Pipe Smoking Competition 2007

This year’s British Pipe-Smoking Championship, the 12th, was held at the regular venue, The Old Silhillian’s Club, Solihull, Warwickshire. As usual, it was a superb event. It was also an emotional one for two reasons.

This could well be the championship’s swan song due to this government’s ill-conceived ban on smoking in public places which came into effect on July 1st.Like the ban on hunting with hounds, this latest piece of farcical legislation has not been thought through. As a result pipe clubs throughout the UK will no longer be able to meet in their favourite hostelry and many will be deprived of their hobby.

Balraj Singh has been a contestant at most pipe-smoking events, both in the UK and Europe, for many years. Indeed, it is hard to visualise a competition without him. Blind and deaf from an early age, he suffered from other serious health problems, in no way due to his dedication to the hobby. Tragically, he died of a heart attack in February.

The 2007 event was thus dedicated to Balraj’s memory and his extensive collection of pipes and related items was put up for sale, the proceeds going to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association to retrain his guide dog and to assist other blind persons.

Much of the collection was sold on the day with a total of £1,778.00 being donated to this worthwhile charity. The remaining items will undoubtedly be purchased at a later date.

Balraj was 41 and will be sadly missed by all of us. I bought a couple of his pipes and a superb circular pipe stand and humidor. I shall always remember him.

There were 44 contestants this year and the pipes smoked were superb rustic bulldog styles made specially by the renowned Ian Walker, of Northern Briars who, as always, competed. I achieved a time of 44 minutes, 32 seconds with which I was well pleased, beating some of my previous efforts when I finished with a higher placing than this year’s 21st. I have competed in all 12 British Championships. My average position was 15 with an average time of 54 minutes, 38 seconds. My best result was, of course, in 2003 when I won, and my second best attempt in 1997 when I finished 5th.

Luck always plays a part in competition pipe-smoking, however well one fills, lights and smokes the designated 3 grams. I smoked slowly and when at last I went out not a strand of unsmoked tobacco remained amongst the ashes.

That’s how it goes, but it is not simply about winning. It is a gathering of like-minded people, a convivial atmosphere, and meeting friends old and new. Which is why this new legislation is so cruel and heartless. Most of the contestants only gather together once a year, it is the only time we meet. Some travel from Europe. Now they have no reason to congregate under one roof. Many of us will never meet again.

This year’s champion was Tim Knight with an impressive time of 1 hour, 17 minutes, 18 seconds. No man is more deserving of the title as for some years Tim was one of the principal BPC organisers, performing an unenviable task with cheerfulness and professionalism. Well done, Tim!

Our appreciation and thanks to the 2007 organisers, members of the John Hollingsworth Pipe Club of Birmingham. Also to the staff of the Old Silhillians Club who provided an excellent lunch and bar.

Without the support of the tobacco trade this marvellous day would not have been possible. Their generosity provided not only a pipe and tobacco for every contestant, but items donated to the prize draw which seemed to go on for hours!

My own winner’s prize comprised a hand-crafted Petersen ‘Sherlock Holmes’ series calabash pipe, the envy of many smokers and Holmes fans.

And what of the future? Several alternatives that would allow us to continue within the law have been put forward. We could hold an outdoor event but the downsides are, uncertain weather and the fact that tobacco burns quickly in the open air. Agreed, it would be the same for every competitor but commendable times would be a thing of the past. No records would be equalled or broken.

By law a smoking venue in a public place must be open-sided. Many pubs are installing shelters with outdoor heaters for the convenience of their smoking customers, but they are costly.

My own contribution towards an alternative is the possibility of a marquee in the paddock adjoining my home. It is private land and is no business of our nanny state nor the growing ranks of politically correct do-gooders. We can only wait and see.

Finally, I would like to form a pipe-smoking club with its headquarters at my home on the Shropshire/Welsh border. Anybody interested in occasional meetings, competitions, and an opportunity to continue a hobby which this government is hell-bent on destroying, please contact me via my website.

It’s backs to the wall but we pipe-smokers never surrender.

Why Not Take Up Pipe-Smoking?

As we hobbyists are only too well aware, pipe-smokers are a small minority, comprising around 5% of UK smokers. Thus it is always encouraging to find a young man at competitions, usually somebody who has recently taken up the briar in preference to cigarettes.

Of course, the NHS and medical profession these days classify all users of tobacco under “cigarettes”. As with most “ban-it” campaigns the instigators jump in wildly without any prior thought, governments usually seeing them as vote-catchers.

So, as the cigarette is the villain, there is never any mention of pipes or cigars and would it not be better to attempt to wean addicts on to the pipe? Pipe-smoking is much less harmful in spite of any claims to the contrary by these so-called experts.

Pipe-smoking is an art that has to be developed in its initial learning period. Years ago the tobacco trade published numerous booklets on learning to smoke a pipe, suitable tobaccos and pipes for the novice, cleaning and maintaining them. Today such booklets would be deemed to be encouraging people to smoke.

Both pipes and tobacco are a matter of individual preference. A mild blend often smokes hot and burns the tongue, the style of pipe needs to be both pleasing and comfortable.

There is much to learn if a newcomer is to accept the pipe as an alternative to cigarettes. I should know, for I have smoked one since the age of 14. Likewise, an addict attempting to kick the fag habit may find that, after a trial period with a pipe, and finding it not to his, or her, liking then they can survive without tobacco in any form. I see this as a much more effective method than patches and all the other gimmicks. Of course, there is always snuff… It is a sobering thought.

If anybody is interested in discovering the pleasures of the briar then I should be only too happy to advise them on all that it entails.

Please contact me via this website