With the annual bowls calendar starting to wind down — for most, anyway — the Goulburn Valley Playing Area has honoured its members at a presentation event.
The event, overseen by Goulburn Murray Bowls Region secretary Stephen McGregor, had a raft of premiership presentations to the Goulburn Valley’s winning midweek sides.
Beyond that, though, many contributors to the local bowls scene received individual recognition.
There were undoubtedly plenty of certificates to award and photos to take, given the wealth of successes and representative berths achieved by Goulburn Valley personnel this season.
Perhaps the most prolific day was had by Shepparton Golf’s John Stokes, first recognised as one of many premiership players in Golf’s victorious midweek pennant side.
Later, Stokes received prestigious elevation to Goulburn Murray Bowls Region life member status — yet there was still more to come.
The day’s highest honours fell to two new inductees in the Goulburn Murray Bowls Region Hall of Fame.
East Shepparton’s Maurie Rowlands enters the Hall of Fame off the back of more than 20 years involved with the administrative end of the bowls scene.
Beginning as the secretary at East Shepparton in 2003, Rowlands later served as president of the Goulburn Valley Bowls Division and sat in the same post for the Central Goulburn Murray Bowls Region during the 2010s.
Described as “one of the real characters of lawn bowls in this area”, Euroa’s Peter Brodie was the other Hall of Fame inductee.
Having served on Euroa’s committee for 15 years, Brodie was also the club’s Bowler of the Year four times during the 1980s and ’90s and a six-time Euroa Club Champion.
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Top of the pops: Shepparton Golf's midweek pennant premiership side was honoured. (Photo: Supplied)Image 2 of 6
Tandem offence: State pairs representatives Di Hands and Kate Bush. (Photo: Naomi Cartwright)Image 3 of 6
Unstoppable: GVPA weekend premiers Tallygaroopna have made state playoffs. (Photo: Naomi Cartwright)Image 4 of 6
Better together: State pairs representatives Paul McInnes and Rob George. (Photo: Naomi Cartwright)Image 5 of 6
Tenacious: Peter ‘Boxer’ Brodie has bowled his way into the GMBR Hall of Fame. (Photo: Naomi Cartwright)Image 6 of 6
Set for life: Shepparton Golf’s John Stokes is officially a GMBR Life Member. (Photo: Naomi Cartwright)McGregor was quick to pay tribute to all the day’s honourees.
“It's very well-earned for John, Maurie and 'Boxer',” McGregor said.
“Maurie was in more for the admin side of things and 'Boxer' was more as a player, but Stokes was a bit of both.
"John has been a great contributor for bowls on and off the green and has contributed a fair bit to the indoor bowls scene.
“He’s always willing to put his hand up and do things.
“The playing side of things is great, but to add his admin side is much appreciated and he joins a very select group."
This group already includes Brodie and Rowlands, who have sat as life members before each’s Hall of Fame induction.
"Maurie is a very willing and very knowledgable administrator; he's always been involved with sport and I've worked with him on and off for around 10 years,” McGregor said.
“He’s been involved with the unification of bowls in the Goulburn Murray area.
“There aren’t many people who get a bar named after them, but it’s ‘Maurie’s bar’ at East Shepparton.
“As for ‘Boxer’, his playing record did it for him; he still loves his bowls and lives for it.
"You could always talk to him to learn something about bowls; he was a great sportsman, and he was one of those blokes who would sit there and clap a good bowl, even if it was against him.”