CROQUET NEWS:  50 Gather for Croquet Special

10 August 2006
Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club, Devon, England , UK
in Exmouth Herald, Exmouth, Devon, England , UK
photo by Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club

The Mayor of Budleigh Salterton Cllr Richards, with L to R - Adam Wimshurst, John Toye, Brian Pollock, Nigel Betts.

Friendships were renewed when over 50 competitors from clubs in Devon, Dorset, Cheltenham, London, Southport, Northampton and Brighton gathered to compete in the week-long [July 30th - August 5th] South West of England Championship.

As well as the main championship, events covered open singles, handicap singles and doubles, golf croquet and one-ball.

Budleigh's premium player, John Toye (recipient of a Platinum Award for his first sextuple peel - more than equal to a 147 in competitive snooker), continued a successful season by winning his block (+24. +25 straight triple peel, +26 triple peel, +24) to reach the final against David Harrison-Wood (East Dorset), a past winner.

The best of three final belonged to Toye who won 2-0.

Both finalists would agree that neither played to their A-class best, finding problems with hoop 3 in the first game. Wood recovered and went to 4-back with the first ball, laying up a standard leave which Toye failed to hit.

Wood continued but his attempted triple peel ended when he failed to make 4-back. Toye took advantage and won +6.

In the second match, it was hoop 2 which proved tricky. With errors on both sides, it was Toye who settled into the game, finishing on peg and penultimate. Woods hit in but broke down at 1-back with his second ball, leaving Toye to run penultimate and rover to claim the championship for the fifth time.

Two other Budleigh players won silver - Adam Wimshurst came top in the D-class, beating Melanie Foster (Southport) +14. Wimshurst also gained a bronze medal award (10 hoops in a single break with bisques). Brian Pollock, with partner David Collins (London), triumphed in the Doubles, winning all four of their matches.

Budleigh were assured of a finalist in the Longman Cup (B-class) when Ken Wood faced fellow member Michael Lester in the semi-final. Lester won +9 but was beaten in the final by the holder, Nigel Betts +13. Betts first won this trophy 25 years ago.

Two hundred and seventy-nine games were played during the week with 10 triple peels and, at the closing ceremony, the Mayor, Courtney Richards, was present to congratulate and hand out the silverware to those happy but tired winners.

The success of the tournament was down to the manager, Michael Town, and those club members who work so hard behind the scenes - early-morning hoop-setting, lawn maintenance, catering, including a tournament dinner in the clubhouse, and a 'pirates' evening with fish-and-chip supper. Thanks are also due to the tournament secretary, Mary Goodhart, whose efficient paperwork goes mostly unseen.

Results

South West of England Championship:
the Longman Cup - John Toye (Budleigh);
the Longman Cup - B Class - Nigel Betts;
the Stone Challenge Cup - C Class - Jim Field (Wells);
the Millenium Dish - D Class - Adam Wimshurst (Budleigh).

The Oliver Bowl - (open handicap singles) - Richard Mills (Sidmouth);
the Le Mesurier Cups - Brian Pollock/David Collins (Budleigh/London).

Most improved gent - Peter Miller (Sidmouth);
most improved lady - Liz Taylor-Webb (Southport).

Most games played - David Harrison-Wood (East Dorset).

Fastest game - Melanie Foster (Southport) 45 mins.

Golf Croquet - Peter Nash (London).

Level one-ball - Bob Burnett (Southport).

Handicap one-ball - Peter Miller.