Matthew Farquhar goes from strength to strength with Indoor Bowls!

2018 has been an outstanding Indoor Bowls season for high performing Tauhara College student Matthew Farquhar.

Playing with and against people both his own age and others with years more experience than himself, he has recorded outstanding success. Amongst the many great achievements, New Zealand Secondary School Singles Gold medal is one of the stand out titles. This ended his junior indoor bowls journey (under 18), successively ticking off all available titles in the last 5 years. His name is scribed into the cups and trophies as NZ Junior Bowls Champion, Bay of Plenty Junior Champion, Bay of Plenty Secondary School Singles Champion, North Island Secondary School Singles Champion and North Island Secondary School Pairs Champion. Only one junior title has evaded his collection, the ‘Junior who goes the furthest’ at NZ Bowls Nationals.

Matthew has also been extremely competitive and successful amongst open field competitions. This year he finished 3rd equal at the Indoor Bowls National Fours in Ashburton. This involved playing against 95 other teams from all around NZ and being unbeaten in 9 games to reach the semi-final. He was finally knocked out by the New Zealand team captain, a player who holds the record for most National Titles ever won (13). Locally, he was a close runner-up in Taupo’s ‘Singles Bonanza’, an open event that attracts some of NZ finest, losing to a NZ representative. A few years earlier he had won the ‘Taupo Pairs Bonanza’.

Matthew was the first junior to win the prestigious Bay of Plenty Henslitte Singles. This entitled him to represent Bay of Plenty to compete against the other 36 centre winners from throughout the country. In this event he exceeded expectation winning three and drawing one of his section matches and qualified to post section. Eventually he was frustratingly knocked out in the final 16. Frustrating for him he would say. However, it was a top 16 finish in a field of NZ’s best indoor bowlers.

Remarkable success has also been achieved at a regional level this year, breaking several records. He became the youngest player to ever win the Bay Of Plenty ‘Player of the Year’ award, winning 4 out of the 7 events played in 2018. He then became the youngest person to ever win the Rotorua ‘Player of the Year’ award; additionally, the only ever player in 70 years to achieve both titles in the same year. Bay of Plenty Captain, Robin Porter’ has stated, “Matthew has shown incredible aptitude at a regional level while competing against players who have been practicing for over 30 years. His ability to still break records after 70 years of the centre existing is a testament to this.”

Matthew has remarkably exemplified the key values of Tauhara College. He has shown a high level of commitment, regularly practicing, competing every weekend while clocking close to 30,000km of travel this year. He has demonstrated care, giving back to the sport by taking up the ‘Regional Coach’ position and taking an active role in committees. He has shown incredible courage beyond his years. He has overcome some incredibly difficult opponents with experience above and beyond his own. Matthew has been lucky to reap the rewards of his hardwork and dedication this year, laying the groundwork for another successful 2019 season.