New Zealand Curling

The curlers of Manorburn and Poolburn Curling Clubs have swept all before them in the Idaburn Council's competitions this season.

So it was fitting – and perhaps not too much of a surprise – when they met again in the final of the Macrae Trophy at Alexandra on Monday 20 July.

Poolburn had won the Wilson Rosebowl and Wilson Cup on the Idaburn Dam earlier in the month, while Manorburn had taken out the Jerry Sanders knockout competition and also won the Nicolson Trophy for Idaburn from the Naseby Curling Council.

In the Macrae Trophy Final it was the Manorburn 1 four of P. Harrex, B. Kemp, E. Weaver and T. Banks (skip) who had a tight 17-15 victory over the Poolburn 1 team of G. Webster, J. McNally, G. Sinnamon and N. Armstrong (skip). This completed a hat-trick of trophies for the Manorburn club on Alexandra's IceInLine rink this year.

In the semi-finals Poolburn had beaten Rough Ridge 1 by 9-5 while Manorburn 1 accounted for Chatto Creek 1 by 8-4.

Alexandra 1, skipped by John Campbell, beat the Chatto Creek 1 side of K Gillespie to win the Plate 10-4.

Chatto Creek (in its 50th Jubilee year) was the top performing Club in the Macrae Trophy round robin, followed by Poolburn. These two clubs had both of their team in the "top eight" finals round.

Related articles –

• Detailed Results – Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Finals  
• Central Otago News article 9 July 2009
• History of the Macrae Trophy
• Conditions of play for 2009

Earlier articles

Finalists confirmed in Macrae Trophy

15 July 2009 – The line-up for the Final of the Macrae Trophy was settled after the sixth and last round robin series of matches at Alexandra on Monday. Chatto Creek 2 and Poolburn 2 forced their way into the top eight on the ladder, squeezing Alpine 1 and Oturehua 1 out of Finals contention.

The rinks of Manorburn 2 and Chatto Creek 2 both secured perfect four-wins-from-four records on Monday, but in Manorburn's case this was still not quite sufficient to lift them into the top eight.

The finals are scheduled for next Monday 20 July at Alexandra's IceInLine, but note that this may be rescheduled if a National Bonspiel is called.

Points Ladder after Round Robin completed
Team	Won	Drew	Lost	Differential	Ladder
Alexandra 1	8	-	-	74	1st
Poolburn 2	7	1	-	87	2nd
Chatto Creek 1	6	1	1	80	3rd
Rough Ridge 1	6	1	1	68	4th
Lowburn 1	6	-	2	74	5th
Chatto Creek 2	6	-	2	69	6th
Manorburn 1	5	2	1	67	7th
Poolburn 1	5	1	2	70	8th
Alpine 1	5	-	3	81	9th
Oturehua 1	5	-	3	70	10th
Manorburn 2	5	-	3	68	11th
Gore 1	4	-	4	57	12th
Alpine 2	3	2	3	79	13th
Upper Man 1	3	1	4	67	14th
Gore 2	3	1	4	58	15th
Blackstone Hill 1	3	1	4	(59-6=) 53	16th
Blackstone Hill 2	3	-	5	57	17th
Lauder 2	3	-	5	55	18th
Becks 2	2	1	5	63	19th
Lowburn 2	2	-	6	47	20th
Cambrian 1	1	1	6	42	21st
Dunstan Creek 1	1	-	7	44	22nd
Becks 1	1	-	7	25	23rd
Lauder 1	-	1	7	50	24th
Arrow 1	-	-	8	48	25th

Finalists for Monday 20th July
Alexandra 1	Chatto Creek 1	Chatto Creek 2
Lowburn 1	Manorburn 1	Poolburn 1
Poolburn 2	Rough Ridge 1

Macrae Trophy contenders emerge

7 July 2009 – Four of the eight finalists are confirmed following the fifth round of the 2009 Macrae Trophy competition on Monday 6th July. The remaining teams to compete the Finals draw will be found at the conclusion of the sixth and last round next Monday at Alexandra's Ice-In-Line rink.

Alexandra 1 lead the field with a perfect eight wins from their eight preliminary games. Chatto Creek 1 and Rough Ridge 1 both have six wins and one draw, and Lowburn 1 also have six wins. 

Waiting nervously with five wins are the "number one" teams of Manorburn, Poolburn, Alpine and Oturehua. However a number of the teams due to play in the final round will fancy their chances of muscling in to the rankings at the top of the table.

The top eight qualifiers will play in the Finals at Alexandra on Monday 20 July.

Points Ladder After 5 Rounds
Team	Won	Drew	Lost	Differential
Alexandra 1	8	-	-	74
Chatto Creek 1	6	1	1	80
Rough Ridge 1	6	1	1	68
Lowburn 1	6	-	2	74
Manorburn 1	5	2	1	67
Poolburn 1	5	1	2	70
Alpine 1	5	-	3	81
Oturehua 1	5	-	3	70
Gore 1	4	-	4	57
Poolburn 2	4	-	-	44
Gore 2	3	1	4	58
Blackstone Hill 1	3	1	4	(59-6=) 53
Blackstone Hill 2	3	-	5	57
Lauder 2	3	-	5	55
Upper Man 1	3	-	1	41
Becks 2	2	1	5	63
Lowburn 2	2	-	2	29
Chatto Creek 2	2	-	2	27
Dunstan Creek 1	1	-	7	44
Becks 1	1	-	3	25
Manorburn 2	1	-	3	23
Cambrian 1	1	-	3	21
Lauder 1	-	1	7	50
Alpine 2	-	1	3	27
Arrow 1	-	-	8	48
Teams in red are due to play in the final round next Monday (13-Jul-2009) after which the top eight teams will play off in the Finals day competition.

Macrae Trophy under way

11 June 2009 – The 2009 Macrae Trophy series, contested by the clubs in the Idaburn Curling Council, got under way at Alexandra's IceInLine Sports Complex at Molyneux Park on Monday. There will be a series of pool games over six weeks, with the finals scheduled for 20th July.

The 2009 Macrae Trophy series, contested by the clubs in the Idaburn Curling Council, got under way at Alexandra's IceInLine Sports Complex at Molyneux Park on Monday. There will be a series of pool games over six weeks, with the finals scheduled for 20th July.