It will be no surprise to lawn bowls watchers that Sheldon Bagrie-Howley is once again the Men’s Player of the Year, after winning the same award last year in 2023.
Of the many men’s bowlers who are in the mix at national and international level, Sheldon has consistently produced results over the past year. “He’s probably the in-form bowler at the moment,” observes bowls broadcaster, Colin Williams.
And as every bowler knows, ‘consistency; is the name of the game.
Anyone can put the bowl on the head … but doing it time after time after time, tournament after tournament after tournament is a different ball-game … or bowl-game.
Sheldon’s continued to do that throughout the last year … winning a bronze medal in the Fours (with Tony Grantham, Chris Le Lievre and Lance Pascoe) in the World Outdoor Championships on the Gold Coast last August … winning a silver medal in the Pairs (with Craig Tinker) in the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic last November … all but defending his title in the National Men’s Open (going down 18-21 to Aiden Takarua in the final) in January this year … to winning the National Mixed Pairs (with Selina Goddard) ... topped off with Pairs (with Elliot Mason) in his Southland Centre Champion-of-Champions in February.
That’s consistency.
But when your day job is an aircraft engineer building, refurbishing and repairing vintage aircraft at the Croydon Aircraft Company at Mandeville on the outskirts of Gore, consistency is everything. Clients want to know that the job is being done consistently right. And doesn’t depend on whether Sheldon had his creamota for breakfast, or consumed too much Hokonui Moonshine the previous evening.
World Bowls recently announced that he is ranked 16th in the world … and the top men’s bowler in New Zealand. Not bad for a 29 year old in a list peppered with champion bowlers from Australia, England, Scotland, Wales, Malaysia, South Africa and Ireland.
“He’s been bowling for nearly 20 years now,” observes former junior bowling colleague, Alex Reed. “And like me started off playing indoor bowls when he was 10 or 11. He came into the outdoor game at secondary school, and I believe his partner (Pania Rayner) has now started playing as well. I think he only dabbles in indoor now.”
Sheldon’s one of a number of great bowlers born in 1995 or thereabouts. He’s just 9 days older than Tayla Bruce, his fellow Player of the Year awardee.
“There must have been something in the water back then,” laughs Alex. “Sheldon’s grown into a player who’s really confident in his abilities to bowl consistently well.”
A former coach of Sheldon, Evan Roberts, shares similar observations as Alex.
“He sets himself high standards,” says Evan. “He works very hard to make sure he’s where he wants to be. You could almost call him a perfectionist .. and that’s the way you’d like someone who calls himself an aircraft engineer to be.”
“But he’s got over any downsides of perfectionism which might have otherwise got in the way of him effectively managing himself and his bowls.”
“He’s more relaxed. He’s always keen for a laugh,” continues Evan. “and always keen for a punt!”
“He has a great temperament … and there’s no reason why the bowling world can’t be his oyster.”
That sounds great, And it may not be the last time that Sheldon is Bowls New Zealand’s Men’s Player of the Year.