Carlson Barnett and Jeni Hart added to Helensville’s great record in centre and even national events by winning Bowls North Harbour’s mixed pairs 2-4-2 championship at the weekend.
In Sunday’s final at the Takapuna club they beat the host club’s Chris Taylor and Jan Calcott, who also had an excellent tournament, 10-8. The win followed some top performances by both Helensville bowlers in the 2023-24 season. Carlson, who before joining Helensville had fashioned an enviable record in the Counties and Northland centres, was in the club’s winning championship triples and fours teams and so now has three Harbour titles. He was also the centre’s 
male bowler of the year last season and was in the mixed pairs final with another Helensville player, Sue Hart.
This was Jeni’s first open title as she is still only a third-year player. However, she excelled in junior events in the past couple of seasons and comes from a strong bowling background. Her late father, Terry Cullen, was a Helensville stalwart, the club’s greenkeeper and a fine bowler who won four centre titles. A tall, elegant left hander, she seems destined to win many more honours, particularly as in the coming season she is to play regularly with former Black Jack Wendy Jensen, having also become a member of the Takapuna club.
Both finalists produced some grand efforts in progressing through both section play and in post-section. Barnett and Hart had an epic battle in the semi-finals against Riverhead’s vastly experienced Steve Cox and Jeanine Browne, a newcomer to the Harbour from Auckland’s Carlton. The scheduled 12 ends ended in an 8-all deadlock and an extra end was needed for Barnett and Hart to win 9-8.
