Players Richard Ward

Richard Ward

Richard Ward grew up in Townsville. There was a strong interest in bridge within his family environment and he was introduced to competitive club duplicate bridge at the age of 17 by his mother, Margaret, who was herself a fine player, renowned and highly successful throughout North Queensland. His sister, Lindy Vincent, became one of Queensland’s top women players representing Australia internationally and Queensland on many occasions. From 1968 onward Richard’s history of contributions to the game at both the administrative and player levels is extensive. He was President of the Townsville Bridge in 1976-1977 and President of the QBA in 1981-1982.

He participated in the formation of a bridge club at James Cook University while a student there, was in charge (with Pat Back) of the first Townsville Congress at the age of 21, represented Queensland in a number of interstate youth championships, won the Queensland Open Pairs Championship with Brian Blyth in 1976 and many more State Championships, mostly playing with Lindy Vincent. He was also heavily involved in the planning and organisation of the Gold Coast Congress for several of its early years at the Chevron Hotel. He was a member of Queensland’s first-ever (and only) winning team (with Brian Blyth, Bill Hunt, Jim Wallis, Paul Lavings, Kevin Hume and Reg Busch (NPC)) in the Open Interstate Teams at the Australian National Championships in 1988.

But from 1990 through to 2015, bridge took a back seat to his many other commitments which included a significant involvement in community service activities, a successful career in education and his family life. He continued as a National Tournament Director until the early 2000s.

When he retired from teaching in 2016 he now had the time to play lots of bridge both in Queensland and interstate, to assist with some QBA administration and to travel overseas. He became the Courier-Mail bridge columnist in 2018 taking over from the late Tony Jackman who had held this position for more than two decades. In 2016 he took over as chair of the Tournament Committee and in 2020 he became the QBA President again after the retirement of Richard Wallis.

International Representation

  • 2021 Tri-Nations Teams [Australia – New Zealand – Indonesia] Australian Mixed Team II [with Therese Tully, Jodi Tutty, David Beauchamp]
  • 2018 Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championships – [with Therese Tully, Richard Wallis, Terry Strong, Jill Magee, Lyn Carter]
  • 1999 Far East Teams non-playing captain for the Australian Women’s Team – [with Liz Havas, Barbara McDonald, Anita Curtis, Ailsa Tandy, Lindy Vincent, Lyn Carter]

National Titles

  • 1988 Interstate Open Teams 1st – [with Brian Blyth, Kevin Hume, Paul Lavings, Jim Wallis, Bill Hunt, Reg Busch (NPC)]
  • 1985 Australian Mixed Pairs – [with Ivy Dahler]
  • 1983 Australian Mixed pairs – [with Ivy Dahler]

State Representation

  • Australian National Championships – Queensland Open Team 2022, 2021, 2017 (NPC), 2016 (NPC), 1988, 1987, 1984, 1983, 1978
  • Australian National Championships – Queensland Seniors’ Team 2024, 2019
  • Australian National Championships – Queensland Youth Team 1974

State Titles

  • 2023 Queensland Open Pairs Championship [with Neville Francis]
  • 2023 Queensland Mixed Teams [with Therese Tully, Jill Magee, Terry Strong]
  • 2022 Queensland Butler Pairs [with Therese Tully]
  • 2022 Queensland Mixed Teams [with Jill Magee, Terry Strong, Therese Tully
  • 2021 Queensland Open Teams – [with Ralph Parker, Paul Hooykaas, Peter Evans]
  • 2019 Queensland Senior Pairs – [with Ralph Parker]
  • 2018 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Lindy Vincent]
  • 2018 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Therese Tully, Bill Haughie]
  • 2012 Queensland Graded Pairs – [with Therese Tully]
  • 2011 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Kim Ellaway, Marion Cooke]
  • 2010 Queensland Open Teams – [with Richard Wallis, Tony Jackman, Bill Hunt]
  • 2008 Queensland Open Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Therese Tully, Sue Mabin, Richard Wallis]
  • 2007 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Kim Ellaway, Marion Cooke]
  • 2006 Queensland Open Teams – [with Tony Jackman, Richard Wallis, Lindy Vincent]
  • 2005 Queensland Open Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Therese Tully, Richard Wallis]
  • 2003 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Lindy Vincent]
  • 2002 Queensland Open Teams – [with Greer Tucker, Lindy Vincent, Agnes & Barry Kempthorne]
  • 1998 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Barry Kempthorne]
  • 1997 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Kim Ellaway, Marion Cooke]
  • 1997 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Lindy Vincent]
  • 1982 Queensland Open Teams – [with Brian Blyth, Mike Pemberton, Tony Jackman, Walter Linderman]
  • 1981 Queensland Open Teams – [with Tony Jackman, Mike Pemberton, Brian Blyth, Tom Landy]
  • 1980 Queensland Open Teams – [with George Cuppaidge, Tony Jackman, Tom Landy]
  • 1980 Queensland Mixed Pairs – [with Pat Back]
  • 1979 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Mike Pemberton]
  • 1976 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Brian Blyth]

Other

  • 2019 Barrier Reef John Brockwell Teams – [with Yolanda Carter, Toni Bardon, Therese Tully]
  • 2016 Barrier Reef John Brockwell Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Toni Bardon, Therese Tully]
  • 2005 Barrier Reef John Brockwell Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Sue Lusk, Therese Tully]
  • 2005 Barrier Reef Eric Parsons Open Pairs – [with Lindy Vincent]
  • 2004 Barrier Reef John Brockwell Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Sue Lusk, Therese Tully]
  • 2002 Barrier Reef John Brockwell Teams – [with Lindy Vincent, Sue Lusk, Therese Tully]