World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championship

The World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championship (WASOSC) is an annual competition that takes place at the Charlbury Beer Festival in Charlbury, West Oxfordshire.[1] Aunt Sally is a traditional English throwing game played in pub gardens or fairgrounds dating back to the 17th century,[2] in which players throw sticks or battens at a model of an old woman's head.[3] The tournament is a knock out competition for individuals, with the winner's name then engraved onto the Finings Cup Trophy.[1] The 2025 event attracted a record number of 91 competitors,[4] players travel from as far afield as Germany.[1]

The event returned in June 2022, after being cancelled for 2 years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

The most recent event was held on Saturday 28th June 2025 at the Charlbury Cricket Club, during the Charlbury beer festival.[6] The winner for the 4th time, was defending champion Roger Goodall,[4] meaning only 8 players have had the honour to lift the trophy in the tournament's 15 year history.[4]

WASOSC Rules

The World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championship is open to individuals who participate in a knock out competition. Before the competition starts, names are drawn from a hat to determine the order of play. Games consist of 3 legs, where in each leg the players take 6 throws, where a point is awarded when the stick hits the doll before the iron. If tied after 3 legs, players throw 3 sticks each to determine the winner. Should the scores remain level after those 3 sticks, a sudden-death round, throwing a single stick at a time, to a winning result. The victor proceeds to the next round. Otherwise, normal Aunt Sally league rules apply and players must abide by the umpire's decision.[7][1]

David Cameron video

World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championship results (2011 onwards)

Year Date Winner Region Runner-up Region
2011 28 June Trevor Dyer [2] Churchill Arms, Paxford, Gloucs[8] George Williams [9] Charlbury Town FC, Oxfordshire [10]
2012 14 July Steve McAteer [2] Churchill Arms, Paxford, Gloucs[8] Graham Barrett [11] Fox 'A' Broadwell, Cotswolds, Gloucs
2013 29 June Steve McAteer [2] Churchill Arms, Paxford, Gloucs[8] Roger Goodall [8] Black Prince, Woodstock, Oxon[10]
2014 28 June Henry Johnson [2] Black Prince, Woodstock, Oxon[2] Barry Parker [2] Abingdon United, Oxon[2]
2015 28 June Roger Goodall[12] Black Prince, Woodstock, Oxon[10] Graham Barrett[12] Fox 'A' Broadwell, Cotswolds, Gloucs
2016 25 June Barry Parker [13] Abingdon United, Oxon Darren Cave [13] Butcher's Arms ‘B’, Kings Sutton, Northants [14]
2017 24 June Roger Goodall [15] Black Prince, Woodstock, Oxon[10] Ian McAteer[16] Churchill Arms, Paxford, Gloucs
2018 30 June Kevin Powney [17][7] Black Bull 'A', Launton, Bicester, Oxon Karl Budd [18][7] Black Bull 'A', Launton, Bicester, Oxon
2019 29 June Phil Adams [19] Abingdon, Oxon Dick Walsh Swan 'A', Oxon
2020 & 2021 Event cancelled (COVID-19) - -
2022 25 June Rob Bradford [20][21] Black Prince, Woodstock, Oxon Phil Adams [21] Abingdon, Oxon
2023 24 June Rob Bradford [22] White House, Bladon, Oxon[23] Pete Rampton [22] Red Lion B, Kidlington, Oxon[24]
2024 29 June Roger Goodall [25] White House, Bladon, Oxon Alan Goodgame [25] Black Horse, Oxon[25]
2025 28 June Roger Goodall [4] White House, Bladon, Oxon[26] Mark Poulter [26] Yarnton B.L. Oxon[26]

Multiple world singles champions

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Charlbury Beer Festival Aunt Sally 2019". 2019. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "101 Reasons to love the Cotswolds - 49. Aunt Sally". 2016. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Aunt Sally". Worldwide Words. 22 August 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e Carla Buckingham & Marcus White (29 June 2025). "Aunt Sally champion claims historic fourth title". bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Charlbury Beer festival 25th June 2022 Aunt Sally". charlburybeerfestival.org. 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022.
  6. ^ "2025 World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championship". charlburybeerfestival.org. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "2018 World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championship". charlburybeerfestival.org. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d "Gloucestershire rule in World Championships!". Chippyauntsally.co.uk. 2013. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018.
  9. ^ "World Aunt Sally champion crowned 2011". charlbury.info. 2011.
  10. ^ a b c d "2015 Top doll scorers sixers". Wychwood Aunt Sally League. 2015.
  11. ^ "WASOSC Semi's and Final 2012". Youtube. 2012.
  12. ^ a b Paul Stone (28 June 2015). "2015 World Championships". abingdonauntsally.com.
  13. ^ a b "Aunt Sally - Abingdon_United's Barry Parker becomes world champion". oxfordmail.co.uk. 29 June 2016.
  14. ^ "Banbury and District Aunt Sally League Fixtures". Banbury and District Aunt Sally League. 2015. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016.
  15. ^ a b "New world champion - Congratulations to Roger Goodall on reclaiming his World Champion crown". Wychwood aunt sally League. 2017. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017.
  16. ^ "These are your finalist Ian McAteer (left) & Roger Goodall World Aunt Sally Championship 2017". BBC Oxford sport on twitter. 24 June 2017.
  17. ^ "2018 Aunt Sally World Championships finish with sudden death showdown". oxfordmail.co.uk. 2018.
  18. ^ "Latest News....Kevin Powey....2018 World Champion!". bicesterauntsally.com. 2018.
  19. ^ "Aunt Sally World Champion Crowned at Charlbury Beer Festival 2019". witneygazette.co.uk. 1 July 2019.
  20. ^ a b "World Champion ! (+ image)". chippyauntsally.com. 1 July 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Congratulations Rob Bradford who won the Aunt Sally World Championship at Charlbury today". facebook.com. 25 June 2022.
  22. ^ a b c "Aunt Sally World Champion Crowned at the 2023 Charlbury Beer Festival". oxfordmail.co.uk. 28 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Welcome to the 2023 Wychwood Aunt Sally League Website". wychwood-aunt-sally-league.co.uk. 28 June 2023. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Pete Rampton goes close to 18-doll maximum in Aunt Sally game". oxfordmail.co.uk. 23 June 2023.
  25. ^ a b c d Paul Stone (1 July 2024). "Singles World Championship 2024". abingdonauntsally.com.
  26. ^ a b c Oxford Aunt Sally (29 June 2025). "Roger Goodall World Singles champion - 29/06/2025". oxfordauntsally.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.