AS THE 2026 croquet season drew to a close it was time, on a fabulous September day, for Camerton and Peasedown Croquet Club to hold their full day of Internal Tournament Finals.

Club members, with their family and friends, enjoyed the sunshine as they watched the contestants who had battled through the earlier rounds and the semi-final knock-outs to play their Final’s match. Although there was a strong desire to win the games, and come away with both the honour and a handsome engraved trophy, the play was always congenial; when CPCC members play each other the friendliness matters as much as the winning.

Finals Day started with a timed match of Handicapped Association Croquet in which Colin Britt beat Ann Munton by 18 hoops to 10.

The High Handicap Golf Croquet Final was next up. The anticipated running time for this un-timed match was ambitious; it ran its full length to a tie-break/ golden hoop on the sixteenth hoop, an exhausting one hour and fifty-five minutes. In the closest encounter of the year Jill Parker ran out the winner by narrowly making her target of 10 hoops before June Farley achieved her target of 7.

The Level play Golf singles was the predicted annual match between CPCC’s two best players, Andy Loakes and Colin Britt; this year it was Andy’s turn to win by 7 hoops to 4.

Meanwhile, on a hastily re-set half lawn, the Short Croquet Final was being contested by Simon Munton and Ann Munton; Ann ran out the winner by 14 hoops to 5.

The Golf Croquet Doubles Finals then took the stage with both Colin Britt and June Farley returning to the lawns. Colin, partnered by Si Dunk, played David Milford and Fran Ralli at Level play and ran out winners by 7 hoops to 4.

June, partnered by Chris Simons, played Jonathan Flatt and Christine Piddington in Handicap doubles; June and Chris running out winners by 7 hoops to 5.

Six of the seven competitions were decided on Finals Day. Paul Dix, who was due to play in the Golf Croquet Handicap Singles final, was already committed to play at the final of the All- England Handicap competition at Watford, so his match against Simon Munton had been played earlier in the week. In this match Simon achieved his target score of 7 hoops just fractionally ahead of Paul who had been tasked with running one more hoop to reach his target.

A long happy afternoon, which had included an excellent lunch and home-made cake, was followed by a brief presentation of trophieswhich will be formally presented at the Christmas Lunch in December.

The club play croquet all year round so the end of the summer season is rapidly followed by re-setting the lawns for winter play. Annual membership is for 12 months, from March to March, but a reduced membership fee is available for people who want to join part way through the year.

The months of September, October and November, when it is still warm, are full of autumn colour at the lawns which overlook the Cam Valley. Croquet is a great way to get fresh air and exercise and the club will be holding their regular Roll-Up-and-Play Sunday afternoons on October 4 and November 1. Everyone welcome.