Men’s conker champion at centre of steel chestnut probe ‘won title fairly’

The Men’s World Conker Champion who was accused of using a conker made of steel “achieved his title fairly”, an investigation has concluded.

David Jakins, 82, who took the title on October 13 after a “fantastic” one-hit win, was at the centre of a probe after his defeated opponent Alastair Johnson-Ferguson raised concerns about the conker Mr Jakins used during their face-off.

The controversy continued when the World Conker Championships discovered a steel conker, painted brown and “indistinguishable” from a real horse chestnut save for its weight, in Mr Jakins’ pocket.

The veteran player – known as “King Conker” – denied having used the steel horse chestnut at any point during the tournament in Southwick, Northamptonshire, adding that he kept a steel conker on him for “humour value”.

In a statement released on Monday the World Conker Championships said their investigation, which considered video and photographic evidence as well as testimony and examination of winning conkers, had concluded and that Mr Jakin’s win – his first since he began competing in 1977 – was achieved fairly.

They said that the steel conker was not used during play and that two of the conkers Mr Jakins won matches with were examined and were found to have shown the signs of being played with.

Nothing “untoward” was seen by the judges or the umpires, they added.

The statement said: “The video evidence following the men’s final appears to show Mr Jakins putting his hand in his pocket before putting his other hand in a different pocket and drawing out a conker he had prepared earlier to throw to the crowd.

“However, in so doing, the video shows clearly that he was watched by a judge who was looking directly at his hand.

“As well as two judges, the investigating officer then appears, looking closely at what Mr Jakins is doing, as well as the Chief Umpire.

“It is concluded that it would be near impossible for Mr Jakins to have swapped the conkers unnoticed.

“The testimony of Mr Jakins, that he had had the conker to amuse people and as part of his role as ‘King Conker’, is accepted.

“The World Conker Championships therefore congratulates King Conker on his victory after 47 years of play.

“It also recognises the manner in which all players took part in the Championships, especially runner-up Alistair Johnson-Ferguson.

“Ultimately, we congratulate our reigning World Champion, from the United States of America, Kelci Banschbach.”

The event based on a traditional children’s game requires its participants to use randomly picked conkers threaded onto a string.

The aim of the game is for a player to swing their conker at their opponent’s until one of them breaks.

Mr Jakins was beaten to the title of overall World Conker Champion by his final opponent, 34-year-old women’s champion Ms Banschbach, who only took up the game last year when she moved to Suffolk from the United States.

She is the first American citizen to have won the competition since it began in 1965.