Jonathan loves his short mat bowling at Hook

But chat to Jonathan for a short while and it is easy to see that whilst he is competitive by nature, he really enjoys being part of the local game at Hook and the social side taking on opponents he has got to know so well, especially at Freystrop, where he set out in short mat bowls and whom Hood edged out by a single point to earn this season’s silverware.
 
It was Hook’s seventh successive championship and made it a remarkable ten wins in a row for Jonathan because he had won it the three previous years with Freystrop!
 

Early start – and early success

 
Jonathan made an early start to his short mat bowls play at Freystrop because his grandfather, Gerry Laugharne had been a founder member there alongside Martin Davies and Ian Norman, and young Jonathan (7) toddled along to watch him play and roll a few woods when it was quiet.
 
“Within a few years I was playing for the club in the league,” said Jonathan, “and at 11 years of age was selected to play in the ‘Top Teams Challenge’ as part of a Pembrokeshire team which had qualified as the best county in Wales.
 
“I played as lead in a triple that included Ian Norman and John Lewis, where I quickly learned the value of using weight on the bowls carefully, rather than trying to blitz opponents’ woods out of sight all the time.”
 

Welsh selection – and emotion aplenty

 
March 2001 saw 13 year old Jonathan being selected for the Wales ‘B’ team against England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man in the Home Countries’ Championships and there was double family joy because granddad Gerry was also chosen – but the event was postponed because of the Foot & Mouth epidemic and by the time it was played in September, Gerry had a lung infection which saw him unable to play.
 
“He insisted on coming to watch me play, though, and although it was a long weekend for him he showed typical courage in getting through it.
 
“It was hugely emotional for me because I was selected to carry the Welsh flag at the opening ceremony and we did really well to come second – but to be honest I would rather have got thrashed in every match and had my grandfather playing.
 

Family matters

 
“Sadly he passed away shortly afterwards but I will never forget his encouragement, nor that of my nan Kitty; my greatest fan alongside my wife Lisa, who is not a player but always gives me every encouragement.
 
“I’ve been very lucky on the family front,” admitted Jonathan, “because my parents, Yvonne and Gary, have always provided total support and my older brother James also played for Wales during one season.”
 

Ten years in Welsh team – and honoured with captaincy

 
In 2005 Jonathan was called into the Welsh first team and has been included every year since then, including a memorable season before last when he was honoured with the captaincy.
 
“We played in Llanelli and I had to give a little talk on the eve of the competition and after another team talk in the changing rooms I tried to encourage everyone else when they were playing, as well as trying to focus on my own game as well.”
 
In 2003 and 2005, Jonathan joined Craig Guymer in the pairs at the British Championships, where they came second in Wrexham but didn’t do as well in Scotland, but since he was still only 17 then he knew he had plenty of time to better those results.
 

Real disappointment and great joy

 
And he faced a mixture of disappointment and joy in 2008 because after the Welsh trials he failed to make the team and had to do with being the non-travelling reserve.
 
“I was gutted,” he admitted, “but someone dropped out in the week before and I was called into a rink (four) team in Ireland – and I was able to celebrate my first British title as we beat England in the deciding match!”
 
Jonathan won a second British title just a year later, again in the rinks, when he joined Neil Crawford, Andrew Evans and Robert Hughes, after qualifying through Pembrokeshire and then the Welsh at Llandrindod Wells.
 
“We played so well against the other teams that as long as we didn’t lose by eight shots or more against England we would be crowned champions and perhaps we played too defensively in defeat– but we lost by seven shots so we were still crowned champs!”
 

Singles’ success – indoor and out

 
Nearer to home, Jonathan is one of only two players who has won the league singles’ titles three times and his hat-trick was achieved in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
 
Outside of his short mat bowls, Jonathan sometimes plays bowls outdoors during the summer and has won his share of silverware at Haverfordwest Bowls Club, including a couple of singles tournaments – but not the club championship because he was beaten in last year’s final by Darren Latham.
 
But it is short mat bowls that occupies much of his time because he enjoys practising and playing.
“I really enjoy being involved at Hook because, old timers like Martin Davies apart, it is a relatively young team and we enjoy the social side of the game, too.
 

Goals still to achieve

 
“There are still goals to achieve because next season I would love to make it 11 years in a row for Wales – and there are the World Championships to think about in Cardiff, if I can gain selection, of course.
 
“There will be teams from Belgium, Sweden, India, Germany, Italy and lots more beside the home countries and I have played twice already, with a best placing of third, so I know how competitive it will be for those who make it.
 
Whether he does achieve his aims or not, there’s one thing for sure: Jonathan Gladstone is a very good short mat bowls player indeed and we are sure to hear a great deal more about him locally, and flying the Pembrokeshire Flag ‘up the line’ in the not too distant future!