It’s almost 8pm on Day 3 of my 24 days until Christmas writing challenge and this is the first chance I have had to sit down and write today.
For the first time in ages last night, I was back at the Tanunda Kegel Club for the Ladies night. Kegel is a little like ten-pin bowling but using 9 pins and a very long narrow alley. It’s a game that was brought out by some of the original German settlers and the Tanunda Kegel Club is the only wooden kegel barn in the South Hemisphere. (You can watch a video about it here). The original barn was started in 1858 and some of the pins and balls are the original wooden balls. Many school groups visit, especially German schools from around Australia and overseas visitors, like the Barossa China Wine School group are treated to a night in the Kegel Barn as a unique Barossa tradition.
Women weren’t allowed to play until the 70s but now a group of us “roll” on Wednesday night with a mixed group playing on Fridays. It’s a chance for a laugh and a catch-up, usually accompanied by wine and some food. Last night we ate Chinese dumplings – true multicultural Australia.
The scoring system is fairly complex and each player rolls 3 times per turn, one of which has to be an old wooden ball (the others are regular bowling balls). There are loads of different techniques and styles but the old wooden track certainly makes for some challenging bowling. It definitely changes after periods of wet weather too!
Unlike the modern Kegel clubs in Germany, a pinsetter is still required to re-set the pins after each roll and send the balls back down.
As you can see from my scores, I am definitely still a beginner but I love being a part of something that has been going in Tanunda for over 150 years (and it gets written up in the local paper). It’s also funny that the Barossa Living magazine we picked up in Sydney soon after arriving back in Australia that inspired our move to the Barossa also featured the ladies kegel players on the cover. Certainly can’t say I expected to join them but definitely glad I have!
