Go forth and conker: Northamptonshire village near Oundle prepares to host World Conker Championships

Thousands of conker fans are due to descend upon the outskirts of Oundle this weekend to be part of the world’s top conker tournament.

Competitors and spectators from far and wide – including overseas – are expected to ‘take over’ the scenic village of Southwick on October 9 as the 54th World Conker Championships get underway.

Organisers say more than 200 competitors are expected to battle it out for the honour of being crowned the world best ‘conkeror’.

James Packer, one of the tournament’s co-organisers, described the event as “good family fun” and, wryly, “pandemonium and mayhem.”

“The competition is on Sunday [but] we sort of take over the village for the weekend. They [the villagers] love it.”

Something close to 3,500 prime conkers are needed for the competition, all of which need to be graded, precision drilled and laced before being handed over to competitors.

Organisers are pleased to announce that, unlike previous years, the region’s horse chestnut trees are looking extremely healthy this year with ‘an abundance of conker weapons’ ready for this year’s hostilities.

Trees are much greener, meaning they have staved off the leaf miner moth attack that had left them brown, leading to a poor conker yield.

Mr Packer told the Peterborough Telegraph: “I’ve been given some [conkers] and they look very nice - very rounded, shiny conkers”

The current world conker champion is Jade Tetley, who won the coveted tournament in 2019 and 2021.

The reigning men’s champion is fan favourite Ady Hurrell. “He’s hard-hitting”, said Mr Packer, “breaks conkers within the first two or three hits.”

There will be plenty going on alongside the nut-busting action, with craft stalls, jugglers, fairground rides, pub games and a ukulele band adding to the ‘fete atmosphere’.

Live commentary will be provided once again by BBC Radio Northampton’s Martin Borley-Cox.

English Civil War re-enactment group Lord Robarte’s Regiment of Foote (Sealed Knot) will kick off proceedings by leading the previous winners on a parade through the village on Sunday morning.

The town crier and Chelsea Pensioner Roy Palmer will announce the tournament open shortly after.

The cost to enter the championships this year is £7 per adult and £5 per child.

Family tickets (two adults and up to three children) cost £15. All children’s tickets include free entry into the junior competition.

The tournament has raised close to £450,000 for impaired sight charities since it began in 1965.