2026 NORTH WEST FEDERATION FESTIVAL OF CROQUET
By Robin Tasker, Festival Manager
The Festival of Croquet has long been an annual highlight of the North West Federation’s calendar, and this, the 32nd edition, was no different with nine Clubs competing over a June weekend hosted at the Southport and Birkdale Croquet Club. But in reality the preparations for the event were unusual as Southport had endured temperatures in the mid- thirties which made the ground preparations of 14 croquet courts and setting the associated 84 hoops something of an heroic effort by the Southport members. But their endeavour was greatly appreciated, and come Saturday morning with appreciably lower temperatures the assembly of so many croquet players from across the North West began. The beginnings are always of a chaotic nature as Clubs establish their base camps of gazebos, chairs, cool boxes and all the necessary (and indeed possibly unnecessary!) paraphernalia to survive the weekend while getting their bearings and checking fixtures and court allocations across Southport’s north and south lawns. From a manager’s perspective the enduring impression was one of a rising volume of chat as friends, old and new, met and caught up amid a riot of the Clubs’ allocated colours milling around in front of the pavilion. But seemingly against the odds by 9:30AM order was established and the serious matter of playing 136 games of croquet before 3:30PM on Sunday began. And the view of so many players in action on the beautifully tended Southport lawns was a delight to see. Because of the heat hydration mattered, and refreshment was offered and well received although the number of cups of tea served over the weekend was not recorded. As as for the beer tent, sufficient to say that stocks were replenished through the weekend, and innovatively a drinks “trolley- service“ was provided to the North Lawns where thirsty Golf croquet players – allegedly – indulged.
Being a Festival of Croquet the emphasis is very much one of participation, and Clubs are encouraged to bring larger teams than strictly required to allow players to sit out, to rest and socialise, and to allow more players to enjoy the Festival experience. The schedule unfortunately makes it hard for a player to take part in multiple events although members from Bury certainly seemed to manage! Perhaps in future years the manager will present a prize to the first player to feature in all 5 disciplines across the weekend. Consider it a challenge laid down... As ever there were five separate events in progress – Handicap and Level-play Golf croquet; with Short and both Handicap and Advanced Association croquet – with an all- play-all format across each event. The Handicap Golf croquet events had entries from 8 Clubs while the Level-play Golf had attracted 9 Clubs although this was made up to 10 with a scratch invitation team. But this of course generated 28 and 45 fixtures respectively for the Golf croquet events. And to accommodate this volume into the schedule these doubles games were limited to 1 hour in duration and, to add to the entertainment, were double banked with a strict stop when time was called thus allowing a draw to be a valid outcome. That said only 4 draws were recorded over the weekend. The Handicap Golf croquet event was a tight affair and after play on Saturday, five teams were in contention separated by 2 points with the top three teams – Bowdon, Fylde and Crake – separated only on hoops run and there only by the narrowest margin. On the Sunday while the challenge from Fylde fell away, Bowdon and Crake pressed ahead with Bowdon losing only to Westmorland by 6-7, and Crake to Bowdon. The final table saw both Clubs tied on 12 points but, with 3 hoops more on Hoop Count, Bowdon emerged victorious.
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