Cornish Wrestling - Tradition and Sports

[Nightwalker]

Im still aching from Cornish Wrestling Heavyweight tournament that took place in Lostwithiel this Sunday and im glad to say im the new 2008 Heavyweight Champion of Cornwall!

'Wrasslin' Cornish style is something that has been passed on through my family, it is a sport I hold dear to my heart and heritage, it's history goes back a long way and really is lost in the mist of time. This Celtic sport has travelled the world with Cornish Miners following the gold-rushes they took their culture and sport with them to places like Virginia and Victoria, Australia. Its even worked its way into our language; the word 'Stickler' originates from our sport (three Sticklers referee our bouts). For more info on the sport visit www.cornishwrestling.co.uk

Unfortunatly in a changing world the sport is really on its last legs, a lack of interest from youngsters, in a world of technology and fast pace of life, kids turn to technology for fun these days, they're no longer on the green having a pull-around ('hitch') with their brother or friend.

Its something I will pass on to my children and preserve to my dying day.

So... anyone fancy a 'hitch' at the Bushmoot?

Anyone else have any special sports or hobbies outside of your usual bushcraftily doings?

 

[JFW]

Congratulations Nightwalker,

you must be really pleased and proud of yourself. I like the old games but haven't tried wrestling. My home town holds its annual highland games on the second saturday of July and I have been going every year to support the athletes and enjoy the games. I have noticed over the last few years that there are more local competitors taking part and my daughter announced on Saturday while watching the junior hill race that she wants to compete next year. I will be encouraging her all the way and may even do a couple of trial runs with her to explain the route - needless to say, she will be running and I will be walking while directing operations.

Well done and cheers

JFW

 

[CLEM]

Congrats mate,I think thats proper grand that is.Wish I could have learned/trained in that besides the boxing.Another native British martial art,long may it contune

 

[shep]

Congratulations,
what are the rules?

 

[Wayland]

Well done mate. It looks a bit like Cumbrian Wrestling but I could be completely wrong and I definitely wouldn't want to argue.....

 

[EdS]

well done, but you are not as well dresed as Westmoreland wrestling with their embroidered trunks

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...restling+Association&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N

 

[John Fenna]

Well done - not only for winning but for keeping a tradition alive!

 

[CLEM]

Just how many native style of wrestling are there in Britain???

 

[sharp88]

Isn't there shin kicking? If that counts.

 

[Nightwalker]

Thanks all, im still aching btw

The rules, in my own words; The object of the sport is to throw your opponent from a standing position with the aim to get him as flat as you can on his back. All holds are taken upon a strong canvas/sail-cloth Jacket with a open front and a couple of ropes going across. The point system revolves round the back; there are four pins (which equal to points) on your back, the back of your two shoulder-blades and just above your two buttocks. If you throw your opponent and he lands pretty dam flat, say three or four of the pins hitting the floor simultaneously the sticklers (referees) may raise up their sticks indicating a 'back' has been scored, a back is a winning knock-out throw, once a 'back' has been achieved the bout is over. Of course sometimes it can be hard to get a 'back' on your opponent and thus why the sticklers keep track of what points you have. There is no ground play what so ever, if anything other than the soles of your feet touch the ground you must break and restart, this is done by shaking-hands, its very clean and gentlemanly in this respect. Our motto is “gwary whek yu gwary tek”. - Which translated from the Cornish means: “good play is fair play”.)

We do have set throws well documented in a book, but when two proper wrasslers have a hitch there are countless tricks and counter moves that can happen that to the untrained eye may not seem much but to the experienced wrestler its what makes play interesting.

 

[Nightwalker]

I hope your daughter does well JFW, so what sort of distance does a hill race cover? It wouldn't have to be much by the sounds of it to have me nakard.

 

[spamel]

I've done Cornish Pasty Wrestling, those Ginsters are a bugger to get out of their wrappers with wet hands!

Nicely done though, and I don't think I'll take you up on your offer of a wrestle at the moot thanks! You'll understand why when you see how wee I am!

 

[Nightwalker]

I've done Cornish Pasty Wrestling, those Ginsters are a bugger to get out of their wrappers with wet hands!

Ginsters! Pah!.. Thats not a Cornish Pasty if you brought one of those near me at the moot I would have to take you down. :yikes:

 

[spamel]

Ginsters! Pah!.. Thats not a Cornish Pasty if you brought one of those near me at the moot I would have to take you down. :yikes:

Fair point that! I meant scrapings from an old half rotten skirting board that has been left out in the rain for three months, cunningly warpped in shiney backed cardboard and stored in a tasteful plastic bag that keeps the contents as fresh as a new cow pat!



Not a proper pasty at all, but what i have to put up with unfortunately.

 

[Rhoda]

Well done Ash! That's brilliant news, and so great that you are keeping the tradition alive. I'll take you on at the moot Only if you do some yoga with me though

 

[Tengu]

We have a cornish pasty shop in town.

This means I dont have to make a 12 hour round trip everytime I want a pasty (like, about three times a week)

Only Cornish sport Ive ever seen is Gig racing.

 

[JFW]

I hope your daughter does well JFW, so what sort of distance does a hill race cover? It wouldn't have to be much by the sounds of it to have me nakard.

The hill race is split into age groups
Under 12 climb about 300 feet in about 10 minutes
Under 14 climb about 500 feet in about 9 minutes
British Junior Championship about 900 feet in about 11 minutes
British Championship Hill Race about 1600 feet in 20 minutes

My daughter was looking to do the under 12 race.

This is the hill http://www.friendsoftheochils.org.uk/photos/ochils2.jpg

Its pretty steep.

Cheers

JFW

 

[John Fenna]

Having looked at the site - are there as many simalarities with Judo as it apears - some of the throws remind me of my Judo days...

 

[Nightwalker]

JFW, thats some hill!... do they get many injuries in the senior championship do you think?

...are there as many simalarities with Judo as it apears - some of the throws remind me of my Judo days...

People do say this, it must be the jacket and all holds being taken on it. We have had Judo lads come and try our sport, which always makes for an interesting bout, you can tell a judo lad from the average joe, its usually just suttle stuff that gives it away, them having a better stronger stance, knowing where to put their weight and know where the opponent has their weight on their stance, it all helps.

We did once have a Judo champion say something like 'Cornish Wrestling is a game of chess in comparison to Judo' - basically meaning that with Cornish Wrestling two men work for their grips, test their opponent, learn how they move and their faults, play can be longer thought about more and drawn out longer than some explosive judo bouts. Just a couple of years ago I was in the Heavyweight Championship and I wrestled the same chap in the final for nearly an hour with the summer's sun beating down on us!

Regards other (Celtic) Cornish Sports there is 'Cornish Hurling' (that I've never done but would love to) Great crowds chase a silver ball, like a giant game of rugby as my dad likes to say its 'the worlds largest sporting pitch'. My father once wrote a poem about Hurling that was featured in a newspaper, I think its great...

 

[Rhoda]

What a fantastic poem!