World Pea Shooting Championships

Peas are shot at a 12 inch target smeared with glazing putty, 12 feet away, with a peashooter not exceeding 12 inches in length,[3] there are no restrictions to technology providing the pea is propelled by blowing with the mouth, also, anyone can enter.[1][4]

The World Pea Shooting Championship was conceived in 1971 as a fund-raising idea for the building of a modern Village Hall by the headmaster of the village school, John I. Tyson (1925–2002), however, the school is long since closed, and children from Witcham now go to primary school in nearby Mepal.[1] In 2003, the Parish Council funded the purchase of the John Tyson Shield on which the open champion's name is recorded each year.[2]

The competition tends to be dominated by local entrants, though a small number travel from around the world, notably the United States, and American personnel from the nearby US airbases of RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath have competed. The day is combined with village fete featuring games, stalls, and more.

World Champion Ian Ashmeade in 2010

In 2010, Ian Ashmeade became the 40th World Pea Shooting Champion. In 2011, he retained the title beating four-time World Champion George Hollis in the semifinal, and 2009 champion Jim Collins in the final.[2]

In 2011, Emma Watson became the Ladies' World Pea Shooting Champion despite it being the very first time she had picked up a pea shooter.

In 2012, Julie Bissmire beat Tina Pullman to win the Women's event.[3] In the open event, Rob Bresler defeated the 2010 and 2011 champion, Ian Ashmeade, in the quarterfinals, and Jim Collins in the final.[3]

In 2013, the ladies title went to Helen Phillips.[5] Rob Bresler won the open event again in 2013, defeating Toby Bush in the final.[5]

In 2014, Rob Bresler saw off 61 other competitors to retain his title. [6] Also in 2014, Michelle Berry won the ladies title, while the junior title went to Haddenham's Martha Collins.[6]

New Pub Sign for The White Horse Witcham

In 2016, at the 46th World Peashooting championships, Michelle Berry made history by regaining her Ladies title for the third consecutive year, using a laser shooter made by her father. She fought her way through a strong field, while also reaching the semi-finals in the Open championship category. After a very tense final, which went into extra time, Jim Collins went on to beat Rob Bresler to take the title of Open champion, also the third title in his career.

In 2017, incredibly for the fourth consecutive year, Michelle Berry kept her title by winning the Ladies Champion category, Martha Collins was runner-up. Jim Collins beat Ian Ashmeade in the open event. Martha Collins won the junior title beating Madeline Bresler the runner-up. In the team event the Haddenham Easy Riders beat Stockport Massive to the team title.[7]

The 48th World Pea Shooting Champeaions

In 2018, after unveiling a new pub sign at The White Horse, with his head on it, Ian Ashmeade in his iconic horned helmet thrashed the 2017 Champeaion Jim Collins to take the 48th World Pea Shooting title after 7 years in the car park of dispeare. His team, the Haddenham Easy Riders, also took the team first place, only just in front of the ladies' team Pea-u-tiful featuring Ian's girlfriend Sally Redman-Davies. Sally then went on, at her first attempt, to beat the 2017 ladies' World Champeaion Michelle Berry in a tense final. She only missed 1 peaseye out of 10 with a score of 48/50 in the final - what a debut!

Note: All results taken from http://www.witcham.org.uk/_sgg/m1m6s6_1.htm

WPSC	Year	Open Winner	Runner Up	Lady Winner	Lady runner up	Junior winner	Junior runner up
1st WPSC	1971	Dennis Minett	-	-	-	-	-
2nd WPSC	1972	Dennis Minett	-	-	-	-	-
3rd WPSC	1973	Dennis Minett	-	-	-	-	-
4th WPSC	1974	Peter Czarnobaj	Dennis Minett	-	-	-	-
5 th WPSC	1975	Mike Curzon	-	-	-	-	-
6 th WPSC	1976	Howard Whetstone	-	-	-	-	-
7 th WPSC	1977	Mike Fordham	-	-	-	-	-
8 th WPSC	1978	Mike Fordham	-	-	-	-	-
9 th WPSC	1979	Neville Burniston	-	-	-	-	-
10 th WPSC	1980	Robert Norman	-	-	-	-	-
11 th WPSC	1981	Mike Fordham	-	-	-	-	-
12 th WPSC	1982	Robert Norman	-	Sandra Forham	-	-	-
13 th WPSC	1983	Mike Fordham	-	Helen Trent	-	-	-
14 th WPSC	1984	Mike Fordham	-	Helen Trent	-	-	-
15 th WPSC	1985	Mike Fordham	-	Jenny Danks	-	-	-
16 th WPSC	1986	Mike Fordham	-	Juliet Sole	-	-	-
17 th WPSC	1987	Robert Norman	-	Helen Trent	-	-	-
18 th WPSC	1988	John Shippey	-	Helen Trent	-	-	-
19 th WPSC	1989	Neville Burniston	-	Nicola Dale	-	-	-
20 th WPSC	1990	David Trent	-	Clare Shippey	-	-	-
21 st WPSC	1991	Leslie Setchell	-	-	-	-	-
22 nd WPSC	1992	Mike Fordham	-	-	-	-	-
23 th WPSC	1993	Leslie Setchell	-	-	-	-	-
24 th WPSC	1994	George Hollis	-	-	-	-	-
25 th WPSC	1995	George Hollis	-	-	-	-	-
26 th WPSC	1996	Dan Sargent	-	-	-	-	-
27 th WPSC	1997	Thomas Walker	-	-	-	-	-
28 th WPSC	1998	Dan Sargent	-	-	-	-	-
29 th WPSC	1999	David Hollis	-	-	-	-	-
30 th WPSC	2000	David Hollis	-	-	-	-	-
31 st WPSC	2001	David Hollis	-	-	-	-	-
32nd WPSC	2002	Kiel Prance	-	-	-	-	-
33 rd WPSC	2003	Danny Miles	-	-	-	-	-
34 th WPSC	2004	Percy Walker	Iain Housden	Laura Rutterford	Maureen Samochwal	Sam Cockbain	Ben Somers
35 th WPSC	2005	Ian Saberton	Iain Housden	Sandra Ashley	Irene Pointer	Edward Richardson	Lewis Bonney
36 th WPSC	2006	Sandra Ashley	Colin Long	Sandra Ashley	Silvana Taylor	Toby Saunders	Zark Bonney
37 th WPSC	2007	George Hollis	Alistair Berry	Sandra Ashley	Emma Wood	Joshua Carter	Alfie Ball
38 th WPSC	2008	George Hollis	Nathan Parratt	Pat Willars	Sophie Janacek	Roland Dickinson	Matthew Wakeham
39th WPSC	2009	Jim Collins	Ian Ashmeade	Julie Bissmire	Helen Phillips	Daniel Menrad	Amelia Sparks-Shepherd
40 th WPSC	2010	Ian Ashmeade	Chris Hughes	Julie Bissmire	Helen Phillips	Oliver Gaffan	Charlie Cox
41st WPSC	2011	Ian Ashmeade	Jim Collins	Emma Watson	Linda Spencer	Charlie Cox	Alfie Gillings
42nd WPSC	2012	Rob Bresler	Jim Collins	Julie Bissmire	Tina Pullen	Callum Bogunovic	Alfie Gillings
43 rd WPSC	2013	Rob Bresler	Toby Bush	Helen Phillips	Emma Watson	Madeleine Bresler	Callum Bogunovic
44 th WPSC	2014	Rob Bresler	Victor Kronig	Michelle Berry	Rachel Cross	Martha Collins	Kieran Bogunovic
45 th WPSC	2015	Jim Collins	Allistair Berry	Michelle Berry	Aimi Bresler	Marcus Bresler	Rylee Gulliver
46th WPSC	2016	Jim Collins	Rob Bresler	Michelle Berry	Sonija Romanova	Charlotte Collins	Martha Collins
47th WPSC	2017	Jim Collins	Ian Ashmeade	Michelle Berry	Martha Collins	Martha Collins	Madeline Bresler
48th WPSC	2018	Ian Ashmeade	Jim Collins	Sally Redman-Davies	Michelle Berry	Martha Collins	Henry Crook
49th WPSC	2019	Ian Ashmeade [8]	Rob Bresler [8]	Sally Redman-Davies [9]	Madeline Bresler [9]	Martha Collins [10]	Henry Crook [10]

• Witcham Village - World Pea Shooting Championship Pages