---
title: "Royal delivery helps World Conker Championships go ahead"
description: "Oct 12 (Reuters) - A royal delivery from Windsor Castle helped the World Conker Championships go ahead as planned on Sunday after an unusually dry and warm summer had put the event at risk."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-12-royal-delivery-helps-world-conker-championships-go-ahead/"
published: "2025-10-12T21:19:33"
updated: "2025-10-12T21:19:34"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 303
---

# Royal delivery helps World Conker Championships go ahead

> Oct 12 (Reuters) - A royal delivery from Windsor Castle helped the World Conker Championships go ahead as planned on Sunday after an unusually dry and warm summer had put the event at risk.

By Reuters · Published 12 October 2025, 23:19 SAST · Updated 12 October 2025, 23:19 SAST

## Key points
- In a royal twist on a beloved British pastime, the conker championship dodged cancellation thanks to a regal delivery from Windsor Castle, ensuring that this year's battles featured some truly noble nuts—though the identity of the royal picker remains a delightful mystery.
- Britain's annual conker tournament faced cancellation due to a poor crop, but Windsor Castle provided a timely boost with a delivery of quality conkers.
- Championship committee member St John Burkett expressed gratitude for the royal contribution, speculating on the King's involvement in the harvest.
- The event, running since 1965, attracted over 200 participants, including some in whimsical costumes, following last year's controversy over alleged cheating.
- Margaret Blake was crowned women's champion, while civil servant Matt Cross claimed the title of King Conker after a day of spirited competition.

## Content

When Britain's horse chestnut trees, on which grow the shiny inedible nut-like seeds which have been used to play conkers for generations, failed to deliver their usual crop, organisers feared the event might have to be cancelled.

Thankfully, enough conkers of adequate size were made available including, organisers say, a batch of shiny ones sent from the grounds of Windsor Castle.

"It was a real joy to have conkers sent to us this time," St John Burkett, a championship committee member, said.

"The Windsor Castle delivery was of really good quality. They were the ones that really ensured we could go ahead. Intriguingly, we don't know who picked them, but like to imagine it might have been the King, at least a few."

Burkett said the donation had been sent via the public relations department at Windsor Castle.

"We are extremely grateful, and can already say a conker from Royal Windsor will win the final, as we have reserved them to be used in the finals."

The tournament has been in existence since 1965 and has raised thousands of pounds for charities.

Sunday's event attracted extra attention after last year's controversy when men's champion, David Jakins, was accused of using a steel conker but subsequently exonerated.

The game involves inserting a shoelace in a hole pierced through the conker before entering battle. Contests involve players taking it in turns to strike each other's conker with their own until one shatters.

More than 200 conquerors took part, several in fancy dress outfits including squirrels and Star Wars stormtroopers. Jakins was knocked out early, beaten by Stephanie Withall, who played dressed as a giant bee.

After a day of duels, Margaret Blake from Corby was crowned women's champion while the new King Conker was civil servant Matt Cross.

(Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis)