What's On

Originating in Staffordshire, and counting among its greatest champions some Staffordshire men and women, Toe-Wrestling is a sport in which we locals excel.

In Saturday 13 June 2009, the world championships will be held once again at the Bentley Brook Inn, near Ashbourne on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border. All contenders are welcome
For details, click the link below:

Toe-tally extraordinary

The rules are simple - two bare-footed competitors face other across the 'toedium' interlock big toes and try to force each other off the said toedium.
This bizarre sport requires good ankles, an ability to cope with terrible puns, and (preferably) clean feet.

Some walkers passing the time of day at  Ye Olde Royal Oak Inn in Wetton near Dovedale in the Staffordshire Peak District originally came up with the idea.
Being patriotic Brits, they wished to invent a sport which no other country could beat us at...!

The then landlord at the Royal Oak, George Burgess, took up the idea enthusiastically and by 2003, the World Championships were celebrating their tenth anniversary at the pub. (See link that report on the top right-hand side of this page).

Staffordshire to their Toes

The switch of venue - to the Bentley Brook Inn - has seen local success continue.

The two greatest champions (arguably) are Alan 'Nasty' Nash - from Stoke -, and Paul 'Toeminator' Beech - from Burton.  Fired on by their fanatical Staffordshire supporters, they have kept the county in the forefront of the sport.

'Nasty', who was once voted the second most eccentric man in Britain for his chicken-whispering abilities, was wont to prepare for the competition by squeezing a broom handle with his toes.
To hear Nasty's tips on how to take part, and his memories of the competition, listen to his interview (click on the link to that audio in the top right-hand side of this page).

And Toeminator Paul's wife, Heather, has passed the wrestling "toest" too, by winning the ladies championship.

However, could the next championships prove Staffordshire's undoing? 

Attracting high-level sponsors (Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream was the main sponsor for many years) has meant that more and more countries, nettled by these Brits' proud boasting, started entering their own contestants - with competitors arriving from all over northern Europe, and from as far away as Australia and Japan.