Sports reports: Cartoon Graveyard wins the Gold Cup
Plus the latest in Lower Murray bowls, Murray Towns cricket, carriage driving, golf, darts and netball.
These stories include contributions from Derek Vanderzon, Penny Heighes and Michael Potts. Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.
Kayla Crowther has won her second Murray Bridge Gold Cup in four years as ex-Tasmanian Cartoon Graveyard landed the spoils in Saturday’s listed feature on one of SA’s biggest spring race days, which attracted more than 3000 racegoers.
The Will Clarken-trained gelding was well-backed late and produced a sharp turn of speed from midfield to reel in Pudding, who dashed clear at the top of the straight.
Pudding stayed on gamely to hold second, while Sir Kingsford finished third in a performance that will lay the foundations for a tilt at some feature races in Melbourne over the coming weeks.
- Read more: www.racingsa.com.au.
- See more photos: Gold Cup 2025
Lower Murray bowls season begins
Mannum have started the new Lower Murray bowls season with a 62-60 win over Jervois, winning on one rink and drawing another in a tight contest.
David Kempe, Graham Wakefield, Graham Leathers and Todd McDonnell finished the day strongly to overwhelm Derek Vanderzon, Shawn Hicks, Graham Schenke and Shane Fromm, getting up 23-14 by winning the last six ends while adding 10 shots.
The locals did well to stay in the contest for most of the match, given an exemplary display from McDonnell on the lead, while Kempe made some big saves in the closing ends to ensure the win.
Terry McDonnell, Marty March, Peter Wegner and Ron Van Tijn looked like romping away to a big win over Tim Hicks, Heather Fromm, Bruce Smith and Neil Morris when they led 13-1 after eight ends, but had to settle for a draw after the home side launched an impressive comeback.
A four on the 11th was followed by a trio of threes over the closing ends, and the scores were locked away after 19.
A single to McDonnell was countered by one to Hicks on the final end to secure a point.
Graham Herbert, Jeremy Scannell, Graham Fromm and Stuart McCulloch scored a 27-20 win over Gavin Pfeiffer, Tommy Towns, David White and Stephen Gregory with a strong second half. Trailing by five shots after nine ends, a three and a four put Herbert ahead at the break.
Pfeiffer regained the lead, but Herbert went to the final end with a two-shot lead.
A five on the final end extended the lead to seven shots, but left Jervois two shots short overall.
Murray Bridge started their title defence with a solid 22-shot away win over RSL, winning on all rinks.
Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Troy Penhall and Paul Smart barely missed a beat as they powered away to a 28-12 win over David Thiele, Max Wilkin, Michael Walker and Phil Day.
Thiele managed to hang in for most of the first half, but a pair of threes were soon followed by a five on the 15th end as McIntosh cruised to an easy win.
Andrew Stasinowky, Brian Traeger, Helen Lindner and Ben Traeger had to overcome a mid-game slump to eventually overhaul Jason Sipos, Matthew Wynne, Kerri Bolt and Garry Daniel by two shots, 19-17.
Staz was out to an early 5-0 lead, but was four shots down with four ends remaining.
Seven shots to one from there on saw him over the line.
David Graham, Ann-Marie Kuchel, Gillian Newell and David Newell made a blistering start against Aaron Jones, Bruce Attrill, Charlie DiSanto and Brian Leckie as they raced to a 12-0 lead after six ends, including threes on the first two ends.
But their scoring dried up after that, and they only managed five singles for the remainder of the match.
Even so, they held a six-shot buffer with four ends to go.
A five to Jones was followed by one, two and two, and a four-shot win to Jones resulted.
At Tailem Bend the home side won 62-51 over Karoonda, with two rinks up.
Eight clubs will field A grade cricket sides this summer
The 2025-26 Murray Towns cricket season is about to begin.
This Saturday, the season will kick off with 13 games across juniors and seniors.
The Agrade competitionwill bounceback stronger than ithasbeen in years, welcoming backJervois and Ramblersto the top flight.
- Read more: www.facebook.com/MurrayTownsCA.
Locals win at state carriage driving championship
Two Murray Bridge locals have taken out major awards at the South Australian Carriage Driving Championship combined driving event at Monarto over the Labour Day long weekend.
Unity College schoolteacher Belinda Mattner blitzed the field and took out the intermediate pony category with her pocket rocket, Shangrala RPS Rockstar, better known around home as Nugget.
Her groom, navigating and holding down the carriage, was Jason Vaudin from Jervois.
Another Unity College teacher, Denise Frahn, driving Mannaroo Alvin, and her son Harry took out the level three, winning the dressage and marathon stages and coming second in the cones course.
Competitors travelled from as far away as Victoria to compete at the championships, taking out major awards for very small equine.
The Southern Carriage Driving Society meets at the Monarto Sporting Complex on the first and third Sundays of the month; spectators are always welcome.
Electric Lloyd Norrish blows the field away
Runaway winner Lloyd Norrish has shown just what he is capable of when he’s fit and up and running in Saturday’s Stableford competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club.
Reeling off a brilliant 42 points, he just kept finding the hole, and fast, giving no-one else a chance. There was a groove out on the course and Norrish was definitely in it for most of the afternoon.
As relaxed a golfer as one would ever meet, he just kept finding fairways off the tee and then cashed in when he got anywhere near the greens.
He got on a roll and kept it going all day, which is not easy to do, so well done, Lloydy.
The greens are steadily recovering from their recent coring and are slowly heading back to their slick-rolling best, although there was no shortage of players claiming to have “left so many shots out there” after finishing their rounds.
“Morgs” and his group were desperately unlucky, Graham Edwards reckoned he couldn’t chip, and Mal McFetridge said he couldn’t play; yet they all had pretty handy rounds, so there was a silver lining, chaps.
Visiting 15-year-old from Wallaroo Golf Club, Lachlan White enjoyed the greens as he rattled up a lazy 40 points to win the C grade, while consistent locals Matt Kowald and Joe Marcus claimed the A and B grades with 37 and 38 points, respectively.
If he ever returns, young Lachlan will find he has a handy bank balance here after scoring an excellent 22-point back nine and winning the pro comp on a countback.
Nathan Ackland snared the yabby on the upside-down saucered 14th green after a delightful iron strike off the tee.
It’ll be everyone’s favourite format this week, a par round, so come and try your luck.
Tailem Bend Golf Club results
Stableford competition, October 11
- Winner: Mick Parker, 39, from Geoff Bormann, on countback, and Graham Patching, 37
- Nearest the pins: Gary Clasholm, Graham Patching, Peter Phillips, Dean Jones, Dave Robson
- Trier prize: David Robson
Murray Bridge Darts Club results
Launchers defeated Mannum Club by forfeit
Bulls A defeated Vikings 8-5
Mozzies defeated Raukkan A 7-6
- 180s: Adam Searl, James Little, Todd McNair, Darcy Crane, Kenneth Henson
- Highest peg-outs: Scott Long junior 141, Anthony Clark 113, Aaron Watkins 112, James Little 104
Murray Bridge Netball Association results
Turtles defeated Hot to Trot 32-17
- Best: Kristine Weetra
Back in Black defeated Reds 27-25
- Best: Courtney Afford
Blue Jets defeated Name Pending 51-12
- Best: Holly Wachtel
BC Blitz defeated Tired but Trying 38-12
- Best: Melissa Gates
Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.
