Barter pockets £1,200 prize
AN AMATEUR from Marchwood has won £1,200 in a year-long competition.
Stu Barter (picured) admitted he was “shattered” and “hungry” after landing the massive jackpot in the £4,000 Roll-Up at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
Needing to at least reach the last final to earn enough prize money to overtake local legend Rory Lord, Barter, who dedicated his win to his nan and grandad who live in Greece, said he had been “dreading” the event.
But on a night when one missed pot or a fluffed safety shot can cost club players hundreds of pounds, the 34-year-old emerged victorious from nearly six hours’ tension-filled drama.
“It’s a bit of a dream come true,” said the Cuestars Championship Tour player.
“I can’t say I was looking forward to tonight. I was dreading it, in a way. But also I wanted to get on with it and give it a go. I never expected to win.”
The player who wins the most prize money during the year’s 103 handicapped tournaments earns the £1,200 bonus. Second place is worth £800 and the next eight receive a cut of the remaining £2,000.
Barter, who competed in 100 tournaments, went into the final event on £882 – £48 adrift of Lord.
Lord, 41, from Eastleigh, went down 2-0 to Nick Spender in his first match, which meant that winning the final would take Barter to top spot. Splitting the final would be enough if Lord failed to win the Plate competition.
Barter beat Leon Hill 2-0 in a prelim, best mate Steve Wheatland 2-0 and Spender 2-1 from 1-0 down in the quarter-finals.
During the first frame of his semi-final against Steve Boterhoek, Barter looked across the club and saw that Lord had lost in the Plate to John Thomas.
He was now involved in a best-of-three-frames match for £400.
And Boterhoek had his own agenda, needing to go on and beat David Rice in final to jump two places and pocket an extra £200.
“When I saw Rory go out, it did relax me a bit,” said Barter.
The Co-op store manager, bagged the first frame by a margin but “twitched on the black” on a break of 25 in the next with the frame at his mercy.
After an understandably nervous passage of play, Barter led by 15 points with 22 on and was faced with a thin-cut brown into the yellow pocket.
Although the pot was successful, Barter missed its significance.
“I didn’t realise the brown was frame-ball,” he said. “I thought I needed the blue.
Not used to sporting success, the Spurs fan finished third two years ago after missing out on the final night.
“I’ve been trying for three-and-a-half years to win,” he added. “It’s a fantastic competition. Everyone’s got different styles. And some of it can be really hard work.”
A total of £16,445 was paid out in prize money during the 2014/15 competition.
CHANDLER’S FORD SC £4,000 ROLL-UP
Comp No 102: Neil Carroll £50, Jason Smith £50, John Thomas £15.
Comp No 103: Stu Barter £80, David Rice £80, John Thomas £25.
Top 10, year’s winnings + bonus: Stu Barter (Marchwood) £962 + £1,200, Rory Lord (Eastleigh) £930 + £800, Andy Gray (C/Ford) £827 + £600, John Thomas (Southampton) £775 + £400, Nick Spender (Bishopstoke) £772 + £300, Steve Boterhoek (West End) £707 + £200, Neil Carroll (Rownhams) £690 + £150, Carlo Cavagnetto (C/Ford) £535 + £150, Nathan Page (C/Ford) £492 + £100, Steve Wheatland (Bishopstoke) £481 + £100.
Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.