Cuckoos History and Achievements

• Year 2007  Finished 3rd In Division 1 of the Three Shires League (beating the Engine "B", our finest win) and a respectable 7th in Division 1 of the Pennant League. 
  Pennant Cup Plate semifinalists.
  Paolo with Pete Taylor Three Shires Doubles Runner-up.
  Paolo, Peter Taylor, and Peter Wright were runner-up in the Three Shires Winter League.
  Paolo. Peter Taylor, and Peter Wright won the Whitnash Triples (Leamington Spa)
  Paolo, Sue & Pete Taylor Three Shires Plate Winner.
  Sue & Shani Regional Ladies Plate runner-up
  Paolo & Sue finished 8th and Rich & Elaine 9th at Coates Village Open Doubles.
  Rich & Elaine won the Crowborough Doubles, and were runner-up in the Fuller Harrow Doubles.
  Paolo & Rich were runner-up at the Almunecar International Pétanque Festival (Spain) winning a leg of Jambon each.
  Paolo won the Cuckoos Singles with Rich runner-up
  Paolo & Lyn Ciano won the Regionals Mixed Doubles Plate

• Year 2006  Cuckoos on the move. Having been awarded a grant from "Awards for All", ,  the Cuckoos  build a new piste.  The North Herts Irish Association in Letchworth allowed us to use overgrown and uncultivated land, and Rory O'Brien donated some money to build a dug out.
  Paolo & Peter Runners up in the Pennant Doubles
  Sue & Myra  Runners up in the Chiltern Region Ladies Doubles
  Paolo, Sue & Peter Qualified for the Chiltern Region Challenge team at number 2,  finishing
  as top Chiltern Challenge team, and 2nd overall team at Brean Sands.
  The Cuckoos  Narrowly lost in the semi-final of the Three Shires Cup
  Rich Won the Cuckoos Singles, with Paolo runner-up again
  Rich & Elaine Winners of the Three Shires Doubles Plate
  Rich & Elaine were Chiltern Region Mixed Doubles Plate winners for the second year running.
  The Cuckoos deservedly gained Runners-Up spot and got promoted to division One, in the Three Shires League.

• Year 2005  Paolo, Sue & Eric were runners-up in the Pennant Winter League.
  Paolo, Sue & Peter Taylor from Bird"B", were winners of the Pennant Plate Triples.
  Ian won the Cuckoos Singles, with Paolo runner-up.
  Sue & Myra from the Crusaders won the Chiltern Region Ladies Doubles.
  Richard won the Chiltern Region Singles Plate.
  Brean Sands Inter-Regionals Tournament:
  Paolo qualified at No 3 in the Regionals helping the Chiltern Region achieve the runners-up spot.
  Richard & Elaine finished top Regional team in the Challenge.
  The Cuckoos won promotion in the Pennant League by securing the runner-up position.
  The Cuckoos  Three Shires Cup finalists. Losing to a very strong Engine "B" team.
  Paolo & Sue Chiltern Region Mixed Doubles Runners-up
  Rich & Elaine Chiltern Region Mixed Doubles Plate Winners.

• Year 2004   Paolo, Rich & Elaine won the Pennant Triples.  Paolo & Sue were runners up in the Pennant Doubles.  
  Paolo with Peter (Bird "B) won the Coates Village Open Doubles.  
  Paolo, Alan & David won the White Hart Charity Triples.  
  Paolo won the Cuckoos Singles, with Rich runner-up.   
  Paolo, Rich & Elaine represented the Chiltern Region at Brean Sands at level 5.

• Year 2003   Consolidation was our aim for mid table in both leagues (The Three Shires Division 2 and The Pennant Division 2).  We achieved this in comfort, finishing a respectable 4th in the Pennant, and 5th in the Three Shires. 
  The Cuckoos were represented by Paolo, Richard & Elaine in the Challenge Cup for the Chiltern Region, at Brean Sands, helping the region to finish 3rd overall.
  Ian  finished as 2003 single champion, winning one extra game than his nearest  rival Paolo.

• Year 2002  We entered the Pennant Midweek League and played in the Lucas Software Division 3.
  After a very tough and long season, The Cuckoos  did themselves proud.  
  Champions of The Lucas Software Division Three, winning the league with 2 games left to play.
  Runners-up in the Cup Plate competition, losing to the Bell Westoning.
  Rich  was the 2002 singles competition winners, narrowly beating Stef Hnat on points difference.

• Year 2001 What a season!!!(2001)
  Congratulation to all the team members, for all their effort, for finishing RUNNERS-UP , in the (then called) Lucas League Division 4. We certainly did not expect this!!!
  The first Singles Interclub Competition was decided on the last gathering of the season, on October the 9th 2001.  With a nail biting finish, Eric Wilson came through to narrowly beat Elaine Chappell, to become the first Singles Champion.

• Year 2000 The club was formed in October

• We joined the Lucas Software Pétanque League, Division 4.

• Originally the Club was registered to play in another pub in Hitchin.  Having played the winter league there, a new landlord took over.
  He was not interested in Pétanque and did not make us feel welcome.  At the registration of the Clubs in February we did not have a venue to play.  That is when Alan Newland come to our rescue, and introduced us to play at his already established Club.

• Our playing venue was The Bird In Hand, Gosmore, near Hitchin.

• By taking someone else "nest" is how we reached to the name of CUCKOOS.

• Our playing home nights are: Thursday (Three Shires), and Tuesday (Pennant).

• The teams age group ranged from15 to 60, having a total of 12 members signed on. Nine of these members were total newcomers to the game when we started.

• Our motto is:" Playing for Enjoyment".

• Our aim for our first season was to gain game experience, whilst having fun. Finishing anywhere above the bottom of the league would have been a bonus.