Bowls’ Big Summer brought another action-packed day for bowls which saw young players from across the country compete for the chance to make history for their counties as the 2026 White Rose Trophy National Champions.

Around 200 bowlers took to the greens at ten venues around the country, all vying for the opportunity to walk out at Victoria Park in August.

2025 Champions Huntingdonshire Looking Good

History tells us that retaining a title is more difficult than winning it the first time.

In the 2026 White Rose Trophy, last year’s national champions Huntingdonshire are still on track to do it again, edging the Central group to qualify for the finals after being pushed all the way by Hertfordshire.

The latter did finish the day at Brampton BC with a better shot difference than Hunts, however a 6-0 win for the title holders when the two teams meet made the difference in the table.

Redcar Borough Park BC played host to the North group, won by a dominant Durham team that only dropped three points all day and finished with a +38 shot difference.

Lincolnshire A and Leicestershire A set the pace in the Midlands group, with the former taking the win by seven points.

Leicestershire A had the chance to take the win in the final game, but were stymied at East Leake BC by Lincolnshire B with a 3-3 draw.

The East region at Felixstowe & Suffolk BC proved to be more clear cut after a superb day for Essex A.

They claimed victory in four of their five games, ending eight points clear with a +45 shot difference.

One of the tightest finishes of the day came in the South-East group as Surrey A squeaked by Kent B by one point.

The two played each other in the final session of the day, with Kent needing a 6-0 victory to progress.

A 4-2 victory for Kent meant that Surrey held on and qualified through to Victoria Park.

The South group, played at Alton Social BC, was won by Bedfordshire after they took five wins from five.

Warwickshire A saw off the challenges of Oxon/Wiltshire and Worcestershire in the West group after a day of high class bowls.

A 6-0 win over Worcestershire in the final match of the day at Oxford City & County BC sealed the win for Warwickshire and their progression to the National Bowls Finals.

Our final group was played out at Culm Vale BC in the South-West, and developed into a three-way battle between Cornwall A, 2025 finalists Gloucestershire and Somerset A.

After a number of back-and-forth contests, Cornwall A emerged victorious, squeezing by their rivals by three points.

All results from the day’s games can be found here.

Keen to see how the qualifiers of 2026 get on during the National Bowls Finals? Purchase your tickets now and see some of the best bowlers in the country go end-to-end for a coveted national title.

Bowls England would like to extend a huge thank you to the host clubs, volunteers, and officials who helped deliver a brilliant weekend of bowls.

As the competition now moves toward the national stages, each of these qualifiers will hope their form continues. With strong showings already under their belts, they have set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling showdown at the National Bowls Finals this August.