The World Conker Championships Supply the Conkers Ready Strung So Nobody Can Accuse Anybody of Tampering
Sunday the eleventh of October at the Shuckburgh Arms in Southwick. Three strikes each, nine strikes maximum, five minutes on the clock and a measured thong.
The World Conker Championships are held on Sunday 11 October 2026 at the Shuckburgh Arms in Southwick, Northamptonshire, from 10.30am to around 3pm. The organisers supply the conkers ready strung, so there can be no accusations of tampering.
The rules
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Strikes | Three attempts to hit the opponent's conker, alternating |
| Maximum | Nine strikes per match |
| Time limit | Five minutes, then the match is decided |
| Equipment | Conkers supplied strung by the organisers |
| Thong | Length measured |
| Infractions | Judges rule on snagging and other offences |
Adults register in advance online. Children can enter on the day. Registration closes before 10am. Spectator entry is four pounds for adults, parking free.
The supplied conker is the whole integrity story
Hardening a conker is the oldest cheat in the English playground: vinegar, an oven, a year in a drawer. A championship that lets competitors bring their own is a championship about preparation chemistry rather than about hitting a nut with another nut.
Issuing identical strung conkers from a common pool removes the entire category of dispute, and it is the reason this event can call itself a world championship with a straight face. It is the same logic as a spec-series motor race or a standardised chess clock: control the equipment, and what is left is the competitor.
History
The championships have run for more than fifty years. They began at Ashton before moving to Southwick.
Where it sits on Playdash
Playdash does not price conkers. This is editorial coverage of the novelty competitive calendar rather than a market preview.
Date, venue, timings, rules, entry arrangements and history as published in the World Conker Championships event information and calendar listings. The charity beneficiary and recent champions were not confirmed in the sources consulted and are not stated here. Correct at the time of writing on 30 August 2026.