Paisley (58), the supervisor at an oyster factory in Invercargill, was disappointed to miss the "big day" at her factory because of the committment to play bowls.
But she put that disappointment behind her to represent Southland at the region six women's singles qualifying tournament in Dunedin over the past two days.
Paisley won the tournament and will represent the region at the national finals of the New Zealand Community Trust singles next month.
Paisley won four of her five singles games at the Fairfield green to win the women's event with eight points ahead of Annie McDonald (North Otago) on six points, differential plus 20, and Sue Hodges (Dunedin) on six points, differential plus 14.
Paisley's only loss came in her last game to Cathy Richards (South Canterbury) when she was beaten 11-18.
Her most important wins came in the first two rounds against McDonald 21-17 and Hodges 21-10. She also beat Valerie Dale (South Otago) 21-14 and Jean Hodges (Central Otago) 21-9.
When she started playing bowls 16 years ago Paisley was rated as a natural and she has confirmed this assessment with her accurate draw bowls.
This will be the second time she has qualified for the national final. She was a member of the Southland four that finished third at the tournament.
Paisley has the chance to reach a second national final when she plays in the mixed pairs with 1980 New Zealand championship men's pairs champion Dave Burgess.
McDonald clinched second spot when she beat Hodges 21-7 in the final game.
Alexandra bowler Bill Clements (Central Otago) was unbeaten and will represent region six in the men's singles.
Clements (59), who has been playing bowls since 1981, will be playing in his seventh national New Zealand Community Trust singles. He has finished second, third and fourth in the past.
Clements won the competition with eight points and was followed by Gil Peek (Southland) on four points and Joko Susilo (Dunedin) with two wins and a differential of plus 32.
Clements, an aggressive bowler with an accurate drive, beat Bob Wilson (North Otago) 21-11, Susilo 21-4, Graeme Hislop (South Otago) 21-16 and Peek 16-5.
The regional competition continues in Dunedin for another 10 days with the pairs (today and Thursday at Kaikorai), the triples on Friday and Saturday (Taieri), the fours on Sunday and Monday (St Clair) and the mixed pairs on Tuesday and Wednesday next week (Centre greens).
