Josie & Kivas Tully

Josie and Kivas Tully were both prominent on the Queensland bridge scene over many years.

Josie had one of the longest and most distinguished representative careers of any local player, for example. She represented Queensland in Women’s Teams at the Australian National Championships on fourteen occasions between 1954 and 1971, and partnered Molly Dawson in the National Pairs on eleven occasions. Most notably, this duo won this event for three years in a row (1965, 1966, 1977) – a feat unparalleled in the records of the ANC – as well as finishing close up in other years.

Josie’s husband, Kivas, was also a notable bridge player, representing Queensland at the Australian National Championships on twelve occasions, and being a multiple winner in the Queensland Pairs and Team Championships. He was a foundation member of the Queensland Bridge Association, President in 1942 and 1943, and was appointed an Honorary Life Member of the QBA in 1968.

In honour of this pair, the QBA has named the trophy for the mixed pairs at the Queensland Championships, the Kivas and Josie Tully Trophy. Further details on their careers may be found in Mind Games – A Biographical History of Bridge in Queensland.