HUNTINGDONSHIRE E.B.F.

GENERAL COMPETITION RULES

1. The following rules are in addition to the Rules laid down in the National Year Book and are not intended to replace those rules. Where there is any discrepancy between the National Year Book and this County Handbook the National Year Book will take preference. All competitors should acquaint themselves with the National Rules and the Laws of the Game.

2. All cups and trophies are the property of the H.B.F. and shall be insured by the Federation. They shall be held for one year by the winning player, pair or triple and shall be returned to the Competition Secretary cleaned and fully engraved (at the winners expense) fourteen days prior to the following Finals day.

3. The draw and dates for all rounds, from the first through to the final will be made by the Competition Committee and published in the County Handbook.

3.1. The Competitions Committee is responsible for allocating dates for thecompletion of each round.

3.2. Byes shall be restricted to the first round played in any competition.

3.3. Up to the semi-final round the first player, pair or triple will have the choice of green and rink.

3.4. The County Semi-Finals and Finals are to be played on dates and greens to be determined by the Competition Committee.

3.5. Unless mutually agreed, all matches, up to but not including the semi-finals and finals, will be played on the first drawn players (home) green starting at 6-30pm on the prescribed date for that round. A maximum waiting time of 15 minutes is allowed, after which period a player failing to appear forfeits the right to play in the match. For the semi-finals and finals the starting times will be at the discretion of the Competition Secretary’s. A waiting time if necessary, will also be granted at the discretion of the Competition Secretary’s.

3.6. The Competition Committee will not include in the draw competition entries from clubs that have not affiliated to the Federation on or before the competition entry date.

3.7. The Competition Committee shall have the power to withdraw any competition if, in their opinion, insufficient entries are received.

3.8. Winners of each round must notify immediately the Competition Secretary of the result. The score card must be complete with all players names, signed by the competitors in singles matches, and by the skips in pairs or rinks. In the event of such notification not being received, the match will be awarded to the player or team considered by the Competitions Committee not to be in default.

3.9. When a walkover is conceded, the result card shall be returned to the Competition secretary marked “walkover conceded” signed in the winners space by the player receiving the walkover and in the loser’s space by the player conceding the game. Where a walkover is claimed because of the opponent’s failure to appear, the result card shall be returned marked “walkover claimed” and signed in the winners space. Where a competitor has entered as a named player and the entry bearing his/her name has been included in the handbook, he /she cannot afterwards play in place of another player in the same competition, irrespective of whether or not he/she has actually played in the original group. However, if the group have already played in a previous round in the said competition, who by default or otherwise concede a walkover to their opponents shall be deemed not to be eligible to play or substitute for another player in that competition for the remainder of that season.

3.10. The layout of rinks shall be at the discretion of the official green keeper of the club concerned.

3.11. County Champions will represent Huntingdonshire in the E.B.F. National Finals in the season in which they are won. Any competitor(s) who deprives Huntingdonshire of representation by failing to play in the National Championships for any reasons other than for personal or family ill health, which is acceptable to the County Executive, will be excluded from entering the same competition, indoor and outdoor, for a period of one year starting from the first of the month following the E.B.F. National Championships. Should the same(s) again deprive Huntingdonshire of representation by failing to play in the National Championships for any reasons other than personal or family ill health, which is acceptable to the County Executive, within a 5 year period from the start of the first exclusion then he/they shall be subject to a further exclusion for a period of two years starting from the first of the month following the E.B.F. National Championships in which he/they defaulted.

3.12. Any County Champions unable to play in the National Finals shall immediately inform the County Secretary, in writing, giving their reasons. Within seven days of receipt of notification, the County Executive shall meet and decide on such action as it seems appropriate.

4. Players should not enter any competition, if they know they will not be available for the semi-finals or finals of that competition and players/teams should withdraw from the competition as soon as they know they will not be available and unable to field a team. Players/teams should also withdraw at the earliest possible stage i.e. semi-finals or Finals, if they know that they will be unable to represent the county at the National Outdoor Finals at Skegness or the National Indoor Finals at Newark. The competitions committee have the power to remove titles “won”.

5. Any competitor using foul or abusive language, or threatening behaviour towards an Executive or other competitors, will be called with the Hon. Sec. of their club to explain their actions to the Competitions Committee. If proved, the competitor/s may be disqualified from all County competitions for a period up to five years at the discretion of the Competitions Committee.

6. All players shall have the opportunity to appeal against any sanctions which may have been administered, firstly to an independent Appeals Committee formed from Executive members of an adjacent County Federation, and secondly, to the EBF National Appeals Committee as outlined in the National Year Book. In both cases the player(s) and the responsible HBF Committee shall submit in writing all relevant information and shall have the right to make a personal appearance/ statement to the Appeals Committee. Such appearances/statements shall be made at no cost to either the HBF or the independent County/National organisations.

7. Complaints regarding a rink on which a competition is to be played should be made to the opponents after the trial ends have been played, and no further woods bowled. The players will inform the Competition Secretary as soon as possible. The score card to be endorsed and forwarded by post.

7.1. The Competition Secretary will notify the County Secretary and a suitable date to inspect the green or rink will be notified to the club concerned. The Competition Secretary will give replay dates as soon as possible after the inspection.

7.2. When the Competition Secretary receives a complaint regarding the condition of a rink after atie has been played, he will, together with the County Secretary, inspect the rink concerned, but the result of the tie will stand.

8. For inter club Durham Centenary Trophy matches the first drawn club shall have the choice of venue and may arrange to play the match on their own home green whether or not it is defined as a standard green (see National rules). The first drawn (home) team shall offer their opponents three dates and times on which to play the match, only one date shall be a Saturday or a Sunday. Dates should be offered within 72 hours after the closing date of the previous round. The offering of 2 different start times on the same date does not count as 2 dates. Dates offered must avoid pre-arranged H.B.F. inter-county matches and local league matches. The three dates must be on or before the scheduled finished date for the round as determined by the Competition Secretary. The opposing team shall within 72 hours of receipt of the offered dates, reply and accept one of the dates offered.

8.1. For Inter Club Durham Centenary Trophy matches; if two clubs are unable to agree date as described in Rule 12.1 they must advise the Competition Secretary, who may involve the Competition Committee. He/ they will decide on a date and venue for the disputed match to be played by. Competition Secretary’s decision shall be final. If either club involved in the match fails to appear on the appointed date the match shall be awarded to their opponents. Clubs are advised that, under E.B.F. rule VII 2 and 3 (page 53/54 2009 Handbook), two players can play against three i.e. 8 players against 12 in a team.

8.2. In all County rounds (including final) of the Durham Centenary Trophy competition all players, men and women, can wear Club Shirts and Club coloured trousers/shorts that have been registered with the County Secretary. All players must wear same shirts and same coloured trousers/shorts or all must revert to white shirt or blouse or grey trousers/shorts (white for the Final).

9. Dress for semi-finals and finals, will be either registered Club shirts or a plain

white shirt or a bowls shirt (predominately white supplied by a recognised bowls shirt manufacturer). White trousers; officially approved EBF white shorts, or Club coloured trousers/shorts (as registered with the County Secretary) should be worn. The wearing of coloured Trousers/Shorts includes ladies in mixed competitions and Durham Centenary Trophy matches. Any colour, or combination of colours bowl shoes, providing they are made by a recognised Bowls shoe manufacturer, are permissible.

9.1 Coloured Trousers/shorts are not currently permitted for individuals (or team in the Durham Centenary Trophy), beyond the County Final.

10. Indoor Competitions.

All rules apply as per Outdoor Competitions. The closing date for entries will be the last day of August each year. Entry forms will be sent to Club Secretaries in July of each year.