An eight-ball extravaganza

Horsham will be home to two major eight-ball competitions in the coming two years, with local organisers working to secure a third tournament for the regional city.

Horsham eight-ball stalwart Darren ‘Deadly’ Duncan said the 2025 Country Cup will be in Horsham on the last weekend in February.

“It is one of the biggest team events in Victoria,” he said.

“We have not hosted it since 2015, so by the time it returns it will have been 10 years since the last one.

“It will be great to have it six weeks after the annual Wimmera Friendly Eight-ball Invitational, which is the second-largest competition in Australia.

“For the country cup, we expect 36 teams from western Victoria to be part of the event.”

Mr Duncan said he was also trying to arrange for the 2024 Border Cup in Horsham in October next year.

“Between the three competitions, that would be 1000 players coming to Horsham in a matter of months,” he said.

“It’s great for the town to have all these events.

“Horsham is becoming a bit of a central hub for eight-ball, almost by accident.

“Feedback I get from people is they enjoy coming to Horsham because it is central to most places that teams travel from.”

The 2025 Country Cup will be the 33rd instalment of the annual event.

“This year the 31st event was in Maryborough and next year it will be in Ararat,” Mr Duncan said.

“This year was my 29th year playing in the cup.”

The Wimmera produces two Horsham teams to play in the tournaments, as well as a team from Dimboola, Stawell and Ararat.

Tomorrow, Horsham is hosting its A Grade and B Grade grand finals at Dudley Cornell Park to mark the end of the current season.

“Horsham is becoming a bit of a central hub for eightball, almost by accident” – Darren Duncan