​Jim Schwobel in Normandy with  the University of Texas Alumni band​ in the official D-Day celebrations

​For those of you who haven’t heard, fellow Petanque player Jim Schwobel is in Normandy, France as part of the University of Texas Alumni band who are playing in the official D-Day celebrations.

To be selected to play in those celebrations is a terrific honor for the University of Texas and the Alumni Band.  The Alumni Band has been working for over three years to participate in the D-Day events.

Following the D-Day celebrations, the band is also trying to arrange a concert for the people of Paris in front of the Notre Dame cathedral.

Our congratulations go to Jim Schwobel and the entire UT Alumni band.  I’m sure he will have some great stories to share when he returns to the hangar. 

​Tournament POSTPONED due to predictions of extremely hot weather conditions. New date will be announced.

Sixth Annual Fundraiser for the French Legation

Carousel Doublet Tournament
Sunday, June 9th, 2019

Tournament is at Nelson Ranch Park
​905 Nelson Ranch Road
Cedar Park, TX 78613

​It’s time for the annual French Legation benefit tournament! This a fun event giving everyone an opportunity for Petanque glory!

The tournament format is a carousel where you play with a new partner and new opponents every round.  To make this event less intimidating and certainly more fun, we divide the players into two divisions:  those with less experience and those with more experience.

For each round, the teams will consist of one less experienced player teamed with a more experienced player.  Each player will play five games during the day.  The top three players in each division will win a beautiful Petanque medal suitable for a place of honor in your home.

The tournament will be held at the Nelson Ranch Petanque Club.

The cost of the tournament is only $15 per person and all of the entry fees will go to the French Legation.  Hopefully, at the tournament, we will have an update of the status of the Legation restoration work.

As usual, there will be a pot-luck luncheon after the third game.  Sow whip up one of your favorite vittles and come join us for a festive day with some of the friendliest Petanque players in Texas.

​​There will be a Pot Luck Lunch, so please bring something to contribute!

​Whenever you are playing pétanque and you see people who are facinated by the game - yet too shy to speak up - you can be the one to take action! Make sure you always have some Legation Boules Club cards handy so you can walk right up and give a few away. You never know who ​might get as excited as we are about playing the game!

If you don't have any cards to give away be sure to ask Jeff or Ed to give you some.

See you on the terrain!

- Johnny Carreau

​Until now the LBC has been using regular email to communicate with club members. That was okay as long as the number of members was relatively small. As the membership has grown we now need to switch to what is known as an "opt-in" mailing list, also known as the LBC Newsletter.

All LBC members have been automatically subscribed to the LBC Newsletter and this is the way all the "official communications" of the LBC will be broadcast. Anyone, whether they are LBC members or not, is welcome to subscribe to the LBC newsletter.

The Austin Petanque WhatsApp Group
​The Austin Petanque WhatsApp Group makes it easy for anyone to communicate with all the other petanque players in the group. Anyone is welcome to join. When you have a message that you want to send out to the whole group, you can feel free to post something like "Does anyone want to play at the hangar on Saturday?" as long as it makes sense for everyone to get the message.

If you have a message, or a response to a message, that does not need to go out to the whole group it is important that you just send​ it to the one person who needs to get it. This is also easy to do in WhatsApp.

​​If you have WhatsApp on your device it's easy to join the Austin Pétanque Group by going to the Contact Page and clicking the link.

​March 1, 2019
​​The LBC will be having a Work Party Friday evening at 5PM to prepare the Hangar for our tournament on Saturday. This includes raking the gravel and laying out the courts with strings, as well as positioning the tables.  If you can help, bring some gloves and a rake if you have one.  

​March 2nd, 2019
​LBC Doublette Mêlée Tournament.
Hosted by the Legation Boules Club at the Browning Hangar.
Players will draw at random for partners and then play the tournament with the same partner. ​

​If your plans change, and you can not make it, please let us know as soon as possible (512-431-1090).  We still need one more player.  If you know someone who would like to play, please let us know. ​

Set up will start at 8:00 AM, registration will be from 8:30 to 9:00.

Please be on time, if you are running late please let us know!
​
​Everyone will play four games.  Then we will continue with the Concours and Consolante playoffs.  It will be a full day of pétanque. 

​We will break for a lovely pot luck lunch - so bring your favorite dish to share with all! LBC provides the paper and plastic items.  Be sure to bring serving utensils.

See you there!!

​March 23, 2019​
Open Doubles - Lafayette, LA
Hosted by the Lafayette Pétanque Club

​March 31, 2019​
Select Doubles - Cedar Park, TX
Hosted by the Nelson Ranch Pétanque Club. This will be a fundraiser to pay for lighting the terrain.

​April 6, 2019​
FPUSA National Singles - Austin, TX
Hosted by the H.O.T. Pétanque Club

To participate in this tournament you must be a member of an FPUSA club. The H.O.T Pétqanque Club and the Nelson Ranch Pétanque Club are FPUSA clubs, but the Legation Boules Club is not an FPUSA club.​

​April 7, 2019​
FPUSA National Mixed Triples - Austin, TX
Hosted by the H.O.T. Pétanque Club

To participate in this tournament you must be a member of an FPUSA club. The H.O.T Pétqanque Club and the Nelson Ranch Pétanque Club are FPUSA clubs, but the Legation Boules Club is not an FPUSA club.​

​April 28, 2019​
Lafont Memorial Tournament, Select Doubles - Dallas, TX
Hosted by the Dallas Pétanque Club

​May 19, 2019​
FPUSA Regional Select Triples - Cedar Park, TX
Nelson Ranch Pétanque Club

To participate in this tournament you must be a member of an FPUSA club. The H.O.T Pétqanque Club and the Nelson Ranch Pétanque Club are FPUSA clubs, but the Legation Boules Club is not an FPUSA club.​

​June 9, 2019​
Melee/Carousel Doubles Benefit - Austin, TX
Hosted by the Legation Boules Club

​October 6, 2019​
Fall Select Doubles - Cedar Park, TX
​Hosted by Nelson Ranch Pétanque Club

​October 19-20, 2019​
Select Doubles - Las Vegas, NV
Hosted by the Petanque Club of Las Vegas

​November 8-10, 2019​
Amelia Island Open - Amelia Island, FL
Hosted by the Amelia Island Pétanque club

​It is La Chandeleur time once again!  Nelson Ranch Péranque Club is joining LBC once again and helping us host La Chandeleur.  This year the event will be held at Nelson Ranch Park, 901 Nelson Ranch Rd in Cedar Park.  We will be playing pétanque from 1:00 to 5:00, breaking at 2:30 for La Chandeleur!!
 
If you are not familiar with La Chandeleur, it is a French holiday where people traditionally eat crépes and drink hard apple cider.  Nothing better than another celebration with food & drink! 
 
This is another example of a Christian holiday that stems from pagan traditions.  La Chandeleur is often associated with the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, it actually stems from pagan traditions. While some say Chandeleur celebrates the return of sunny days (crêpes symbolize the sun), others say that making crêpes using flour left over from the harvest ensures prosperity in the coming year. And, of course, there is the traditional coin ritual: if you can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in your other hand, you and your family will not have to worry about financial problems.”  Believe what you may, it is a good reason to get together, eat some crépes, drink some cider, and throw some boules.  Mark Sunday, February 3rd on your calendar!  Let’s hope the La Chandeleur gods bring us good weather!

​Welcome our newest members to the courts!

​Ellen Cone Busch opened the grounds of the French Légation on Sunday, December 10th.

Forty-four people showed up with their boules and some great food.  Ellen is the Director of Historic Sites Operations for The Texas Historical Commission (THC).  She spoke about the THC plans for the Légation and requested questions and thoughts about the project.  She also helped present the champion trophy for the October 27th tournament to Peter Gray.

Regrettably, his partner Tommy Woods was not able to be there for the presentation.

We hope that Ellen will be able to open the grounds again before the major modifications begin at the Légation..

2018 Holiday Party

​LBC held our Holiday Party at Carolyn Cornell's apartments party room.  A special thanks goes out to Carolyn for ​making it available.

The pot was the best ever, and Jacques Richards made another one of his prize winning buche de noel!

Fun was had by all, and the LBC trophy was presented to Carolyn for the October tournament that she and​ Christophe Chambers won.

We were sorry that Christophe could not be at the Holiday Party!

LBC hopes all have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!!