Bryanston Bowls claimed first place at the Delville Rhino Trips tournament held at the Delville Bowling Club on September 23 and 24.
Bowling fanatics met in Germiston to participate in one of the biggest national tournaments in the country.
Teams from Mpumalanga, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, to mention a few, came to battle for the chance to win bragging rights and prize money totalling R73 500. A cash donation was made to two conservations.
Leon Griffen, Delville Bowling Club chairperson said Dinokeng Game Reserve and Friends of Rietvlei received donations totaling more than R30 000.
ALSO READ: Delville Bowling Club to host trips tournament on September 24
“It was a competitive event and the participants enjoyed time in the sun. The successful occasion was attended by former and present Springboks captains,” said Griffen.
“A rugby ball autographed by Springboks rugby players, a vacation to Dinokeng Game Reserve, a helicopter ride over the reserve to see how a rhino’s tracker is installed were all up for auction to raise more money for the conservationists,” said Griffen.
Peter Ruddle from Friends of Rietvlei said they are a group of volunteers, from all walks of life, who exert themselves for the conservation of the fauna and flora in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve of 4000 hectares in Pretoria.
“We assist the management of the reserve with continuous planning and execution of various projects to add value and to maintain the reserve,” said Ruddle.
ALSO READ: Belgravia Bowling Club hosts tournament in support of POWA on Women’s Day
David Boshoff, who also extended an invitation to the general public to visit the reserve, thanked the organisers of the event and promised the funds will be used as intended.
With the added benefit of being the only Big Five reserve in Gauteng, he claimed that an incredible safari excursion is only a short drive away.
“Get ready to embrace the untamed beauty and embark on a journey you’ll never forget. Join us, and let’s make some memories.”
He also boasted the rights to house both black and white rhinos, saying the donation would go a long way towards keeping them secure in the facility.
Former national SA bowling team captain Brian Dixon also took part in the tournament.
ALSO READ: Belgravia Bowling Club seeks new members
He said his team finished as runners-up the previous year.
“I was always interested in cricket and soccer growing up. However, since I come from a bowling family, bowling was unavoidable.
“As bowls is a fun activity for people of all ages, the emphasis should be on developing youthful talent.”
The goal was to have fun, and winning was an added bonus, according to Victor Siphali of Bryanston Bowls, who recently returned from Austria with the national team captain Jason Evans.
First-place winner Siphali’s Bryanston Bowls received R30 000 in prize money, followed by White River Bowling Club in second place with R15 000 and Team Ken Mclean in third place with R7 500.