THE MATCH THAT STARTED IT ALL...
We look back to an event that was covered by Angling Times almost 20 years ago to the day – the first British Carp Championship. Though held at Horsehoe lake, it turned into a real northern affair...
CARP matches are big business these days. There are numerous pairs, singles and junior events which competitive anglers can enter and, with big-money prize pots up for grabs, it can be a lucrative business for the successful competitors.
This month we take a look back at the first-ever British Carp Championship final, which was held exactly 20 years ago in October 1999.
After a thrilling finish, just 6oz separated the top two pairs following a carp fishing ‘War of the Roses’.
Yorkshire’s Andy Murray and Keith Napier became the inaugural British Carp Champions, with eight carp for a total weight of 163lb 7oz.
This proved just too much for the Lancashire pairing of Ian Huntington and Pete Holehouse, who also landed eight carp and came agonisingly close with 163lb 1oz.
The 48-hour match took place on the Carp Society’s Horseshoe Lake in Gloucestershire, where 36 pairs had to contend with gale-force winds and a violent storm. Several big-name anglers took part in the event, including Terry Hearn, Nick Helleur – who caught the first carp of the match, a 19lb 10oz mirror – and Mainline Baits boss Kevin Knight.
Andy and Keith’s victory secured them the £6,000 top prize plus a bonus of £1,000 from bookie Billy Knott.
Runners-up Ian and Pete had to settle for £3,000. Ian said to Angling Times:
“The carp wouldn’t come over our bait until the final morning of the match but we had just too much to make up. We kept at it, though, and I don’t think we did too badly as we’d never even seen Horseshoe before!”