Working in partnership since 2012 30 March- 02 APRIL 67th Edition Official Programme Principal Sponsors Con– tents Welcome 03 Social 04 teams 05 Officials 05 Fixtures 06 PAST WINNERS 10 RULES 11 BlackpoolHF # Photography by Charles Jackman Blackpool Carers Centre would like to thank BHF Committee for their continued support and we look forward to a sixth year in partnership. I hope you all have an enjoyable time in Blackpool at the Festival. Michelle Smith CEO, Blackpool Carers Centre If you would like to advertise in the 2019 Festival Programme please contact us via [email protected] Welcome 2 Official Programme 2018 One month after Her Majesty ascended the throne in February 1952 A massive seaside welcome to #BlackpoolHF 2018 and another Blackpool the first¬ Blackpool Easter Hockey Festival was held. Easter Hockey Festival. As always, the Committee would like to say a huge thanks to all the captains and organisers who have managed to get their Over sixty-six years, the Festival has expanded and developed in teams here this year, with a particular welcome to all the new teams and many ways to undoubtedly become THE major hockey festival in tour virgins. Britain. It is looked upon as a great celebration of our sport that marks the end of each hockey season. Sadly, there will be no men’s or ladies section this year and unless there is a big upsurge in numbers for 2019, then we have decided that we will In the early years the Festival offered little in the way of off-the-field become a fully mixed festival from next year. However, the result of that social activities. In fact, the programme for the 1952 Festival merely means that once again you will have more time to sleep off the hangovers suggests teams might like to meet and socialise at a pub -The Fleece with later morning starts and slightly earlier finishes. - which is close to Stanley Park. The format of the games remains unchanged from the last 2 years as the In 1972 the Festival struck up a partnership with Blackpool Cricket shorter 15 minute round robin matches made for more excitement and Club which widened the opportunities for evening discos and the more goals. The main difference this year is the introduction of quarter like and this partnership has continued ever since that year. finals so any of the top 8 teams can actually go on to win the Festival. However, when the current Festival Committee took over five years On the social side, there are some major changes. This year sees the much ago it made huge efforts to ensure that first class entertainment anticipated return of the Barquee, and we are really grateful to Joe and is on offer over each evening of the Festival. Via the Cricket Club, Jack Boniface for all their hard work and support in getting this together the hiring of Barquees and forming partnerships with various night for us. BonBar at the Barquee is a hockey venue, run by hockey players, clubs within the town, many of you come to the Festival with an eye strictly for hockey players and these guys really know what you want! to the social scene more than the hockey! They will have 2 bars, a dance floor, stage, lighting, full PA, heaters and Over the years my own club in Northumberland has had tours to Bierkellar style seating along with drinks offers and drinking games. All we clubs in Kings Lynn, Bury St. Edmund, Wolverhampton, Edinburgh ask is that you support them as much as possible, and try to spend money co and Wednesbury all of which came about through contacts made at in BonBar rather than at the Supermarkets. They will be open from 09:00 the Blackpool Festivals. In some cases, these clubs travelled to the all day until late at night, all 4 days so we hope to see you all in there. North-East to receive return hospitality. Friday will be team shirt night as always with DJ Dave Pope who will be During 2017 I made a tour of clubs in Northern Ireland and was celebrating 10 years of support for BHF, followed by the mad BHF buses given a memorable reception from Queen’s University HC, Belfast, to Bierkellar. Saturday’s theme of Stag and Hens is in tribute to our very which I shall long remember. Queen’s have for many years now own Committee social sex Dibs (or Debbie as she likes to be called) and brought a welcome infusion of Irishness to Festival. Birdbrain Munro-Tour Team who are on their very own stag party. The band are back at the Barquee from around 21:00 with newcomers ‘The So there have been lots of individual and club friendships formed at Big Hush’ covering for Venezuala Venezuala as they were unavailable this the Festivals, and the Festival Committee would be gratified to be year. Sunday is the Closing Party Fancy Dress competition in Club Domain informed of these for our records. with prizes, drinks offers and partying until you drop...literally! At the 2018 Festival we return to the very popular Barquee being On another note, this year we celebrate another milestone with Darren the Festival hub. We are grateful to the sponsors who allow Pugh celebrating 35 years on tour so on behalf of all the Committee, I this to happen. Each year we receive tremendous support and would like to say a massive “thank you” for supporting Blackpool Easter encouragement from the Blackpool Council, the Cricket Club and a Hockey Festival all these years and I hope there’s many more to come. goodly number of individual well-wishers and businesses. We thank them all. With 31 teams and over 600 participants, umpires and Committee this is sure to be a brilliant Festival with several brand new teams attending. I look forward to meeting up with old friends and ‘first-timers’. All is We welcome back The Boozarinas from Germany after they had such an set fair for another Festival to remember. amazing time last year; I just hope Tom can make it out on Saturday night George Robson this year! We also welcome teams from the Isle of Man, Scotland and Festival President Northern Ireland...just the Welsh to come now. Once again, have fun and meet friends old and new. I trust you all have a fantastic weekend and let’s all hope that the weather holds out and we finally get some sunshine. But as always, remember what goes on tour.... stays on tour! Dave Gee Festival Secretary #BlackpoolHF - 67 Years and Counting 3 2017 Officials Officials Teams Name Home Town # Team Name Club Colour Alex Diver Blackpool 1 Astro 1 Leeds Adel HC Green/Yellow Andrew Barnes Sutton on Trent 2 Astro 2 Leeds Adel HC Green/Yellow Chris Barnes Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 3 Big Sticks and Fit Chicks University of Manchester HC Red Christine Dennis Chesterfield 4 Birdbrain Munro-Tour University of Southampton Alumni Black/Pink Clive Dennis Chesterfield 5 Bladders Atherstone Adders HC Multicolour Dave Haynes Grange-Over-Sands 6 Blood Sweat and Beers Touring Side Red Emma Shiels Nottingham 7 Boozarinas Touring Side White Gemma Jones (Umpire Manager) Burnley 8 Broccoli Boys Keswick HC Grey/Purple Iain Forbes Falkirk 9 Chelsea Daggerers Royal School of Mines HC Black/Gold James Barnes Sheffield 10 Dangerous Craig & Jay’s Virgins Touring Side Cow Jane Evans Lytham St. Annes 11 Dicks with Sticks Leeds Medics and Dentists HC Multicolour Jerry Yates Leicester 12 Flying Cows Croydon and Old Whitgiftian HC Pink Kim Bell Preston 13 Gays and Dolls Leeds Medics and Dentists HC Multicolour Liam Witt Falkirk 14 Gee Force Touring Side Multicolour Mark Waywell Leigh 15 Hampton 69ers Hampton In Arden HC Red Matthew Atherton Blackpool 16 Helensburgh Beerhunters Helensburgh HC Pink Mike Wynne Manchester 17 Lastminute Crusaders HC Touring Side Red Nadine Diver Blackpool 18 Mighty Minions Leyland & Chorley HC Yellow/Blue Paul Jackson Cannock 19 Navan Beerhunters Helensburgh HC Pink Paul Smith Knutsford 20 Next Goal Wins Touring Side Navy/Yellow Peter MacLellan Houghton le Spring 21 Nuns on Tour Nuneaton Hockey Club Lime Green Ross Anderson York 22 QUB Elite Queens University Belfast HC White Scott Riley Leeds 23 Sexpool Blackpool and East London HC Pink Simon Allen Blackpool 24 Skanky Tarts Touring Side Pink Stuart Mackie Lancaster 25 Snow White and Her Dwarves Castletown HC Red Zak Longstaff Preston 26 Stafford Whynots Stafford HC Light Blue 27 The Mighty Chap Chapeltown HC Orange 28 The Untouchables 1’s East London HC Navy 29 The Untouchables 2’s East London HC Navy 30 Wish You Were Beer Macclesfield HC White 31 Wish You Were Beer Too Macclesfield HC White 4 Official Programme 2018 Social Schedule Thursday Easter Saturday WE GO AGAIN! #BlackpoolHF Until Death Do Us Part 16:30 – BonBar at the Barquee, Blackpool Cricket Club 19:00 – BonBar at the Barquee, Blackpool Cricket Club The Barquee is back in the form of ‘BonBar’ and for the first time, fully We felt it is our duty to help our official Committee Hen, Dibs and Stag, open on Thursday night! Kick start your Festival weekend right here Giles Munro-Faure from Team Birdbrain Munro-Tour, to celebrate their from 16:30…BonBar will consist of a main bar, spirits TikiBar, Bierkeller upcoming weddings. Where better to do this than in the UK’s Hen & Stag style team seating, fully decked out dance floor, music, heaters and real capital, Blackpool! Get out your sashes, L plates, tiaras, hand-cuffs, cling Blackpool Illuminations! film, shit shirts and join our Live band ‘The Big Hush’ and DJ Dave Pope in BonBar at the Barquee.