CROQUET NEWS:  Canada Defeats USA in Local Croquet Tournament

2 August 2006
Westmount, Québec, Canada
by Marilynn Vanderstay in The Westmount Examiner, Westmount, Québec, Canada

Andrew de Courcy-Ireland lines up a shot.

Players came from near and far last week to compete in the annual North East Regional US Canada Tournament of the U.S. Croquet Association, co-hosted this year by the Westmount and TMR croquet clubs and played at the Westmount Lawn Bowling Club.

Twenty-seven players from Ontario, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Delaware and even Bermuda competed with local players during a long weekend of competitions that culminated with playoffs Sunday morning and an awards luncheon held at the TMR club that afternoon.

The ardent players began the weekend of round-robin matches on Wednesday morning with the annual Canada versus United States challenge. While competition was stiff among the four members on each team, at the end of the day Canada won with a score of six to four.

Canadian team captain, Westmounter Andrew de Courcy-Ireland, represented the Westmount club in the competition. “It was great to host the event north of the border and at the same time win the challenge match,” he said “Some of croquet's best players have participated in this annual challenge match, so I was honoured to have been chosen to lead the Canadian team this year.”

During the week immediately prior to this USCA Northeast Regional in Montreal, the Elm Avenue resident played in the Meadow Club Invitational tournament at Southampton, N.Y. and won the championship doubles event.

The Northeast Regional tournament began Thursday morning at 8 a.m. In spite of the extreme heat the players competed rigorously until 5 p.m. and continued to vie in round-robins all day Friday and Saturday. At the end of the play Saturday, only the top four players advanced to the elimination match played Sunday morning.

When all the plays had been completed, at the end of the tournament, Elora, Ontario resident and seasoned player Brain Cumming was named the champion. Jim Nicklasson was second and Russel Brown was third.

Ironically, De Courcy-Ireland co-founded the local club 15 years ago with former Westmount resident Richard Hobart after competing in a tournament in Ontario in 1991 hosted by Croquet Canada, in which Cumming also competed and had already started making a name for himself.

“Cumming is the number two if not the number one player in Canada,” said de Courcy-Ireland.

De Courcy-Ireland remembered growing up playing croquet in the backyard and at the cottage before Hobart introduced him to the croquet played today in competitions around the world.

“Basically the mallets are larger, the balls are heavier and bigger, the wickets are tighter and the rules are different,” he said of the game he compared to playing a game of billiards. “You play on a flat green field and use strategy and skill to put the balls in wickets.”

After that tournament, the two focused on starting a club in Westmount. The tournament was an eye-opening experience, played on a smooth lawn and they knew exactly where the game could be played; the greens at the Westmount Lawn Bowling Club. The two negotiated with the club and the rest is history.

"When I talk to friends about croquet, most of them give me a funny look, and nod politely, thinking, this guy is nuts. But some of them give it a try, and discover they like it, too," said de Courcy-Ireland.

Members of the Westmount Croquet Club play Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Westmount Lawn Bowling Club. Those interested in trying the game can visit the club Tuesday evening. For more information or to reserve a space phone Beryl Parker at 514-485-6454.