They've gathered every year since 2010 to play 9-ball for The Shade Tree, a Las Vegas shelter for women, children and their pets. This year, 36 women came together on the weekend of March 26-27 at the Rum Runner Tropicana in Las Vegas, and between $10 entry-fee donations and raffles, they raised about $6,800 to benefit The Shade Tree. The Western Women's 9-Ball Charity, a handicapped event, is generally the third tournament, every year, hosted by The Rum Runner in March, and is preceded by the Doc Hill Memorial Tournament for B players and the Andy Mercer Memorial for A players.

 

At this 7th annual women's charity challenge, Bernie Store, a regular on the Arizona Women's Tour and Gina Quinones battled three times to claim the event title. Store took two out of three in a double elimination final to win it.

 

They met first in the hot seat match. Store had sent Shirell Ivey to the loss side in a double hill match, as Quinones was busy sending Robin Verner west 5-2. In a double hill hot seat match, Quinones survived, sending Store to the semifinals.

 

On the loss side, Ivey picked up Anne Carmona, who'd defeated Gina Valerio, double hill, and Trinh Lu 4-4 to reach her (Lu, racing to 6). Verner drew Katy Moore, who'd gotten by Amy Kane 5-2 and Debra Aarens 5-3. Verner eliminated Moore 5-2 and in the quarterfinals, faced Carmona, who'd handed Ivey her second straight loss 4-1. 

 

Verner took the quarterfinal match 5-1 for a shot at Store in the semifinals. An apparently determined Bernie Store shut Verner out 6-0 for her own second shot against Quinones in the hot seat. Store took that shutout momentum into the opening set of the true double elimination final, allowing Quinones only a single rack and forcing a second set. Quinones chalked up two more racks in the second set, but Store got her six to claim the event title.

 

Tournament representatives thanked Gino and Gordie Hill, owners of the Rum Runner Tropicana and their staff for their hospitality, as well as thanking sponsors the Vegas TAP Pool League, APA Las Vegas, BCA Pool League, USAPL, Pool Tools, Vegas Billiards Buzz, CSI, Fargo Rate, Long Horn Casino, the All City BCAPL, and Southern Nevada 9-Ball Tavern Owners' Association.