Jedburgh’s Laura Lightbody named Borders bowling’s female champion of champions

Lightbody has followed up her victory in the women’s singles class at this year’s Borders bowling championships by emerging equally triumphant from a competition held at Selkirk Bowling Club to find the region’s best of the best.

That competition consisted of the lady champion at each of the Borders’ bowling clubs going head to head on the green in a bid to be named best in the region for 2021.

Lightbody’s progress to that title started with ties against Gala Waverley Bowling Club’s Abigail Thorburn of Waverley and Melrose’s Gail Moffat, winning 21-19 and 21-17 respectively to set up a showdown with Hawick’s Joyce Dickie.

That game, a rerun of their recent Borders finals game saw Lightbody get off to a strong start, taking an early 6-1 lead and proceeding to maintain that gulf in points, going on to win by 21-13.

Lightbody said afterwards: “It was an amazing feeling to do the double of the two regional titles, and I would like to thank everyone for all their support and messages I have received over the past few days.”

Lightbody also won this year’s ladies’ handicap championship at her home club last week by defeating her mother, Babs Hogg, 21-19, after starting off with a score of -3, two behind her mum.

Keeping things in the family, her husband David Lightbody is champion at the Jedburgh club, as well as being its president, having beaten John Taylor 21-17 in 2021’s final there last month.