Horsham Festival

[bigtj]

Remember from way back there in the memory that there used to be a festival in the summer months, is this still held, and are entries allowed from teams outside Horsham.

;) ;) ;) ;)

[petem]

I think the festival cup is long gone Tony.Tommo should be able to tell you.I remember playing in it when I was just starting,many moons ago

Hi Tony and Pete.
Thanks for renewing interest in this tradition.

You may care to catch up on this thread on this very same Board:

barbilliards.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=horsham&action=display&thread=1154688368

As I recall it, Worthing featured prominently in the past history of the event, and I remember when I was the Horsham Secretary (from '82 to '92) Chris Scott was usually the first in with an entry from the RAFA Club.

Still holding out hope that the competition might one day be resurrected - but it will only happen after a considerable amount of arm-twisting. ;)

[iang]

I know this one's close to Tommo's heart.
There are those that like to play through the Summer & there are those that wont pick up their cue until September / October.
The last Summer event Horsham hosted was the Summer Doubles comp & that hasn't been run for 3 to 4 years.
We have our AGM next Tuesday & need to let the dust settle down but it could be a topic for AOB who Knows but dint hold your breath !!!!
WE NEED a new competition secretary any volunteers ? :D

[Sparky]

Billingshurst League stage a summer comp called the Jubilee Cup and the draw has already been done, and was opened up to Horsham teams this year as there is quite a lot of overlap of players anyway.

I may well see Tony Temple soon and will pass on the idea of offering entries to Worthing Teams in future as that would give us all more interesting places to go and faces to see....sometimes old acquaintances can meet. The Bridge House has entered which should include Tony Franks, Tony Temple, Ray Manser, Eric Tysoe, Mel Blake, Doug Covey and maybe someone else as I will be playing for Handcross Club. From talks with various people from Worthing recently I found they knew, but hadn't seen for a while, quite a few of the Billingshurst players from bygone eras.

That is a great idea Sparky. 8-)

There is no reason why the Billingshurst Jubilee Team Knockout couldn't become everything that the Horsham Festival Cup was.

The Billingshurst league could probably do with raising its profile and this could be the answer.

To get the idea off the ground for next year, it needs some good marketing - I know there was a half-hearted effort for this year, but whoever's running it is only going to get an interest going by pro-actively writing to all the other league Secretaries in Sussex and sending them a handful of entry forms. Relying on this Forum to spread the word is not really an option, but could work as a back-up.

They may have to bite the bullet and make it five straight singles, as well. ;)

[petem]

Agree whole heartedly tommo.Billingshurst league is about 1/3 the size than when I used to play.They did have 2? new teams this year though

[bigtj]

Thanks for the replies and certainly has opened up interest.

Would certainly put a team together from Worthing if possibility of invites being open.

[Sparky]

Tonight I saw and spoke to Tony Temple who thought it a good idea to open up the competition to other leagues and so, hopefully, next year we could see an expanded Billingshurst Jubilee Tournament.

I did suggest that Worthing, Littlehampton and West Sussex were worth a try and someone else suggested Mid Sussex, but have left that idea with him.

Furthermore I said to let me know so I could pass it on and let you chase up your league secretaries ;D ;D ;D)

sparky said:

I did suggest that Worthing, Littlehampton and West Sussex were worth a try and someone else suggested Mid Sussex

Good work, Sparky.
You could justify the above by specifying "qualification is any team from any league from the county of West Sussex" - which would then be the above four plus of course Horsham and Billingshurst.
I agree that for the sake of Billingshurst league's members, the competition needs to be kept reasonably localised. And Billingshurst is easily accessible from Mid Sussex via the famous A272. ;)

[bigtj]

Well done Sparky, and to Billngshurst on taking up on the idea if it transpires. As Tommo says keeping it localised is sensible and if I remember correctly all games in the horsham festival were played on Horsham tables.

Have spoken to the Windmill players and all in agrrement would love to enter a team, sure others such as Petem would be interseted in raising a team.

[Sparky]

Thanks and good comments too, so lets hope it happens like that.

Incidentally some of the Elms players, even without Petem present, wanted to enter so that looks positive :D

[petem]

I'm sure the Elms would put together a team-keep us posted