- Written by Nadia Gyan and Helen Burchell
- BBC News, Northamptonshire
image source, Nadia Gyan/BBC
Mark Hunter and Jasmine Tetley saw off all competitors to win the Conquer King and Queen titles
The woman who was crowned ‘Queen of Conkers’ is ‘ecstatic’ to have won her third title at the 2023 World Conquer Championship and to wear the coveted crown. he said.
The event in Northamptonshire attracted thousands of people to watch horse chestnut experts go head-to-head.
The women’s competition was won by Jasmine Tetley from Nottingham and the men’s competition was won by Mark Hunter from Northamptonshire.
In the final showdown between the two, Mr. Tetley defeated Mr. Hunter.
This year more than 250 competitors took part in the annual spectacle at Southwick, near Oundle, which has been held since 1965, culminating in the crowning of the winner.
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Jasmine Tetley has won the contest three times
The winner of this year’s women’s competition is Tetley, 30, from Nottingham, who first won in 2019 and won again in 2021.
“There was a lot of pressure at the end to make that last shot,” she said.
“You never know who you’re going to play against.”
The three-time winner didn’t feel much need to prepare for next year’s competition, but added: “It would be great to win again.”
Wearing the crown proudly, she said, “I’m really happy.”
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Mark Hunter, 49, won the men’s category.
Only old conkers cannot be used in this highly regulated competition.
Volunteers from the Ashton Conquer Club, which organizes the event, are collecting the nuts and stringing them onto strings.
image source, Nadia Gyan
Many of the contestants dress to make a good impression.
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More than 250 people registered for this year’s championship
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regularly attracts thousands of spectators
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Kettering natives Jamie Pringle (left) and Robin Carpenter came to try their luck.
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Oh…someone isn’t following the rules
The rules of the game are strict: the conker cannot be tampered with or reused, and there must be at least 20cm (8 inches) of lace between the knuckle and the nut.
Each player takes turns attacking the opponent’s conker three times, and the match is decided when one of the conkers is destroyed.
Ringmaster and referee Richard Howard said, “Since the 17th century, conkers has been a game played primarily by children…Adults love to play this game too.” [too], but they feel stupid. Now they have a reason: the World Conquer Championship. ”
image source, Nadia Gyan/BBC
As referee, Richard Howard is responsible for issuing ‘red cards’ to illegal players.
He said there were fewer international participants this year, but participants came from as far away as Scotland, Wales and the West Country, with a significant number from London as well.
Why have some international visitors given up on this year’s event?
“I think they accepted that we were much better than them,” he quipped.
image source, Nadia Gyan
They were playing for the coveted crown.
Over its long history, the competition has raised around £450,000 for blind charities.
