AN INTERVIEW WITH STUART SMITH
GILES PEPPERELL Croquet Sports Journalist
Interviewing the stars of our sport
NAME Stuart M Smith HOME CLUB
Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club POTTED PLAYING HISTORY – FROM FIRST PICKING UP A MALLET TO CURRENT PLAY ‐ INCLUDING WHAT INFLUENCED YOU TO START. I have always been into some form of sporting activity be it football, cricket, local pool leagues, golf, ten pin bowling league, tennis and even American Football in my youth. I decided that my wife Louise and I should try something we could play together and on a warm Spring Day I discovered Croquet. I was bored whilst trying to sell Louise’s cushions at a craft fair and went wandering: that is when I bumped into a 'Try Croquet' event organised by Northampton Croquet Club. I signed us up, went along the following Sunday, and never looked back. Pete Dowd handed me an old wooden club mallet that day and showed me around the court. I didn't let go of that wooden mallet and went on to play my first season with it and won the first two tournaments I ever entered, two B‐levels. I purchased a clapped‐out old camper van, 'Derek,' that some players will remember and started playing around the country whenever I had the time. With the hook firmly in, I started making time. Since those days of 2018 I have not had a single holiday that hasn't been based around some form of croquet tournament. (I can hear the violins playing!). I finished 2018 with my first Open Series win and
Stuart M Smith playing in the Sidmouth Ascot Cup 2022 Photo by Jayne Ellery
being handed the Spiers ‘Most improved Player’ title. I moved into playing in the Open Series events in 2019 and 2020 going on to take the title on both occasions and winning English National Doubles tournament with Steve Leonard, as well as being a semi‐finalist in the 2020 GC Open Championship. This effort brought along my first call‐ up for England playing in the Home Internationals. Since that point I have achieved further England call‐ups for team events against Spain and Egypt and been involved in European and World Championships. I won the Shield in the 2022 World Championship, and the English National Singles title the same year. 2024 may not have ended in a star‐ studded way for me but along the way I added a third Open Series title, went one better than 2020 and came runner up in the 2024 GC Open Championship, and played a vital part in England's test victory over Spain. Your finest or proudest achievement and shot. I have had some wonderful times in croquet so far and have achieved far more than I ever thought I would. Even in this short space of time some things I have done will live long in the memory.
I still get goosebumps when I think about being part of the Test Team that went out to Egypt to test ourselves against the might of the superstar Egyptians. We were soundly beaten but it was an experience that I will never forget and hope to repeat. There was the late Quiller Barrett presenting a ‘waistcoat wearing wally’ the Most Improved Player trophy in 2018. The ‘proud as punch player’ who won the 2022 World Championship Shield. Then there is my first 'major' win in 2022 winning the Ascot Cup and being presented the trophy by Lionel Tibble, a man who has had a huge impact on my croquet ambition. However, my proudest moment in croquet has to be that first England call‐up for the 2021 Home Internationals. Not only was it my first cap but I was also installed as Captain. Not too many players get that accolade. My favourite shot is a difficult one as some of my best shots are tap‐ins under huge pressure, but two examples stick in my mind. First was during the Dorset Open, where I ran hoop 1 down to in front of hoop 2. With my second ball I cut my opponents ball away leaving me onside a yard in front of hoop 3 ‐ easier to see than describe. The
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