Derby Days - 2020

You can click on each picture to enlarge. 

The perfect day.  A more perfect day could not have been special ordered for Monday's Derby Days here in Juniper Ridge.  

Curry Brundrett brought this to the park and everyone, whether it was a golfer or spectator, was so glad he did.  I can't count the times I heard, "This is the most fun we've had all summer".  And it was.

Nineteen golfers gathered to have a "horse race".  Each golfer was given a "horse name" and each were given a song or a cheer when they were introduced.  It was asked that each golfer wear a costume.

The betting table was opened at 1:30 and the line was ready to place their dollars on their favorite horse to Win, Place or Show.  A total of $257 dollars was bet and every last cent was given back to the holders of the winning tickets,,, or,,,, to the horses if one won and no one bet on him or her.  Many thanks to Bruce Postel for not only working with Sharon Brundrett and Vickie Postel in running the betting table but for putting in hours figuring out the formula for paying out the winnings.

 

The golfers start to arrive to sign in, pay their entry fee and place their bets.

Spectators were encouraged to dress for the Derby too.  It was so cool that many of them did!

This pretty lady went shopping at the thrift shops and got this outfit for a steal!

At quarter to three the horses were called to post with trumpet playing First Call.  We started the opening ceremonies with the singing of The Star-Spangled Banner.  

It was time to start the race and the introduction of the horses.

Many thanks to Vickie Postel for the hours she spent getting the music just right.  Much fun was had during rehearsals and certainly the day of.  Thanks to all the "singers",  and I use that term loosely,  for having....well, for having the nerve.  Many thanks to Vickie Postel, Sharon Brundrett, Rosemary Howell, Kathy Glumbick, Jill Newland, Janet Nardeccia and Snookie Quinn.  

  Following are the golfers, his or her "horse name" and the song or cheer that they were introduced with as they took to the tee box.  I've included the song or cheer here. I don't have pictures of all the golfers as I didn't always have my camera in hand.

1) Mark Ball - Great Balls of Fire  (sung to Great Balls of Fire)

    

    You shake my nerves but it does't work

    I drive my ball so far on the turf

    It's of sight but what a thrill    

    Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Fire!

2) Judy Bitz - Little Bitz  (Judy in Disguise)

    

    Judy on the course, she's gonna tee it up

    Hitting to the green,,,,it's going in the cup

    She might be a little Bitz, but she'll kick       your ass

    With glasses

3) Wilmer Bitz - Mr Ed.  (Mr. Ed TV theme song)

    A horse is a horse, of course, on the course

    And no one can beat this horse on the course

    That is, of course, because the horse is the famous Mr. Ed.

4) Jerry Donald - Down on the Corner  (Down on the Corner)

    Early in the morning, just about tee off time

    Out on the tee box he's starting to unwind

    Horses in the race, are trying to bring him down

    Six strokes to the green, your gonna see him frown.

5)  Debby Gorman   Debby does ????  (Flintstone theme song)

    Debby does the golf course

    Smiling all the way to the tee

    She'll take all your golf balls 

    And wash 'em up for a fee

6) Gary Gorman  Hawy Gawy  (pronounced Howie Gowie)  (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)

    On the golf course, the mighty golf course

    Hawy Gawy plays today

    He see the water but its too late

    The ball just floats away......and now

    His ball is wet, his ball is wet,  his ball is wet  (repeat and fade)

7) Lisa Kennedy - Mona Lisa  (Mona Lisa)

    Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa golfers fear you

    You're so like the golfer with the mystic smile

     Is it only cause you beat them that they tremble

    Or is it killer instinct in your eyes

Is Ted pointing to the tree mentioned in his song???

8)  Ted Kennedy - Mellow Yellow  (Mellow Yellow)

    I'm just mad about golfing

    Golfings mad about me

    No matter how hard I try

    I always  hit a tree

    They call me Yellow Mellow

9)  Gary Mathews  - Bounce Again  (Rubber Ball)

    He plays with whimpy balls, it's the only kind he can use

    bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy

    If it's windy out, it comes bouncing back to you

    bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy

    I hope you bet on him.,,,he's the horse that really could win

Now you can't see it but there is a large black X on Ray's back, hence, X Ray

10) Ray Marshall  X-ray    (cheer)

    You can call him Jay or you can call him Trey

    but you would be wrong, this is X-ray

    He's the one to watch while on the course

    Hope you put your money on this horse

11) Sherry Marshall -  Sherry Baby  (Sherry)

    Sherry baby, (Sherry baby)  

    Sherry how's your golf game tonight

    Win, win, win big tonight

12) Barry McIntosh -  Hot Shot  (Hot Stuff)

    Betting on our hot shot baby this evenin'

    We want our hot shot baby to win

     Put your money on the hot shot baby this evenin

    Gotta have him win

    Gotta have him win tonight 

13)  Barb Mellen -  Mama Mellen  (Mama Mia)

    Mamma Mellen, here she goes again

    My, my, how they gonna beat you

    Mamma Mellen, does she win again

    My my, they can't defeat you

14)  Don Mellen -  Donkey Xote  (Impossible Dream)

    To dream the impossible dream

    Of one day beating his wife

    He plays with unbearable courage

    and grieves everyday at his loss

15)  Dean Meier -  Candy Man  (The Candy Man)

    Who can hit a golf ball

    Sometimes out of bounds

    It;s not a problem he just

    Hits another shot

    The Candy Man can  (repeat)

16)  Walt Pitcher - The Boss    (cheer)

        Walt, Walt he's our man

        Hole in one, yes he can

        Tee Box, Fairway and the the green

        This is where The Boss is seen

17)  Ray Strickland  -  Old Gray Stud   (The Old Gray Mare)

        The old gray stud he ain't what he used to be

        Ain't what he's gonna be

        Aint' what he hopes to be

        The old gray stud hes not up to par

        But practices all day long

18)  John Shostak  Big Bad John  (Big Ba John)

        Ev'ry morning at the course you can see him arrive

        He stands six foot two and weighs one eighty five

        Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip

        And everybody knew, ya didn't give no lip to Big John

        Big John,,,,Big Bad John

.......and she danced all the way to the tee

19)  Linda Shostak  -  Golfing Queen   (Dancing Queen)

        You caN chip and you can drive

        Having the time of your life, oh

        See that girl, watcher her swing

        Diggin' the Golfing Queen

All nineteen golfers tee'd off and chipped their way to the green.  As they made the green, each golfer ran to mark their ball so the next player could chip.

Walt chipping. Yeah, I know, there's more pictures of him than others.  So sue me.

All the spectators moved en masse to the second hole.  It was so nice to see how many turned out for this and followed to the end.  There even seemed to be Derby parties taking place on some decks as they watched the play in the front of them.

Heading to hole 15.

Holes 1 thru 5 and 15 thru 18 were used for this game, I mean race.  These holes were the original nine hole course here in Juniper Ridge.  On holes 1, 2 & 3 three horses were eliminated on each hole.  On holes 4, 5 & 15 two horses were eliminated each time.  

Hole 15 is difficult for a lot of the golfers as its over the water.

Golfing Queen teeing off.

Mona Lisa fishing out a ball that didn't make it all the way to the other side. This was The Boss' ball.  (Walt)

Walt had to chip in as a penalty stroke.

Some of the spectators.

Curry checking on something.

Putting on the 16th green.

Derby Day is getting to be real fun now.

The last three holes started with 4 horses still in the race.  On holes 16 & 17 one horse was eliminated each leaving two horses for the 18th hole. Mr. Ed (Wilmer Bitz) and Donkey-ote, (a play on the name Don Quixote) (Don Mellen)

And the Derby Day winner is:

                               Mr. Ed

                            Wilmer Bitz

Mr. Ed and Donkey Ote

 

Special thanks to two of our residents for stepping up to help Curry.  Bob Glumbick for helping with measuring on the chip up/tie-breaker shots and to Bill Diedrich for acting as the secondary tee off monitor.  

What a great day this was.  Everyone smiling and laughing and having FUN!  Of course the Jello shots and the two gallons of Fireball didn't hurt either!

Counting out the money for the winners.

Curry, how do we ever thank you for bringing this great day of fun?  Derby Days 2020 is hopefully the start of a long yearly golf event.

Six horses were in the money.

6th     -  The Boss (Walt Pitcher)

5th     -  Golfing Queen (Linda Shostak)

4th     -  Down on the Corner (Jerry Donald)

Show - Ray Marshall

Place - Don Mellen

Win    - Wilmer Bitz

WHAT A GREAT DAY!