More than 100 Mid West bowlers head to city for WA’s biggest bowls event

The biggest men’s bowls competition in the State starts in Perth on Friday and more than 160 bowlers from the Mid West will be rolling on the metro turf.

Wonthella will be one to watch at the WA Country Week Carnival as they aim to add to the five times they have won the PS Bignell Perpetual Memorial Shield — they were top club in 1983, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2016.

City rivals Geraldton lack Wonthella’s history but are one title behind after wins in 2003, 2004, 2014 and 2018.

Both of them will be looking to make up ground on Bunbury, who are in a class of their own with nine titles.

The South West club, once a country powerhouse, have just eight bowlers this time, an increase of two from 2021.

The Mid West contingent is down slightly from 2021 but will still make up a sizeable number of nearly 1000 competitors in total.

Fifty-two of those are from Wonthella and Geraldton.

The Batavia zone’s country clubs, Northampton and Mullewa, will not be sending any players, the first time in several years the clubs have had no representation.

The Midlands and Coastal zones — including Moora, Jurien Bay, Three Springs, Badgingarra, Gingin, Coorow, Carnamah, Mingenew, Dalwallinu, Latham, Leeman and Perenjori — will provide the rest of the Mid West’s competitors.

Country week is easily the biggest event on Bowls WA’s calendar and attracts nominations of more than $50,000.

The tournament has been running since the 1920s and attracts players from Karratha and Dampier down to Esperance in the south and east to Kalgoorlie.