Wetherby - Sport

Sport

The town is home to several sporting clubs: Wetherby Athletic AFC, Wetherby Bulldogs RLFC and Wetherby RUFC, all playing at a higher amateur level. Collingham Colts FC and Kirk Deighton Rangers FC also play close to the town.

Wetherby Athletic play in the West Yorkshire League. The club was formed in 1949, from Wetherby AFC and Wetherby Rovers FC. The club groundshare with Wetherby Bulldogs RLFC at the newly refurbished ground on the South bank of the Ings.

Formed in October 2004, the Wetherby Runners Athletic Club are based at Wetherby Sports Association with a membership of over 160. The club has a mix of male and female athletes, spanning a range of abilities and caters for ages from 10 years and upwards. A junior section compete in West Yorks Track & Field & cross country Leagues. They compete throughout the region in Harrogate Road League, Black Sheep Race Series, West Yorks Cross Country League as well as taking part in cross country, fell, road races and marathons.

Wetherby Bulldogs are the town's rugby league side who play at the Ings with Wetherby Athletic. The Wetherby Bulldogs play in the Pennine League Division Four (out of a possible eight). The club was formed in 1983, originally playing in the York and District Sunday League. In the 1997/98 season, Wetherby won the league without losing a game, and won the White Rose Cup, playing the final at Featherstone Rovers' Post Office Road ground. By 1999 the club had worked their way up to Yorkshire League Division One.

Wetherby Cricket Club play at Grange Park (adjacent to the South Wetherby A1(M)/A661 intersection). They play in the Wetherby League and the Whixley Evening League. They field two senior sides and a full complement of junior sides, from U-9s to U-17s.

Wetherby Bowling Club was established in 1986 and is situated at Grange Park Sports Centre between the cricket club and the rugby union club. It is one of the few clubs that can offer both Crown Green and Flat Green Bowling including a floodlit mini league which allows the Crown Green to be used in the evening until December. The club has six Crown Green teams (playing in the Harrogate and Tadcaster Leagues) as well as three Flat Green teams. They also offer friendly afternoon matches for those who just want a way to relax and keep fit.

The town's rugby union club also play at Grange Park (adjacent to the South Wetherby A661 road intersection). They ground share here with the town's cricket and bowls clubs. Although the ground is also situated adjacent to the River Wharfe, unlike the Ings it is not prone to flooding due to its height above the river. The club relocated here after playing temporarily at Kirk Deighton Rangers AFC's Loshpot Lane ground in 1990. Since then they have built a new clubhouse, car parking and floodlit pitches. The club have plans to develop their Grange Park ground in the future. These plans include the extending of the current clubhouse (which has been planned now in some form for over a decade) and a new stand adjacent to the first pitch.

Wetherby Golf Club proudly boasts an 18-hole golf course, constructed in two loops of 9-holes, with stunning views of the River Wharfe as it winds its way from Collingham to Wetherby along the Wetherby Ings where, 100 years ago, steeplechase racing was the major sporting activity. In order to meet the requirements of the modern game the course has been recently extended to almost 6,700 yards with five variable tee positions providing a course to suit all ages and golfing abilities. The clubhouse also boasts a snooker room and 100 seat diners lounge.

The route of The White Rose Way, a long distance walk from Leeds to Scarborough passes through the town.