Cowbridge Rotary Club Grand Charity Quiz in November 2018
Although there were several U3A members in other teams, Cowbridge U3A entered only one official team in the 15th annual Cowbridge Rotary Club Grand Charity Quiz in November 2018. All the teams of four were confronted with 12 rounds of 10 testing general knowledge questions, with only 4 minutes available for answers in each session.
The U3A quartet of Gwerfyl, Valerie, Ian and Steve finished a creditable sixth of 30 teams with 68 points; the first and second placed foursomes registered scores of 80 and 79 respectively.
The composition of our teams changes every time, depending upon who is available, not particularly in order to make up an elite team. Many of us just enjoy the atmosphere of a quiz, so if you would like to join us you will be extremely welcome; just contact Gwerfyl Gardner the Group Leader when a quiz is advertised.
Steve Monaghan
Some examples of questions that the team struggled with:
How many mountains over 8.000 metres are there?
A group of which mammals is called a bloat?
Who would normally use a gigli saw?
In which Welsh village was T E Lawrence born?
What does the “M&M” on sweets stand for?
Which country produces the most cocoa?
Inter-U3A Quiz at Brackla in January 2018
Brackla Community Centre was the venue in January 2018 for the latest Inter-U3A Quiz, hosted on this occasion by Bridgend U3A. Nine teams of six participated, drawn from Bridgend, Swansea, Maesteg, Cardiff, Porthcawl and Cowbridge, with a 25 question anagram sheet of different foods to start the contest (an example was ‘worship punk agency’, 4 5 4 4). Rounds on geography, famous people and science followed, before there was a welcome refreshments break (this always seems to be the most popular part of this type of event!). The quiz continued with questions on 2017, art and literature, and history. The worthy winners were Maesteg 1 (for a change, Porthcawl didn’t win), with Maesteg 2 runners-up. There was a close competition for third place, with the Cowbridge U3A team taking that position by just one point.
In a nice touch, the winning sextet were each awarded a mini trophy, as well as a “goodie bag”, by the hosts.
Steve Monaghan
Cowbridge U3A host inter-U3A Quiz in November 2016
This was the second time that Cowbridge U3A have hosted an inter-U3A Quiz. This year the overall organiser was Gwerfyl Gardner, with Steve Monaghan as Question Master (who was always right even if, on few occasions, his research could have been more thorough). There were eight teams, nominally of six members, but the numbers did vary a bit as the three Cowbridge teams only had five each while Cardiff had seven!
There were forty-six people involved altogether in the various teams which were Cowbridge Elite, Cowbridge History & Tipplers, Cowbridge Bridge, Porthcawl I (who get a special mention for scoring a maximum of ten in three rounds), Porthcawl II, Bridgend, Cardiff and "Newphilly" - a joint effort between Newport and Caerphilly.
The quiz covered a wide range with rounds on Music, Art and Literature, Sport, Geography, History, Science, General Knowledge and Current Affairs with Anagrams of Welsh Towns and People Pictures to be done through the quiz. Five teams scored tens in both of these so they were probably too easy!
The results were first Porthcawl I with 70 points, second Cowbridge Elite 61.5 points, third Cowbridge Bridge 61 points, fourth Cardiff 60 points and fifth Cowbridge History & Tipplers 58.5 points (a very poor Current Affair Round with only 1.5 points didn’t help!).
Refreshments provided by three ladies of Cowbridge U3A, Mags, Elaine and Anna and the event raised over £50 for Cancer Research (including funds from the raffle) a nice bonus for a fun afternoon.
Gavin Davies
Quiz at Cowbridge United Free Church – a success all round!
Cowbridge United Free Church hosted an excellent Quiz Night in October 2016 in the pleasant surroundings of the refurbished Maendy Hall (available to hire), to raise money for church funds. Seven teams of six contested the competition, with rounds of questioning on general knowledge, sport and games, food and drink, and, appropriately, “saints and sinners”. Joker cards, which doubled the points scored on the selected round, were played with varying levels of success. There were also question sheets on books and authors, word connections, and composers and their works, as well as a sudoku puzzle, to be answered in the course of the evening. During the interval, the contestants were supplied with plentiful nibbles and soft drinks. Several teams had brought wine to enhance the social aspect of the event (four bottles were spotted on one team’s table – their identity will not be revealed!).
The winners were a sextet from Cowbridge U3A (Gwerfyl, Fran, Val, Hywel, Tim and Steve), gaining their victory by just two points in a close contest. The generous first prize was a half case of wine. Many thanks must go to the event organisers, the quiz master and the scorer for a convivial evening that was enjoyed by all.
Steve Monaghan
U3A Quiz Success in Pentyrch
Cantorion Creigiau is a mixed choir which has been performing for 40 years. They are due to entertain Cowbridge U3A in November, so it seemed appropriate to support the singers’ recent fund-raising quiz in Pentyrch Village Hall in September 2016 by sending a U3A team to compete. There were 12 teams, most of 8 members, although one group managed to smuggle in an extra participant!
Rounds included questions on Wales, music, books, food and sport. At halfway, the U3A team were mid-table. Fuelled, however, by the plentiful cheese, pâté and bread during the interval, a late surge, culminating with 19 out of 20 on the road signs’ pictorial round, saw the Cowbridge septet victorious by a couple of points.
Congratulations to team members Gwerfyl, Glenda, Dafydd, Val, Tim, Diana and Steve. Many thanks go to the quiz organisers and question masters for an excellent evening.
Steve Monaghan
Inter-U3A Quiz at Cardiff
Friday, 15 July 2016 saw two Cowbridge U3A teams, each of 5 members, involved in another inter-U3A quiz tournament hosted by Cardiff U3A. As well as the home contestants and Cowbridge, there were teams from Abergavenny, Porthcawl and Bridgend. Questioning was on a range of diverse subjects, including the human body, Welsh women of note, fictional detectives (certainly the downfall of one of the Cowbridge teams!), South America, World War I, the birth names of famous (or, in some cases, infamous) people, the planets, and Shakespeare.
After varying fortunes in the ten rounds, a team from Porthcawl triumphed, with Cowbridge’s quintets finishing third and sixth out of the ten competitors. One of the Abergavenny contingents, with only three members, filled the second place berth.
Welcome refreshments were provided during a break in proceedings.
Steve Monaghan
ANOTHER QUIZ WIN FOR COWBRIDGE U3A
Friday, 13 November 2015 saw a Cowbridge U3A quintet pitted against eight similar teams drawn from Cardiff, Maesteg, Porthcawl and Bridgend, as Cardiff U3A hosted another inter-U3A quiz tournament.
After ten hotly-contested rounds of questioning on topics as diverse as Transportation, Wales and the Arts, Espionage and the Southern Hemisphere, the Cowbridge team of Gwerfyl, Val, Tim, Dafydd and Steve triumphed by a margin of 2½ points.
Apparently, the home team, Cardiff, have yet to win any of their own quizzes, thus showing there is no unfair bias in the questions!
INTER-U3A QUIZ IN COWBRIDGE
In May 2015, ten teams drawn from Bridgend, Maesteg, Cardiff, Porthcawl and Cowbridge hotly contested an inter-U3A quiz, hosted, for the first time, by Cowbridge U3A.
Organiser and quizmaster Gwerfyl Gardner had to use all her considerable teaching skills to quell some noisy participants, as the knowledge of subjects such as literature, art, science, music, politics, geography and history was tested in depth.
Dafydd Evans recorded the scores and also compiled the questions for the music round, with accompanying sounds and sights on-screen.
Welcome refreshments were provided at half-time by Glenda Evans and Elaine Bevan, allowing fevered brows to cool before the fray was re-joined.
The worthy winners were a team of six from Porthcawl U3A, with a Maesteg U3A contingent and another Porthcawl party being the gallant joint runners-up. The highest placed of the three Cowbridge team finished in fifth place, which showed that the questions were not biased in favour of the strengths of the home side!
Our thanks go to Gwerfyl for organising the event and compiling the lion’s share of the questions, although she was sorely-missed as a competitor for Cowbridge.
INTER-U3A QUIZ IN CARDIFF
In October 2012, Cardiff U3A again held a very successful quiz, inviting teams from all neighbouring U3As. We sent 2 teams this time, and 1 team made up of Glenda Bell, Jean and Rod Roderick, Glenda and Dafydd Evans won 2nd place, the worthy winners being a team from Maesteg. It was a very pleasant afternoon, with plenty of good-natured banter between the tables, a good variety of questions suited to our age group and very welcome refreshments halfway through.
Cowbridge Rotary Club Charity Quiz in November 2016
In November 2012, two teams entered the Cowbridge Rotary Charity Quiz, and "The Wednesday Walkers" made up of Gwerfyl Gardner, Tim Buchalik, and Val and Steve Monaghan, took 2nd place. The other team of Diana Baker, Pam Robbins, Glenda and Dafydd Evans came 5th, although only 3 marks separated them. The 2nd prize was a cheque for £150 to be donated to the charity of the winners' choice. In this case Cancer Research was chosen. Again it was a very agreeable social event.
The composition of our teams changes every time, depending upon who is available, not particularly in order to make up an elite team. Many of us just enjoy the atmosphere of a quiz, so if you would like to join us you will be extremely welcome.