Curtis-Barrett Buzzing After 2022 English Amateur Championship Win…

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GRIMSBY’S JAMIE-CURTIS BARRETT said he is ready to defend his English Amateur Crown next season – after claiming snooker’s oldest amateur trophy at the weekend in Leeds.

The 38-year-old former professional defeated Merseyside’s John Welsh in the final and was buzzing after the win.

He told the EPSB: “Winning this is just massive for me. It’s just a great achievement and my name will be on the trophy forever and it can’t come off now!

“It gives me the incentive to keep going, I have got to defend it now. I’d like to thank Steve Watson who has come everywhere with me and backed me from being 10-years-old. He told me I would always win a national title. We have come through blood, sweat and tears – there are more sweat and tears in this heat – and he’s overwhelmed too. I have got a good team around me.”

“It feels unbelievable,” said Curtis-Barrett. “It’s a special achievement, obviously means a lot to me. I’ve done it for Jake [Nicholson], my best friend. There are some great names on that trophy and I have joined some great players, also from Grimsby, Stuart Carrington, Ray Edmonds and Sid Hood.

🏆 CURTIS-BARRETT IS THE 2022 ENGLISH AMATEUR CHAMPION! 🏆

Congratulations to Jamie Curtis-Barrett who has defeated John Welsh 10-5 to win the English Amateur Snooker Championship for the first time in his career at @northernsnooker in Leeds.#EnglishSnooker 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/6fsWSdl95I

— English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards (@EPSBofficial) July 10, 2022

Curtis-Barret was not the only winner at the weekend where there was plenty of action in the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds.

Stan the Action Moody was victor in the Under-18’s snooker championship and Sean O’Sullivan also lifted the Jake Nicholson trophy.

He simply wrote on Facebook after: “Very proud to be the first person to win this trophy named after Jake Nicholson.”

Jake’s family were there to see the players win their awards on behalf of the player who tragically died from illness last year at just the age of 28.

The now English Amateur Champion originally told the EPSB about his thoughts about Jake Nicholson when he passed away in 21.

Curtis-Barret, said: “Jake, we met many moons ago in Leeds and from day one we hit it off. We became good friends, travelled the world together, sharing hotel rooms, flights and drives, practice sessions. We had some amazing times and you were such a character, class act on and off the baize. You will be sadly missed by many. My heart goes out to your parents and family. Now fly high, spread your wings and keep potting those balls.”

He was a very popular and respected player on the amateur snooker scene.

Many other amateurs and professionals that knew him paid tribute.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is the only top player not to have won the English Amateur Crown and gone on to win the World professional title – now for the seventh time in 2022.

Jimmy White won the English Amateur Crown in 1979, but failed to win a World professional title on six occasions after falling short in the finals.

Stuart Bingham, however, has won an English Amateur Crown and also scooped a World pro title in 2015.