Awards night, January 18th, 2007

Photos courtesy of Cynthia Roberts (on behalf of Bristol Backgammon) (**CR**)
and Roland Herrera (@@RH@@)

Some of the ever growing collection of trophies on offer to the players of Bristol -- all to find different homes during the evening (the trophies, not the players!) **CR**

Stuart Mann has collected the Bristol Premier League title for the third time in four years **CR**

Simonetta Herrera's inexorable rise through the ranks has reached its most memorable achievement yet, with the league runner-up prize **CR**

Ed Turner finished fourth in the Premier League, his highest position yet **CR**

After gaining promotion from the Conference last year, Mike Smith had an excellent season in Premier Two, claiming the runner-up prize **CR**

Martin Hemming reclaimed his place in the top flight by finishing third in Premier Two **CR**

Roland Herrera is not too bothered, it seems, about playing in Premier One. Having finally, and belatedly, qualified for the top flight by finishing fourth in Premier Two, he has elected to take a year out from league backgammon. So his very earliest taste of Premier One would now be the 2009 season **CR**

Steve Morris celebrated a record year when winning the Bristol Conference, eclipsing what Tony Walters had achieved in 2005 **CR**

Nick Barham was also a convincing promotion achiever as Conference runner-up, just pipping Miles Farren for that honour **CR**

Achieving the best ever record for a third placed player in the Conference is some recompense for Miles Farren missing out on the silverware **CR**

Steffen Nowak was runner-up in the OGP for the second successive year **CR**

Ian Tarr had to present himself with an envelope for finishing third in the OGP, his best position in that competition **CR**

Nick Barham only entered seven of the twelve grand prix events, so he had no points tallies to discard. But he was so consistent that none of his efforts were remotely worthy of being discarded anyway. His IGP championship win was the outstanding achievement of his debut season **CR**

Steve Morris also had a great debut year. But he had to settle for runner-up in the IGP **CR**

The introduction of the Consulting Doubles Grand Prix was a resounding success, but it provided the year's biggest anti-climax in the sense that everybody knew the winners long before the final event. Steffen Nowak and Miles Farren were undefeated in the first three tournaments, and neither needed to bother entering the fourth. Joint winners of the title, will they be allowed to defend their title as a pair this season? **CR**

Sinonetta Herrera must have guided her various partners well to have won third place in the CDGP **CR**

The Bristol Masters Trophy, for sixteen qualifiers throughout the previous year, was retained by Stuart Mann **CR**

Steve Morris won this year's Intermediates Trophy, following in some illustrious footsteps **CR**

Nick Barham with the largest of the trophies he collected on the night, the John Chidgey Cup, which is awarded to the winner of the December grand prix tournament **CR**

Sponsor Ed Turner presents the Handicap Trophy to Ian Tarr for the second successive year **CR**

And Ed rewards Handicap Trophy runner-up, Steve Morris **CR**

In a normal year, Steve Morris would have walked away with the Gammonitis Bristol Backgammon Rookie of the Year award, but this wasn't a normal year. Nick Barham managed to surpass even Steve's great efforts to win the trophy, plus a year's membership to Gammonitis @@RH@@

Martin Hemming's sponsorship of the Most Improved Player award has reached its fifth year. Martin and Ian Tarr put their heads together, and came to the conclusion that the rightful winner this year was Mike Smith @@RH@@

Ian Tarr has initiated a new award, given for heading the Bristol Rankings at the year end. The predictable winner was Stuart Mann **CR**

The players of Bristol Backgammon showed their appreciation of the efforts of the Director Ian Tarr with a card and a collection which will take care of Ian's expenses at the forthcoming Cotswold Fireside Tournament in Stroud. Neil YounG, the surreptitious collection organiser is seen making the presentation to a very grateful Ian @@RH@@

There were two spare bottles of wine, so sponsor Ed Turner decided to award one to chief heckler Simonetta Herrera -- at least, I think that was what it was for. Photographer for the evening, Cynthia Roberts got the other one **CR**

Absentees Tony Walters (OGP champion) and Phil Charlton (Premier Two champion) will get their trophies and cash prizes some other time. But they missed the chance of one of these!

Photos courtesy of Cynthia Roberts (on behalf of Bristol Backgammon) (**CR**) and Roland Herrera (@@RH@@)