Luxmoore takes the State Title by one hoop at Windsor

Windsor Croquet Club hosted the 2026 Queensland Association Croquet Open Singles Championship over three days, 17 to 19 July. Twelve players took part, in two blocks of six. The field came from across the country: Eastern Park in Victoria, Como in Western Australia, Canberra, and clubs from around Queensland; with Stephens showing they're Queensland's home of Association Croquet by sending five players.

The State Title came down to a single hoop. Dave Luxmoore beat Malcolm Biddle 20–19 in the Championship final, the closest finish the weekend could have produced. Both men had gone through Block A unbeaten on four wins; Luxmoore had the edge on net hoops, and he found himself a whisker ahead again when it counted.

Bruce Ford (Stephens) won the Plate with a clean sweep of his group.

"Over the last 3 days Windsor Croquet Club hosted the QLD A/C Open Singles Championship. Shane Davis, as usual, did a magnificent job managing the event and ensuring everything ran smoothly. Thank you to Willy, Helen and Greg for refereeing and all the members of Windsor Croquet Club who gave up their play day, set hoops and supplied morning and afternoon tea. Congratulations to Dave Luxmoore for taking out the State Title and to Malcolm Biddle for coming a very close second. Well done also to Bruce Ford for winning the Plate."

*— Windsor Croquet Club*

Dave Luxmoore with the Emmie Cornelius Perpetual Trophy as 2026 Queensland Open AC Singles Champion, alongside runner-up Malcolm Biddle (Photo: Windsor Croquet Club)

*Dave Luxmoore (left) holds the Emmie Cornelius Perpetual Trophy, awarded to the Queensland Open AC Singles Champion, with runner-up Malcolm Biddle. Photo: Windsor Croquet Club.*

How the title was won

The two blocks sorted the field into a Championship knockout of eight and a four-player Plate.

Block A was the harder half. Luxmoore and Biddle both finished on four wins, but neither had it all their own way. Heather Knight (Stephens) beat the eventual champion 25–19 in the round robin, one of the results of the weekend. In Block B, Yuni Rowell (Coolangatta) topped the group ahead of Addison Matthews (Laurel Bank).

In the knockout, Luxmoore beat Rosemary Newsham and then Heather Knight to reach the final. Biddle came through Jacky Lynch and David Ward on the other side. It was the second time the two had met over the weekend, and far tighter than the first: Luxmoore had won their Block A game 26–16.

David Ward (Como, WA) took third with a 20–16 win over Heather Knight in the playoff.

Bruce Ford receives the Queensland AC Open Singles Plate for 2026 (Photo: Windsor Croquet Club)

*Bruce Ford collects the Queensland AC Open Singles Plate for 2026. Photo: Windsor Croquet Club.*

In the Plate, Bruce Ford won all three of his games to take the trophy ahead of clubmate Lindsay David (Stephens).

Results

Championship — final placings. 1st Dave Luxmoore (Palm Beach Burleigh Heads), 2nd Malcolm Biddle (Eastern Park, VIC), 3rd David Ward (Como, WA), 4th Heather Knight (Stephens), 5th Yuni Rowell (Coolangatta), 6th Addison Matthews (Laurel Bank), 7th Jacky Lynch (Stephens), 8th Rosemary Newsham (Stephens).

Final. Dave Luxmoore 20 beat Malcolm Biddle 19.

Semi-finals. Luxmoore 26 beat Heather Knight 12; Biddle 26 beat David Ward 11.

Third place. David Ward 20 beat Heather Knight 16.

Plate — final placings. 1st Bruce Ford (Stephens), 2nd Lindsay David (Stephens), 3rd Casey De-Vene (Eildon), 4th Janelle Wilson (Canberra).

Block A (wins, then net hoops). Dave Luxmoore 4, +69; Malcolm Biddle 4, +67; Heather Knight 3, −2; David Ward 2, −9; Bruce Ford 2, −44; Janelle Wilson 0, −81.

Block B (wins, then net hoops). Yuni Rowell 3, +53; Addison Matthews 3, +32; Jacky Lynch 2, −6; Rosemary Newsham 2, −18; Casey De-Vene 0, −61; Chris Borlase 0, net not available.

Photo credits and sources

Photographs reproduced with thanks to Windsor Croquet Club, from the club's Facebook page.

Full results and ladders are on CroquetScores: https://croquetscores.com/2026/ac/caq-open-singles