CluBarham hosted the 2025 Murray Mallee Junior Triples Lawn Bowls Tournament last week on Wednesday and Thursday, attracting competitors from across the state. Despite the cold weather, a lively celebration of emerging talent, community spirit, and the sport of lawn bowls unfolded as 18 teams competed at the Riverdome. Set against the scenic Murray River, the event highlighted the skill and enthusiasm of junior players.

Henry Boswood, Harry Coleman, and Charlie Boswood won, followed by Jack Duck, Addy Ryan, and Jacob Cartwright. Third place went to Ash Moffat, Mackenzie Parsons, and Cooper Sutton, with Jack Lennecke, Logan Mattei, and Micah Oswin coming in fourth.

Skipper Boyd Browning, who started playing lawn bowls at Sebastopol Primary, shared his love for the game. With eight years of experience, 16-year-old Boyd appreciates the social aspect: “I get to meet new people, and it’s the only sport where you can be young and play someone who’s like 90 years old, for example.”

Mikayla Mattei, a lead player, enjoyed lawn bowls with her father, who has been playing bowls for over 15 years. “I started playing in October last year,” the 14-year-old said, aiming to play pennant. Logan Mattei, also influenced by his father, played school lawn bowls. “It was fun, and then I just decided to keep doing it,” he said. At 13, he enjoys making new friends and improving his skills.

Ashleigh Moffat, at 15, set an important goal in lawn bowls. “My brother did under-18s, and it was really cool, but my Dad has played bowls for a long time, so I got into it from my Dad.” Ashleigh enjoys the friendship and competition and aims to follow in Carla Krizanic’s footsteps, the Australian international bowler, Commonwealth Games, and Outdoor Gold Medallist.

The cluBarham facility impressed the under-18 players, with the tournament featuring two Bowl Triples over 15 ends, including six games and Dead Ends to be Re-Spotted.

CluBarham will host the 2025 World Bowls Champion of Champions, bringing the best singles bowlers in the world to Barham with approximately 60 bowlers from over twenty nations between the 20th and 25th September.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 17 July 2025.