Balloon Over Te Mata

The Season’s Last Tournament

Last year the Te Mata Croquet Club in Havelock North about 20 minutes drive from the Marewa Club of which I am a member held a tournament.  It was just before I was due to leave New Zealand for the winter and I decided I couldn’t play.  Tony Stephens – one of New Zealand’s top players for the last 50 years! – asked Zoe to partner him and they won.  This year he asked her to play again.  Her grandmother, Judy (who lives near Palmerston North, and whom I know through croquet and whom Jayne and Colleen and I stay with when we are at tournaments there) asked me if I’d partner her at the tournament.  It was a great tournament played over 2 days under wonderful sunny, cloud free skies.  Idyllic.  Tony and Zoe won again.  Judy and I came second.  What a wonderful end to the tournament season.

Zoe, Tony (who also managed the tournament) and the sponsor.

(standing) Judy and me

The Winners

The winners of the Te Mata Golf Croquet Doubles Tournament were Tony Stephens and Zoe Petterson.

The sponser of the Tournament on the right of Tony and Zoe with Leon Roselli the joint founder of the Club in the background.

Para-Gliding at Te Mata

Te Mata Peak near Havelock North south of Napier provides an opportunity for par-gliding. Personally I found the experience absolutely awesome. I 'jumped' off the top of a hill by running along the top and being lifted off by the wind. At Te Mata you jump off the top of the hill. Get it wrong and......

In the air above the Peak

Above Craggy Range Winery

Landing

From Te Mata Peak

Yesterday we drove up Te Mata Peak south of Napier. From there the views are spectacular. On a clear day one can see the whole of Hawkes Bay. The following pictures are taken facing the South and the West. The person in the red top is Fiona, Mo's daughter who lives in Sydney.

Te Mata range (Craggy Range) facing South from the peak

Facing South-West

Facing West towards the central ranges (covered in The Long White Cloud)