The Hefford/Treloar Story
from John Bevin
A Family at Play
If you read the article on the Country Carnival in the Dec/Jan edition of the SA Bowler you would have seen mention of the small Riverland club of Berri. Once again the club had major success over the last week or so and we thought it worthwhile listing the achievements of one family associated with the club.
Last Monday young gun Craig Treloar (Berri) won the State Singles at Gawler on his 25th birthday. On the sideline were his grandmother Audrey Hefford and his father Dennis. The Heffords and the Treloars are a close knit family who command a heap of respect from those around them. They are talented bowlers as results in major events have shown. They are also genuinely nice people.
Audrey Hefford has been a long time inhabitant of the small settlement of Cobdogla six Kilometers from the township of Barmera in South Australia’s Riverland. After the passing of her husband George she has maintained her lifestyle in the idyllic community while playing bowls for the Berri Bowling Club. I was tempted in this article to call her the Matriarch but she would more than likely have kicked my backside for using the term so hereafter she will be known as just plain Audrey.
George Hefford was the winner of a Country Pairs title and his wife Audrey is well known throughout Australia after a long and successful career in lawn bowls. George and Audrey had two bowling daughters Kerry and Christine. Both have won State titles. For those who don’t know Kerry married Dennis Treloar who has also been a state title holder and has played for South Australia on 102 occasions. I think we get the picture. There are some strong genes in there somewhere!!
When we spoke to Audrey on Monday night on her return from Gawler she was full of excitement but also spoke of husband George who had passed away.
We are all thrilled with Craig’s success" she said "but it was so disappointing the George couldn’t be there he would have loved it."
It should be noted that while Dennis and Audrey were on the sideline at Gawler Kerry was back in Berri working. Good on ya Kerry someone has to keep the home fires burning!!
The following list of the family’s achievements must be unique in our sport and make great reading.
Audrey Hefford
Club singles 21 times.
State representative on over 200 occasions
State Singles Champion of Champions of six occasions
State Singles Champion three times
Country Singles four times
Country Pairs
State Triples 1986 and 2007
State Fours 1986 and 2003
Won Golden Nugget Tweed Heads
Australian Fours winner 1971
Represented Australia in five series
1983 Test in Hong Kong
1985 Australian Games. Gold in Pairs and Fours
1986 Commonwealth Games. Silver medal in Fours
1989 Pacific Games. Gold in Triples and Bronze in Singles
1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. Fourth place in Singles.
Special Awards
Riverland Sportsperson of the Year on Five occasions
1985 State Country Sportsperson
1990 Australian Sportswoman of the Year
1990 Riverland Citizen of the Year
1990 Barmera Citizen of the Year
Audrey here’s a message from JB. I think you should have a rest for a while. Sure as heck I’m going to I got writer’s cramp listing what you’ve done.
Kerry Treloar (nee Hefford)
Many club and Champion of Champion Titles
2003 State Fours Champion with her sister Chris and Audrey
2004 Country Fours Title with Audrey
2006 Semi-Finalist Triples Victorian Grand Prix
2007 State Singles winner
2007 State Triples Title with Chris and Audrey
Semi Finalist in many State Championships
Special Awards
2007 South Australian Female Bowler of the Year
2007 Riverland Sports Person of the Year
Chris Nicholls (nee Hefford)
2003 State Fours Champion
2007 State Triples Champion
Well that takes care of the women but the men of the family have great resumes as well. After Craig won the State Singles this year the family reminded Dennis that he is the only one of the Riverland group not to win the singles title. He did plead his case however. "Hang on" he said defensively "I’ve won the State Champ of Champs surely that counts!" I’m on your side mate of course it counts and as the father and husband who has put up with those women winning everything you deserve a pat on the back.
George Hefford
Country Pairs winner
Dennis "Lank" Treloar
State Champion of Champion Singles
State Triples Champion
SA Country Singles
SA Country Fours (with his brother Michael in the side)
Many Divisional Champ of Champ Titles
102 games with the South Australian State side
Craig Treloar
2009/10 State Singles Champion
One of the great things about our sport is that a grandmother or grandfather can play at a competitive level with their grand children and how good is that! Were not too sure what the conversation is over the dinner table but you can bet that it’s not politics or the world economy. The Heffords and Treloars must have replayed games a thousand times over the years and good on them. That’s all part of our great sport. As long as the world keeps spinning we’ll be turning up on the greens.
