thursday 14th August).
• Mixed Fours :– Kirsty Richards and Emily Kernick are part of a rink that has won the Warwickshire Area and also their match in the first regional stage of the competition, to reach the last 16 teams (of which 8 will qualify for the National Championships).
• Champion-of-Champions :– Kirsty Richards narrowly lost in the final of the Warwickshire Area of the competition.
• Ladies National “Top Club” Competition :- The RLS Ladies team has won the Warwickshire Area of this year’s competition following wins over Stratford (4-0), Coventry Avenue (4-0) and Welford (3-1).  In the last 32 of the competition, the team then recorded a 3-1 win over Desborough BC from Northamptonshire in a match played at Rugby Thornfield (neutral green) on Monday 28th July.  UPDATE - In the last 16, the team played Gerrard's Cross (Bucks) on Sunday 10th August at Waddesdon BC, near Aylesbury and in a very close-fough match, recorded a 3-1 win to reach the quarter-final for the third time in the past five years, where they will play Alton Social from Hampshire.  This match will be played as part of the National Championships, at 12.45pm on Saturday 30th August on D Green.

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Success for RLS Members at 2025 British Isles Championships

 

As the Bowls England 2024 champions in the Ladies Fours, Michelle Meadowcroft, Ellie Hamblett, Emily Kernick and Kirsty Richards represented England in this competition at the 2025 British Isles Championships held at Llandrindod Wells in Wales at the end of June.  Wins over teams representing Scotland (25-16), Ireland (17-13) and Jersey (17-15) in the final saw the foursome secure the gold medal for England.

 

In the Ladies Under-25 Pairs competition, 2023 and 2024 BE champions Emily Kernick (playing with Lily-Mae Adams from Welford) won a second gold medal for England, defeating pairs from Scotland (14-13 in the semi-final) and Wales (23-8 in the final).

 

Once again, many congratulations to you all.

 

 

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Lawn Bowls - A Sport for Life - Continuing Bowler Development

 

Continuing Bowler Development (CBD) is a systematic approach that is designed to maximise a bowler’s potential and participant involvement. The CBD framework aims to define optimal training, competition and recovery based on biological age rather than chronological age. CBD considers early entry and late entry sport participants. It is bowler centered and coach driven.

The instruction, coaching and training are tailored to develop a bowler’s fundamental physical, literacy and sport technical skills to best position the participant to:

• Reach full potential
• Increase lifelong participation in lawn bowls and other physical activities
• Improving health and well-being

This framework will recommend training sequences and skills developments for the participant from the ‘Beginner Bowler’ to the ‘Elite Bowler’ and back to the ‘Active for Life Bowler’. It addresses the physical, mental, emotional and technical needs of the bowler as they pass through each stage of development.

 

 

Club Members:

 

For further details on each stage of the CBD Cycle log in to your account and click on the relevant button below.

  

Please note these pages are still under development. 

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Club Finals - 2024

 

The results of the Club Finals can be found below.

 

Ladies Competitions

 

Mens Competitions  

 

Mixed Competitions

 

Photographs of all our new trophy winners 

 

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Pickering League

 

Pickering League website

 

Pickering League May Gala 2024 Results

 

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Stratford Herald League

 

Congratualtions to RLS-B on being Champions off Division 1 and to RLS-D on being runners up in the same division, the two teams having the same number of points but RLS-B having a better shot difference.

 

The full final league tables