Page 25 - ABF Newsletter August 2024

2024 Australia-Wide Novice Pairs, 25-31 May
Brad Coles reports on the annual event contested by 2500 novice players
at 100 clubs all across the country
This year's Australia-Wide Novice Pairs was won by Ruy de Menezes and Toni Paramore from East's Bridge Club (pictured right).
Ruy de Menezes was born in Lisbon on 3 June
1924 and grew up in Macau, before moving
to Hong Kong during the War to work as
an accountant. In 1950 the family moved to
Australia, and he worked on punch-cards for
Qantas; then he was sent to New York for a course with IBM, returning to Qantas as a senior programmer.
In 1986 Ruy returned to his native Portugal, fulfilling a promise made to his wife many years earlier. After the death of his wife in 2016, he returned to Sydney just as COVID struck. Fortunately, his computer background enabled him to play bridge online during lockdown. He still plays online tournaments almost every morning with some of his friends back in Portugal. He is also a member of Easts Bridge Club, where he’s one of the top players, recently becoming a Regional Master.
If a less experienced player asks for advice he will always share his wisdom with an irresistible smile.
As he turns 100, he tells everyone his secret to a long life is, "Everything in Moderation". He says bridge has been good for him because it keeps his mind going. He says "I’m active all the time, especially in my head. 100%. I’m 100%. If I wasn’t playing bridge, I wouldn’t be reading much – my eyes are not so good now. I would be sitting down watching TV and falling asleep like a lot of older people."
Ruy has been blessed with good health. After a few falls, he has defied the odds and recovered amazingly well and quickly. As the hospital staff say, it’s all in the head. Ruy is an inspiration for those seeking to stay mentally active and a shining example of the old saying, you can’t keep a good man down.
Barry Simmons and Colleen Clift from Northern Bridge Club (above) were in 14th place. Barry is an 85-year- old semi-retired accountant, still with an accounting practice operating
from a home office. He took bridge lessons eight years ago, and has been
playing regularly with various partners twice a week at the North Balwyn
Bowling Club, where he has been an active member on the bowling green for 22 years.
His partner Colleen Clift, when not playing with Barry, plays on BBO with her mother and two sisters, one of whom lives in France. Colleen is also a keen walker, traveller and filmgoer.
Karen Gosney and Brian Clark of Redcliffe Bridge Club were in 17th place. They are a recent partnership, having only played a few games together. Brian has recently retired and has been playing for two and a half years, while Karen has been playing for about six years, when she can fit bridge in with her working commitments. They both find bridge to be a challeng- ing, enjoyable and worthwhile activity.
Brian has previously been a Redcliffe Novice Champion, and a winner in the club's Rainbow movement event. Karen is currently the Caboolture Novice Champion, and also the Queensland State Novice champion.
Thank you to all the club organisers across Australia who continue to make this event so successful. Thanks also to Paul Lavings at bridgegear.com.au and Maryo Derofe at penline.com.au for their assistance with the prizes.
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: August 2024 Page: 25