Pro-am and Charity – the Pink Ribbon 2018

June 10, 2018April 10, 2020 Monique Snooker Charity, Snooker

The Pink Ribbon is a pro-am tournament created by Paul Mount to raise funds for breast cancer charities and research. It started in 2010 and honours the memory of Suzanne Kay, Paul’s sister, who died from this terrible disease at a young age. It’s always played in great spirit at the excellent South West Snooker Academy home, the Capital Venue, in Gloucester, England. It’s both competitive and a lot of fun.

This is currently on the South West Snooker Academy Facebook

SWSA South West Snooker Academy

Published by Andrew Norman · 20 March ·

Pink Ribbon Charity Snooker Pro Am 2018
28th – 31st July
Enter now @ www.swsasnooker.com

It’s a Saturday – Day 1 start this year !!

Its the SWSA’s 9th annual Pink Ribbon. We are once again raising money and awareness for breast cancer. All funds raised will be donated to the Breast Cancer Now Foundation.

We are starting on a Saturday this year and once again all amateurs will be allowed to enter the draw twice!

Pink Ribbon Polo shirts once again is the dress code. You can buy them now through our SWSA Website.

The Holiday Inn Express Gloucester South (300yrd walk from SWSA) will also be offering rooms at a discounted price £70 per room per night.
Room are available from Fri 27th through to 1st Aug.
Ring 01452 726400 and quote ‘Snooker’ when booking

ENTER NOW at www.swsasnooker.com

Unusually it starts on a Saturday this year. It’s a great idea because many amateurs will be able to compete without needing to take a leave from work unless they qualify for the pro stages. The pro stages start on Monday, right after the Riga Masters 2018. Unfortunately, it clashes with the Challenge Tour Event 2 …

The defending champion is Robert Milkins. Previous winners were Michael Holt, Mark Joyce, Stuart Bingham, Joe Perry, Peter Lines, Ronnie, and Jamie Jones. Twice did an amateur reach the final, so they have a real chance.

Here is the album I made when Ronnie won it in 2015

Don’t hesitate to enter even if you play only occasionally and are not that good. It’s a great cause, an opportunity to see pro players close-up; they are relaxed and approachable. And if you don’t play, why not just come and watch. There will be plenty of good snooker played, by top amateurs and pros alike!

All players will be in pink… and so will the photographer.

Come and support!

Exhibitions and Charity – Jimmy in Lincoln, January 2019

June 9, 2018 Monique Snooker

Ronnie just finished a week of exhibitions in Ireland, and, personally I believe that exhibitions are just as important for the promotion of snooker as competitive tournament. They offer a more relaxed and fun approach to the sport and are a perfect introduction for a younger audience who, maybe, has not yet the maturity and attention span required for more “serious” snooker.

When exhibitions also support charities, they deserve all the publicity they can get! So in the coming days, I will try to promote events that mix snooker, enjoyment and charity!

Here is the first:

It is organised by Nigel and Ali Coton, who organised and hosted similar events with Ronnie, in May 2017 and February 2018. Nigel is a disabled snooker player himself and he’s very aware that many disabled players aren’t as well off as he is himself, many of them are on benefits, and struggle badly with the costs associated with the events, even if they are kept to a minimum. One of those disabled players – who I won’t name – told me that the WDBS tour had become his family and massively helped him out of social isolation and depression. He’s not the only one in that situation. So, please, come and support these events. And Lincoln is a great place for a city trip as well!

I will be there taking pictures.

Wexford, Ireland – 7 June 2018

June 8, 2018June 10, 2018 Monique Snooker exhibition Exhibition, Snooker

Ronnie and Jimmy were in Wexford yesterday for the last exhibition of the “first leg” of Ronnie’s Irish Tour. Ronnie will be back from Monday 25th June, for another five nights, this time with Mark Allen. Don’t miss it if you are in Ireland!

Going by the feedback on twitter, Ronnie won the match by 5-3 and had three centuries during the night. One of those centuries came against the local amateur he played: the poor guy only had one shot – he broke off – then Ronnie stepped in and made a 140.

Jimmy who had been struggling a bit over the two previous matches, played better this time. agonizingly he got a kick on the 6th red when he looked good for a 147.

Here are a few images that were shared on twitter:

And before the match, Ronnie did indeed meet @coach_kavanagh who shared this on Instagram. There is also a video of the two in action…

Ronnie really enjoyed the experience: this is what he put on his own Instagram

Had a great session doing some UFC training with the main man @coach_kavanagh what a top guy he was, absolutely loved it.

Drogheda, Ireland – 6 June 2018

June 7, 2018June 9, 2018 Monique Snooker exhibition Exhibition, Snooker

Ronnie was with Jimmy White in Drogheda last night for the third of his nine Irish Tour exhibitions.

Here is Conor O’Boyle report (Conor is the organiser of those exhibitions and kindly agreed to keep me in the picture … )

This last part was the answer to my question whether Benny was the same Benny who made Ronnie suffer in their morning run!

Thank you Conor!

Here is frame 5 of the match

Ronnie also was out looking for the healthy eating option, and good company!

No wonder he loves his exhibitions!

And here two images shared by a fan on twitter

Letterkenny, Ireland – 5 June 2018

June 6, 2018June 6, 2018 Monique Snooker exhibition Exhibition, Snooker

Ronnie was in Clanree Hotel , Letterkenny, to play Jimmy White yesterday evening and here is Conor’s report. Conor O’Boyle is the organiser of those events, and I really appreciate his help!

Peter O’Brien was the referee on duty and the setup looks very, very nice!

Prior to the exhibition Ronnie was interviewed by Gerry Kelly on 95.8 LM FM and here is the link to the podcast, thanks to Silvry, who found this gem. Ronnie is first on the show and the interview is about 16 minutes long. Nothing really new but quite nice all the same.

Ronnie on 95.8 LM FM with Gerry Kelly

And Ronnie found a great place to eat! He posted some images on his Instagram

He loved it so much that he took some “lunch boxes” away to eat before the show later that day !

Riga Masters 2018 and World Open 2018 draw and qualifiers format

June 5, 2018 Monique Professional snooker tournament Professional snooker

Worldsnooker has published today the draw, and the format of the qualifiers, for the Riga Masters 2018 and World Open 2018.

Tuesday 5 Jun 2018 04:27PM

The draw and format for the qualifying rounds of the first two ranking events of the 2018/19 season – the Kaspersky Riga Masters and World Open – are now available.

Click here for the Riga draw

Click here for the World Open draw

Click here for the format

The qualifiers run from July 2 to 9 at the Guild Hall in Preston. Tickets are available for just £5 , for details click here

Ronnie hasn’t entered either and that won’t surprise anybody: he’s rarely played before end August – early September over the last years. Therefore I don’t expect him to play until the China Championship qualifiers that will take place in August. Only my opinion mind, I might be proven completely wrong !

A lot of other top players gave the Riga Masters a miss, including Mark Selby, Ding Junhui, John Higgins and Judd Trump. The prize money isn’t great TBH. John Higgins also decided to skip the World Open.

I’m a bit surprised that the draw is out so early though, nearly 4 weeks before the qualifiers start.

Monaghan, Ireland – 4 June 2018

June 5, 2018 Monique Snooker exhibition Exhibition, Snooker

Ronnie and Mark Allen were in Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan in Ireland yesterday for the first leg of Ronnie’s Irish Tour 2018. There will be nine exhibitions in total, six with Mark, and three with Jimmy White.

It was packed yesterday evening, as you would expect when those two play each other in Ireland.

They played 10 frames and made 5 centuries between them: Ronnie had three – including a 125 and a 132 – and Mark had two – including a 147. Ronnie won the match by 5-3 but Mark of course will be eager to get revenge!

He tweeted this:

Mark Allen‏Verified account

Great show with @ronnieo147 tonight here in Monaghan. Best set up I’ve seen for an Exhibtion and what a crowd. Ronnie won night one but I’ll get him back later in the month!! Mad a max to keep the crowd happy though. 1-0 Ronnie