Wellington Region Bridge Committee

Following the call for nominations which closed on 30 September 2026, the composition of the Wellington Region Committee (WRC) for the coming term has been confirmed.  John Donbavand remains on the Committee, and two new members - Joe Stewart (Kairangi) and Derek Moore (South Wairarapa) - have joined.

Claudia Duncan resigned as Secretary in September and Jill Herman will stand down at the end of this year. As a recent WRC email records: "Both have gone above and beyond to establish the Wellington Region Committee as a positive, efficient, and effective presence within NZ Bridge and among other regions". 

At the committee meeting held on 21st October, the following officer roles were confirmed:

Chair: Alan Grant
Email: chair@wellingtonregionbridge.nz

Treasurer: Margaret Robertson
Email: treasurer@wellingtonregionbridge.nz

Secretary: Carol Cornelius (new appointment)
Email: secretary@wellingtonregionbridge.nz
Phone: 020 4015 6039

National Congress 2026

Even at this late stage it's not too late to register for this year's National Congress - check here for all the information.

Additional Tournament Grades & Ranks effective 1st January 2027

Please see the following notice from NZBridge for important information regarding forthcoming changes:

Membership Satisfaction Survey Results: Part 2

This report provides additional feedback from the membership survey conducted earlier this year.

Overall, the text responses reflect a highly positive sentiment toward the management and the social atmosphere of the Club, mirroring the responses previously summarised in Part 1.

“JUNIORS ONLY” COMPETITION

Based on the survey results, there was a high degree of support for trialling a "Juniors and Novices Only" session, with many respondents expressing enthusiasm for the idea. Unsurprisingly, support was strongest among the Novice and Junior grades.

It is right to note that a minority did not support the trial. These members generally believe that the best way for juniors to improve is by playing with and against more experienced players who can offer advice and demonstrate higher standards of play.

Approximately 70% of those who answered the question were in favour.

OTHER ISSUES

Beyond the proposal for a juniors-only competition, members suggested several key areas for improvement ranging from facilities and session management to education and social integration.  Suggestions included:

Facilities and Logistics

• a kitchen upgrade, including the installation of a dishwasher
• improvements to heating and ventilation
• better organising the noticeboards to make information easier to find.

Session Management

• ensuring that sessions start on time
• consistent use of the timer clock
• firmer management of noise levels and "slow play"
• a focus on etiquette and ethics for learners
• moving Tuesday evening sessions to the afternoon

Partnering and Membership Support

• better systems for finding partners, such as a "matchmaker" who knows players' levels, a dedicated noticeboard, or a mechanism to see who is seeking a partner for an upcoming series
• displaying a list of members with grades on the notice board [this has been done]
• a "photo board" defining roles and responsibilities of the committee and volunteers

Education and Competitive Play

• a winter series of improver sessions on Saturday afternoons
• 1-1 coaching for those unable to attend evening lessons, and more "repeated lessons" on how to improve
• more teams events
• an expansion of local interclub competitions
• the introduction of an annual Club Championship [under action]
• "refresher for directors" sessions

Administration and Finance

• direct debit for session charges
• clearer explanations regarding membership cost increases rather than just annual adjustments
• listing members' first names before their surnames in the programme book

Recent Results

Otaki Open Swiss Pairs 18th October

John Donbavand and his partner placed 8th and Pryor Rowland and Graham Cheater were 11th.

KHAP Round 8

In the latest round of the Kapiti/Horowhenua Area Pairs, Sue Legat and Ady Dale were 2nd, Murray Lobb and Rae Lutman 3rd, Naciye Bagci and Anthea Black 4th, and Ernie Davis and Marg Gott 5th.

Palmerston North Open Swiss Pairs 11th October

Well done to John Donbavand and Graham Cheater, who placed 5th.

Paraparaumu Multigrade Pairs 11th October

Session Results

In the morning session Ryan Crowley and his partner were 1st N/S, and Nicky Bradley and Suzanne Duncan were 4th N/S.  In the afternoon session Anthea Black and Naciye Bagci were 1st N/S, Stella Jury and Ann Verboeket were 5th N/S, John Donbavand and his partner were 1st E/W, Vicki Boffa and Rachel Patrick were 3rd E/W and Ady Dale and her partner were 4th E/W.

Overall:

Open/Open - 

John Donbavand and partner 4th

Anthea Black and Naciye Bagci 5th

Open/Intermediate - 

Ady Dale and partner 1st

Stella Jury and Ann Verboeket 3rd

Rae Lutman and partner 4th

Intermediate/Intermediate - 

Nicky Bradley and Suzanne Duncan 3rd

Vicki Boffa and Rachel Patrick 5th

Congratulations to all, but especially Ady on achieving 1st place in the Open/Intermediate category.

Kapi-Mana Multigrade Pairs 4th October

(Photo: Kapi-Mana Bridge Club)

Congratulations to Graeme Norman and Murray Lobb who finished 3rd with a score of 56.76%.  

Well done also to both John Donbavand and his partner and Karen Eriksen and Jude Lucas who recorded top 10 finishes in a field of 38 pairs.

NZ-Wide Pairs

The NZ-Wide Pairs were contested on the evening of Friday 16th October in 53 clubs around the country (4 more clubs than last year). A total of 795 pairs took part. The event raises money for New Zealand Bridge Foundation in its support for bridge in New Zealand, especially in the development of young players.

The final results nationwide show Waikanae's Graeme Norman and Carol Hogan in 12th place overall and 1st in the Open/Intermediate category, and John Donbavand and Pryor Rowland in 20th position - two great results: congratulations!

The Waikanae-only results were:

N/S 

1st - Graeme Norman and Carol Hogan

2nd - Ann Edwards and Vicky Young

3rd - Jeanne Wardill and Graham Cheater

E/W 

1st - John Donbavand and Pryor Rowland

2nd - Miriam Lewin and Rae Lutman

3rd - Murray Lobb and Viv Gray

A very generous finger food supper was well attended before play - thank you to everyone who contributed. Many thanks also to Chris Farrow who not only organised the evening for us, but also directed.  

NZBridge - Complaints Officer