Stick fighting finals an anticlimax

Injuries brought an anticlimactic end to the National Stick Fighting Finals at Skinner Park in San Fernando on Wednesday night, but eventual champion Selwyn Joseph John, 33, was still a deserving winner.

After two rounds of preliminary bouts, two of the four stick fighters who qualified for the final two bouts – third-place playoff and the title match – forfeited their respective contests because of hand and face injuries they suffered in earlier battles.

John, who hails from Rio Claro gayelle, defeated defending champion Roger Sambury (St Mary’s) and Evon Ralph (Talparo), on his way to the final against Daniel Barclay.

But after receiving his fair share of bois earlier, Barclay entered the ring with his left hand wrapped in bandages. Before the bell was rung, he lifted John’s hand, admitting defeat, and the 2023 title was conceded in a dull end to what was expected to be a night of wooden warfare.

A similar scenario played out in the third-place match as Mark Quashie’s (Couva/Longdenville) hand was also raised as default winner by his opponent Anderson Marcano, who also had several injuries.

In the end, John lifted the title, but second place was given to Ralph because of his two prior fights and Barclay’s inability to start the trophy bout. Barclay was bumped down into third place, while Quashie rounded off the top four.

John, of Libertville, Rio Claro, was elated with the victory and said the unique art of bois comes naturally to him.

“The feeling is great. When I left home, I left with the aim of becoming the winner, and I was.

"Up to me, I never really trained to play this game. I was born with the skills. My mother, father and all my brothers before me used to play (bois), so it runs in the blood.”

Despite the night’s proceedings coming to an awkward end, a group of jab jabs and blue devils amplified the atmosphere with ear-cracking whip lashes and spewing balls of fire. Drummers and singers delivered their mystical rhythms and had the hundreds present dancing throughout the night.

But one major shortfall was the lack of food and drinks at the newly refurbished south venue. There was just one vendor selling out of a small tent with limited food and only soft drinks and water on sale.

Those craving booze had to go back out, buy their drinks and return, while the regular nutsmen sold out rapidly.

At 10.30pm, a bar finally on the premises finally opened, but by that time, those who needed it had already found alternative sources of supply.

By midnight, the main programme was completed, owing to shortened bouts.