Premier Status list
Premier Status was initially assigned to various players in the Bristol area in order to bar them from intermediate tournaments. Shortly afterwards, however, the designation of Premier Status had a further purpose -- to allow entry to the Bristol Premier League.
The original criteria for assigning this status were as follows:
- Possession of a BIBA ranking in excess of 1500;
- Possession of two or more Lesters Trophy titles.
This resulted in fifteen Westcountry players being granted Premier Status for the year 2000.
PREMIER STATUS, ONCE OBTAINED, IS EXPECTED TO BE PERMANENT. A player may apply to be relieved of Premier Status, but will need to present a strong case.
For subsequent years, the net was widened slightly. On December 31st each year Premier Status is now conferred on any player who:
- has, during the year in question, breached the 1550 mark in the BIBA rankings (this qualifying score increased from 1500 from 2005), or the 1550 mark in the Gammonitis rankings (this qualifying score introduced from 2005);
- has, during the year in question, achieved the necessary finishing position in the Bristol Conference League (number for the current year dependent on number of active players -- see Conference rules);
- has, during the year in question, achieved the necessary finishing position in the Bristol Open Grand Prix (top ten for the current year);
- has, during the year in question, achieved the necessary finishing position in the Bristol Intermediate Grand Prix (top two for the current year);
- has ever won more than one title in the following categories: Lesters Trophy, Bristol Grand Prix main flight, the former Bristol Open Grand Prix and Bristol Intermediate Grand Prix main flights, the Bristol Masters, or the Intermediates Trophy.
Applying the above criteria, several more players have qualified for Premier Status in the years subsequent to 2000.
The complete up-to-date list now reads as follows:
- Graham ALDER (2001, via finishing high enough in the 2000 OGP)
- Giles ASHTON (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- Simon BAKER (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- Nick BARHAM (2007, via promotion from the 2006 Conference and finishing high enough in the 2006 IGP)
- Simonetta BARONE/HERRERA (2003, via promotion from the 2002 Conference)
- Peter BENNET (2004, via BIBA rankings)
- Rosey BENSLEY (2002, via promotion from the 2001 Conference and finishing high enough in the 2001 OGP)
- Blaine BUCHANAN (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- Gerry CAROLAN (2005, via BIBA rankings)
- Richard CARTWRIGHT (2005, via promotion from the 2004 Conference, finishing high enough in both the 2004 OGP and 2004 IGP, and winning the main flights of two tournaments)
- Drew CAUDWELL (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- Jason CHAMPION (2004, via promotion from the 2003 Conference)
- Phil CHARLTON (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- Andrew COBB (2006, via promotion from the 2005 Conference)
- Michael CORBETT (2005, via promotion from the 2004 Conference)
- Mark DIXON (2004, via promotion from the 2003 Conference)
- Phil DOUBTFIRE (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- Peter EDWARDS (2008, via promotion from the 2007 Conference, finishing high enough in both the 2007 OGP and 2007 IGP, and winning the main flights of two tournaments)
- Miles FARREN (2007, via promotion from the 2006 Conference)
- Juanita FERRER (2005, via finishing high enough in the 2004 IGP)
- Steve FERRER (2004, via finishing high enough in both the 2003 OGP and IGP)
- Paul GILBERTSON (2005, via BIBA rankings)
- Martin HEMMING (2002, via BIBA rankings, promotion from the 2001 Conference, and finishing high enough in the 2001 OGP)
- Roland HERRERA (2003, via promotion from the 2002 Conference)
- Charlie HETHERINGTON (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- Phillip HILL (2004, via winning the main flights of two tournaments)
- Adrian HILLS (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- David HORNER (2002, via finishing as runner-up in the 2001 IGP)
- Simon HUGHES (2008, via promotion from the 2007 Conference)
- Tim JEFFERIES (2001, via finishing high enough in the 2000 OGP)
- Tony LEE (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- John LEWIS (2004, via finishing high enough in both the 2003 OGP and IGP)
- Jerry LIMB (2001, via BIBA rankings, and finishing high enough in both the 2000 OGP and 2000 IGP)
- Tim LINE (2006, via promotion from the 2005 Conference and finishing high enough in the 2005 IGP)
- Nigel MERRIGAN (ages ago, via BIBA rankings)
- Stuart MANN (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- Richard MOODY (2001, via finishing as runner-up in the 2000 IGP)
- Steve MORRIS (2007, via promotion from the 2006 Conference and finishing high enough in the 2006 IGP)
- John NAPIER (2001, via winning the main flights of two tournaments)
- Steffen NOWAK (2003, via finishing as runner-up in the 2000 IGP and BIBA rankings)
- Simon OSBORNE (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- John OULD (2003, via promotion from the 2002 Conference)
- Gaz OWEN (2007, via promotion from the 2006 Conference)
- Richard OWSLEY (2005, via promotion from the 2004 Conference)
- Alan PAPIER (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- Alan PARFITT (2004, via promotion from the 2003 Conference)
- John PATON (2006, via promotion from the 2005 Conference)
- Ann POCKNELL (2006, via BIBA rankings)
- Martin POTTER (2004, via BIBA rankings)
- Ian PRESTON (2002, via winning the main flights of two tournaments, winning the 2001 OGP and promotion from the 2001 Conference)
- Dave PYM (2000, via multiple Lesters wins)
- Cynthia ROBERTS (2005, via promotion from the 2004 Conference)
- Sarah ROSICH (2002, via winning the main flights of two tournaments)
- Alan SAMMONDS (2005, via BIBA rankings)
- Grant SHORTLAND (2001, via BIBA rankings)
- John SLATTERY (2001, via BIBA rankings)
- Elliot SMART (2002, via BIBA rankings)
- Mike SMITH (2006, via promotion from the 2005 Conference)
- Cecilia SPARKE (2008, via promotion from the 2007 Conference)
- Ian TARR (2000, via multiple Lesters wins and BIBA rankings)
- Ed TURNER (2002, via winning the main flights of two tournaments)
- Tony WALTERS (2006, via promotion from the 2005 Conference and finishing high enough in the 2005 IGP)
- Paul WATTS (2002, via winning the 2001 IGP and promotion from the 2001 Conference)
- Kevin WHITE (2000, via BIBA rankings)
- Marcus WRINCH (2008, via promotion from the 2007 Conference, and finishing high enough in the 2007 IGP)
- Neil YOUNG (2003, via winning the main flights of two tournaments, promotion from the 2002 Conference, and finishing high enough in the 2002 OGP and IGP)
- Todd YOUNG (2008, via promotion from the 2007 Conference)
For the record, as at December 31st, 2004, the following players have won one tournament main flight, and would qualify for Premier Status by winning another: Ian Flynn, Louise Franklin, Simon Gonzales, Ron Henderson, Mark Oldham, Dave Rees and Mike Rodwell.
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