I’m from Australia and play darts down under. We have great ladies here as well. Not all the top ladies come from England. We have Carol Forwood who over the last 2 years has won everything in Australia and travels over there when she can and we also have Natalie Carter and Dot McCloud.

Having read Trina Gulliver’s interview she is right that sponsors need to look at Women’s darts as we spend as much money as the men getting to and from matches but our prize money is half as well so it’s happening all over.

We played our Australian Classic in in Gosford last month. It’s WDF/BDO ranked for the ladies but the men get more. Why/ Maybe the BDO should change these rules.
In the ladies they take only the top 4 players for the Winmau and World Professional yet they don’t take just 4 men.

Maybe if the BDO started to treat us the same way and give the top 10 ladies in the world a chance to play then people will see how great we are. They might like to watch the ladies game more than the Men’s, only time will  tell.

OUR REPLY

It has always been a fact that ladies travelling to Tournaments have the same expenses as the men but the promoter’s argument about ladies prize money is the number of ladies who enter their Tournament.

We have been informed that the recent turnouts at the two new ranked Tournaments in your Country were very low and the ranking points allocated are more than the Category “B” Tournaments in the rankings (14 Australia 10 Europe).

Prize money at your Tournaments is the responsibility of the promoters not the BDO.

We believe, if you include New Zealand, you now have some eight BDO ranked Tournaments available to lady dart players in your part of the world Australia ladies are given four places for the Winmau and this year Carol Forwood because of her ranking position could possibly be a fifth as she is in the ladies top 16.

With regards to the World Championships yes they only take the top four ranked ladies automatically and the rules state 16 men automatic entries. Figure wise both have 50% of their field automatically invited.

Those in charge believe there is not enough strength in depth, as do the media,to extend playing numbers. The other problem and I quote a leading promoter when asked “Have you any interest in ladies darts” his reply “They are not financially viable” In other words, whereas they can earn money from Men’s Tournaments they cannot from ladies.

However plans are being laid to improve matters especially in the UK and Holland with specific projects for ladies darts. That does not help those in your great country but if the projects show any fruition in taking the ladies game forward you must attempt to follow the same line in OZ.

To sum up finance is the problem. Those in a position to provide it look for a return and at present they do not receive it. Whatever you don’t get downhearted. Carols performances the past 12 months prove what you can possibly achieve.