Cornish wrestling

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox martial art Cornish wrestling (Template:Langx<ref>http://www.gorsedhkernow.org.uk/archivedsite/kernewek/kevren.htm Template:Webarchive Omdowl Kernewek Gorsedh Kernow Retrieved 10 June 2010.</ref>) is a form of wrestling that has been established in Cornwall for many centuries and possibly longer. It is similar to the Breton Gouren wrestling style. It is colloquially known as "wrasslin’"<ref name="Westcountryetc">Phillipps, K C: Westcountry Words & Ways, David & Charles (Publishers) Limited 1976, p99.</ref><ref name="TWMN14082006">Cornish culture steps into the spotlight, The Western Morning News, 14 August 2006.</ref> in the Cornish dialect of English; historically, this usage is attested by Chaucer,<ref name="CT">Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Canterbury Tales, The Knightes Tale, The Reeves Tale, the Tale of Gamelyn, The Tale of Sir Thopas, etc, 1387-1400</ref> Shakespeare<ref name="WS">Shakespeare, William: As you like it, Act III, Scene II, 1599</ref> and Drayton.<ref name="Polyolbion">Drayton, Michael: Poly-Olbion, 1612, i, 244</ref>

The referee is known as a 'stickler',<ref name="James1742">James, Nicholas: Poems on several occasions, Wrestling, Andrew Brice (Truro) 1742, p21-40.</ref> and it is claimed that the popular meaning of the word as a 'pedant' originates from this usage.<ref name="TableBook">Hone, William: The Table Book of Daily Recreation and Information, Hunt & Clarke 1827, p663-664.</ref>

Cornish wrestling is a national sport of Cornwall, which spread throughout the British Isles and then, along with the Cornish diaspora, to such places as the United States, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and South Africa.

It has similarities to Devon wrestling but it was reputed to focus less on foot moves and more on throwing.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Rules

The objective of Cornish wrestling is to throw one's opponent and cause them to land as flat as possible on their back. Each of the wrestlers wears a ‘jacket’ of tough make and material, enabling them to better grip their opponent. Grabbing of the opponent's or your own arms, wrists or fingers is forbidden as well as holding below the waist. All holds are to be taken upon the jacket, although the flat of the hand is allowed to be used to push or deflect an opponent.<ref name="M Tripp Thesis">Tripp, Michael: PERSISTENCE OF DIFFERENCE: A HISTORY OF CORNISH WRESTLING, University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2009, Vol I p2-217.</ref><ref name="CReview">W, Tregoning Hooper: Cornish Wrestling, The Cornish Review, Porthmeor Press (Penzance) 1950, p. 30–32.</ref> No fending is permitted. No force on the throat is permitted. Three sticklers watch and control each bout, keeping score of points.<ref name="TACW">Kendall, Bryan H: The Art of Cornish Wrestling, Federation of Old Cornwall Societies (Cornwall) 1990, p. 1–32.</ref><ref name="CWAH" />Template:Rp

Four pins are located on the back of a wrestler, two at the shoulders and two just above the buttocks. A wrestler scores points by throwing their opponent onto their back, the number of pins hitting the floor being the number of points scored. If a wrestler manages to score with three or four pins this is called a ‘Back’ and the bout is then finished, with the throwing wrestler as the winner.<ref name="Jacket 1">Guy Jaouen and Matthew Bennett Nicols: Celtic Wrestling, The Jacket Styles, Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (Switzerland) 2007, p1-183.</ref> The sticklers each raise their sticks when they perceive a Back has been achieved. A Back may be awarded by majority, i.e. by two out of the three sticklers. If a Back is not awarded, the winner is the wrestler with the most accumulated points within the time limit.<ref name="TACW"/>

History

Cornish wrestling has a long history, with Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae (Template:Circa) describing Corineus, the legendary founder of Cornwall, as a man "of great courage and boldness, who, in an encounter with any person, even of gigantic stature, would immediately overthrow him, as if he were a child", and later tells the story of how Corineus wrestled a Cornish giant, Gogmagog or Goemagot upon the cliff top known as Lamm Goemagot.

Thomas Hoby writes that, in 1551 at Chastenbriant, the French king showed my Lord Marquess of Northampton "great pleasure and disport...sometime with his great boisterlie Bretons wrastling with my lordes yemen of Cornwall, who had much to do to gete the upper hande of them."<ref name="Hoby1551">Hoby, Thomas: A Book of the Travaile and Life of me Thomas Hoby, 1551</ref>

Some of the earliest written evidence for wrestling in the West Country comes from a 1612 poem entitled "Poly-Olbion" by Michael Drayton, which gives the names of some Cornish Wrestling throws. Drayton also published a poem in 1627 called The Battle of Agincourt, which concerns the 1415 battle. The poem states that the Cornish men who accompanied Henry V into battle held a banner of two Cornish wrestlers.

Cornish, Devon and Breton wrestlers have long taken part in inter-Celtic matches since at least 1402 and these still occasionally continue. In early times Cornish and Devonian wrestlers often had matches against each other though the rules they followed were not the same. One of these was the notable match between Richard Parkyn and the Devonian John Jordan.

In 1654, Oliver Cromwell and many of his privy council were reported as watching 100 Cornishmen wrestling in Hyde Park, presenting "...great agility of body and most neat and exquisite wrestling at every meeting of one with the other, which was ordered with such dexterity, that it was to show more the strength, vigour and nimbleness of their bodies, than to endanger their persons."<ref name="TMI1">The Moderate Intelligencer, May 1, 1654</ref>

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Charles II, along with "a world of lords" and many other spectators, watched a series of wrestling matches in St James' Park in 1669, with a purse of £1000, which saw the "Western men" win.<ref name="JED1">Evelyn, John: Memoirs Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, William Bray, 1818</ref>

His Highness York’s great Duke beheld the same

With other persons of renowned fame

Brave Cornishmen, you are to be commended

And will be so until the world is ended.<ref name="CG15021940">Hurling in the 17th century, matches in Hyde park, Cornish Guardian, 15 February 1940, p. 2.</ref>

Sir Thomas Parkyns (1664–1741), known as the Wrestling Baronet, was a devotee of wrestling and organised an annual wrestling match in Bunny Park (prize a gold-laced hat). These matches continued until 1810. His book on the subject The Inn-Play: or, the Cornish Hugg-Wrestler was published in 1713 and reprinted many times.<ref>Hole, Christina (1949) English Sports and Pastimes. London: Batsford; p. 31</ref>

A contest at Bodmin in 1811 attracted 4,000 spectators, but thereafter interest in the sport waned. James Gerry (of Linkinhorne) and Samuel Rundle (Plymouth) fought for a £20 purse and the championship of Cornwall in 1883 at Liskeard. Lasting just over an hour, the match ended in a draw in the 19th round following Rundle tearing leg muscles. Gerry was reported in The Cornishman newspaper to have vanquished all the best men in America as well as many men in Cornwall, Rundle had beaten nearly all the wrestling men in Devon and Cornwall.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1927 William Tregoning Hooper (Bras y Golon) agreed with the Breton Dr. Cottonec of Quimperle that there should be annual wrestling tournaments in which both Cornish and Breton wrestlers would compete. In 1932, the Duke of Cornwall helped fund the competing Cornish wrestlers.<ref name="C04081932">Cornish Wrestling, Cornishman, 04 August 1932, p. 4.</ref>

In the 1970s Truro Cathedral School was teaching Cornish wrestling as part of its physical education programme and was the only school in Cornwall to do so.<ref>Peter Berresford Ellis (1974) The Cornish Language and its Literature. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, p. 199</ref>

Traditions

A very old custom was, on the Sunday following a wrestling match or tournament, to wear to church any prizes won. Alternatively they were hung on an inside pillar near the main church door. This custom was especially observed when the victory was with another parish.<ref name="TCT05071871">Another usage, The Cornish Telegraph, 5 July 1871, p3.</ref>

Wrestling matches were often located in graveyards, as evidenced by the Bishop of Exeter banning wrestling in graveyards in Cornwall and Devon in 1287.<ref name="CWAH">Tripp, Mike: Cornish Wrestling A History, Federation of Old Cornwall Societies (Cornwall) 2023.</ref>Template:Rp

Some Cornish wrestling matches allowed shin-kicking. This was often referred to as "Cornish purring".<ref name="LAH230418896">Los Angeles Herald 23 April 1889, p4.</ref>

There is an ancient custom whereby sticklers of a tournament would appear at church the following Sunday wearing "Christys" (silk top hats)<ref name="SAS29170897">Wrestling at St Mawgan, St. Austell Star, 29 July 1897, p5.</ref> with streamers (silk ribbons).<ref name="CG30071936">Cornish wrestling, Cornish Guardian, 30 July 1936, p14.</ref><ref name="SAS29170897"/>

There are multiple stories of women being capable wrestlers, even more than 200 years ago. For example, Caroline Andrewartha who was taught wrestling by her father and in turn taught her son Joel Andrewartha, who went on to become one of the best wrestlers in Cornwall, including beating Polkinghorne.<ref name="C18051939">The farmer and the maid, Cornishman, 18 May 1939, p. 6.</ref><ref name="CPMN20051939">The farmer and the maid, Cornish Post and Mining News, 20 May 1939, p. 4.</ref> Another example is Lizzie Taylor (1831–1887), known as "Happy Ned" or "Lizzie-poor-Dick", who threw John Lillywhite in a wrestling-bout at Clowance. She was a miner who dressed in men's clothes.<ref name="C29121887"/><ref name="C13091894">First class cricketers on Penzance ground, Cornishman, 13 September 1894, p6.</ref><ref name="CRT06011888">Cornwall 30 years ago, Cornubian and Redruth Times, 6 January 1888, p8.</ref><ref name="CRT01101856">Cricket - Twenty two of Cornwall against the united eleven, The Cornish Telegraph, 1 October 1856, p3.</ref>

During a match, wrestlers shake hands before every hitch.<ref name="Muldoon">Muldoon, James: Muldoon's Wrestling, A complete treatise on the various English, Scotch, American, French, German and Japanese Styles of Wrestling, Dick and Fitzgerald (New York) 1893, p30-42.</ref>

Prior to the mid-1800s, competitors had to renounce the use of magic before the start of a tournament.<ref name="WMN22081930">Duchy Wrestling Champions, Western Morning News, 22 August 1930, p4.</ref>

Traditionally wrestlers would challenge each other to wrestling matches by throwing their hat into the ring. The idiom may come from this practice.<ref name="Muldoon"/><ref name="Littell">Littell, E: Living Age, Stanford & Delisser (New York) 1858, p757.</ref><ref name="Defensive Exercises">Walker, Donald: Defensive Exercises, PALMER and CLAYTON (London) 1840, p24-34.</ref>

In Cornwall, youngsters used to play the game of "shuffle hats and wrastle", where they would throw their hats into a ring, with their owners wrestling off in accordance with the pairing of the hats.<ref name="WMN10051946">Notes in the West: Cornish wrestling, Western Morning News, 10 May 1946, p. 4.</ref><ref name="TPPCA1928">Pascoe, Harry, Cornish wrestling, Tre Pol and Pen The Cornish Annual, 1928, p63-69.</ref><ref name="SAS30101893">A Cornish "Admirable Crichton", St. Austell Star, 30 October 1891, p5.</ref>

There had been a custom of "begging the ring" whereby old or injured wrestlers would walk around the ring begging for alms. This was replaced by a wrestlers' benevolent fund in 1926 and then by the welfare state.<ref name="CG16041926">Benevolent fund for competitors who are injured, Cornish Guardian, 16 April 1926, p. 14.</ref><ref name="TPPCA1928"/><ref name="WMN15041926">"Begging the ring" abolished, Western Morning News, 15 April 1926, p. 12.</ref>

Wrestling matches were once played in churchyards, but in 1297 the Bishop of Exeter banned it from such places in Devon and Cornwall. <ref name="CG08052013">Down Your Way, Cornish Guardian, 8 May 2013.</ref>

At some tournaments there were prizes for those wrestlers appearing in the neatest costume.<ref name="TC12081886">Dartmouth Regatta, The Cornishman, 12 August 1886, p5.</ref>

In late Victorian times women were briefly banned from matches, as men often wrestled in their long johns, which was not considered respectable.<ref name="CG08052013"/>

Gold laced hats were often used as first place prizes for Cornish wrestling tournaments. It was said that wearers of such hats were immune from the attentions of the press gang.<ref name="CG30071936"/>

Wrestlers who were knocked senseless in bouts would often be treated by being "bled" on site if there was a doctor at hand.<ref name="BookofSport">Egan, Pierce: Book of Sport, No XXI The Wrestlers, T T & J Tegg, 1832, p321-336.</ref><ref name="WT21061828">"Great wrestling match for £20 between James Cann and Francis Oliver, Western Times, 21 June 1828, p4.</ref>

In the mid-1800s through to the early 1900s, extra trains were laid on going to and from towns where Cornish wrestling tournaments were being held.<ref name="RCG02091853">Redruth grand wrestling, Royal Cornwall Gazette, 2 September 1853, p. 4.</ref><ref name="RCG21061906">Grand wrestling tournament, Royal Cornwall Gazette, 21 June 1906, p. 8.</ref> In the early 1900s this was extended to extra bus services.<ref name="CG13081926">Bodmin, Cornish Guardian, 13 August 1926, p. 6.</ref>

Until 1927 there was no time limit for Cornish wrestling matches and there are records of matches taking many hours and even having to be reconvened the next day.<ref name="CG20071933"/> Note that in 1927 the rule became best 2 falls in 20 minutes, but there was much resistance to this change as it was perceived that often the worse player won these matches.<ref name="CG22091927">Wrestling record, Cornish Guardian, 22 September 1927, p. 3.</ref> This was changed to the current rules of two, ten minute, rounds with points being used to determine the winner if no back is scored.<ref name="CG23021928">County wrestling, rule alteration, Cornish Guardian, 23 February 1928, p. 14.</ref> However, this time limit lapsed in the 1940s, was proposed to be reinstated in 1956,<ref name="CG19041956">More wrestlers and more interest in the sport, Cornish Guardian, 19 April 1956, p. 13.</ref> but was only reinstated in 1967.<ref name="CG10081967">Bodmin wrestler is new featherweight champion, Cornish Guardian, 10 August 1967, p. 10.</ref>

In the early 1800s there were two distinct styles of wrestling. Wrestlers who fought in the Western style included Parkyn and wrestlers who fought with the Eastern style included the Truscotts. This distinction had disappeared by the end of the 1800s.<ref name="OCSIV4">The Wrestling Truscotts 1800-1814, Old Cornwall, Summer 1949, p320-322.</ref>

The wrestler's motto

Gwari hweg yw gwari teg<ref name="WB22122011">Wrestling, The Cornishman, 22 December 2011.</ref><ref name="TC22122011">Wrestling, The West Briton, 22 December 2011.</ref><ref name="TWMN05022008">Expert help on offer to Cornish language film-maker, The Western Morning News, 5 February 2008.</ref><ref name="CT28071858">Sports in Cornwall, The Cornish Telegraph - Wednesday 28 July 1858, p. 2.</ref>

English Translation: Fair play is sweet play.<ref name="DNL06121930">Cornishmen at play, Daily News (London), 6 December 1930, p. 4.</ref><ref name="CT28071858"/><ref name="TT09021931"/>

The wrestler's oath

Cornish<ref name="MAGALeaflet">Cornish Wrestling Association: Cornish Wrestling, the national sport of Cornwall, Omdowl Kernewek, An sport kenedhlek Kernow, maga Cornish Language Partnership 2015, p1-4.</ref>	Translation<ref name="DNL06121930"/><ref name="TT09021931">Cornish wrestling, clean and vigorous, The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.), 9 February 1931, p3.</ref><ref name="CG31081933">Bretons and Cornish "brothers" kiss and then wrestle with spirit, Cornish Guardian, 31 August 1933, p10.</ref>
lang}}	On my honour and the honour of my country,
lang}}	I swear to wrestle without treachery or brutality
lang}}	And in token of my sincerity I offer my hand to my opponent.
lang}}	In the words of my forefathers:
lang}}	"Fair play is sweet play".

Governing bodies

There has been significant disagreement, over time, as to which were the ruling governing bodies in the sport and also differences in the precise nature of the rules. This has resulted in simultaneous claimants for world, national and regional titles.<ref name="C24051934">Wrestling in Cornwall, regrettable lack of harmony, Cornishman, 24 May 1934, p6.</ref>

Governing bodies outside Cornwall

The Devon and Cornish Wrestling Society was formed in 1849.<ref name="SL29041887">Wrestling, Sporting Life, 29 April 1887, p4.</ref>

The Western Counties Wrestling Association was formed in 1877<ref name="LWNCDA03021877">Local and District News, Launceston Weekly News, and Cornwall & Devon Advertiser, 3 February 1877, p4.</ref>

Worldwide, various regional bodies have governed local Cornish wrestling tournaments or matches. Examples include:

The Royal Marine Light Infantry for a tournament in Japan (1872);<ref name="TJWM">Wrestling, The Japan Weekly Mail, 30 March 1872, p162.</ref>
The Ivey Athletic Club for tournaments in Michigan, United States;<ref name="MJ19071902">Great activity in wrestling, Cornish sport is growing in popularity in upper peninsula of Michigan, The Minneapolis Journal, 19 July 1902, p9.</ref>
The Brotton wrestling committee for Cornish wrestling in Yorkshire;<ref name="RCG01081879">Cornish prize wrestling in Yorkshire, Royal Cornwall Gazette, 1 August 1879, p4.</ref>
The Bendigo Amateur Wrestling Association in Bendigo, Australia;<ref name="BA09011906">Wrestling, Bendigo Advertiser (Vic), 9 January 1906, p3.</ref>
The Cornish Association of South Africa;<ref name="CG08051914">Cornish Association of South Africa Cornish Guardian, 8 May 1914, p5.</ref>
Taunton Athletic club in Somerset;<ref name="TCWA28121963">Last Christmas Day wedding in Taunton, Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser, 28 December 1963, p1.</ref>
St Budeaux and District Wrestling Committee for local tournaments in Devon;<ref name="CG25061926">Cornish wrestling in Devon, Cornish Guardian, 25 June 1926, p6.</ref>
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in India;<ref name="CPMN19021927">Wrestling, Cornish Post and Mining News, 19 February 1927, p2.</ref>
The Cornish Porcupine wrestling club in Canada;<ref name="CG20121928">Cornish Wrestling to be introduced to Canada, Cornish Guardian, 20 December 1928, p5.</ref><ref name="NBN19101928">Wrestling club formed, North Bay Nugget, 19 October 1928, p4.</ref>
Pachuca Athletic Club in Mexico.<ref name="WDM21101895">Our Mexican letter, Western Daily Mercury, 21 October 1895, p8.</ref>
Morro Velho mines in Brazil.<ref name="RCG05101860">A miner's holiday in Brazil, Royal Cornwall Gazette, 5 October 1860, p6.</ref>

Cornwall and Devon wrestling Society

File:Cornish wrestling scene London 1866.jpg

Cornish wrestling in London 1866<ref name="ISNTMR14041866">Illustrated Sporting News and Theatrical and Musical Review - Saturday 14 April 1866, p5.</ref>

The Cornwall and Devon Wrestling Society (also known as the Devon and Cornwall Wrestling Society<ref name="MA01041844">Chalk Farm Tavern and Tea Gardens, Morning Advertiser. 1 April 1844, p1.</ref><ref name="CAR12061868">Devon and Cornwall wrestling match, Cornubian and Redruth Times, 12 June 1868, p3.</ref>) was formed in 1752, running tournaments and matches in London, often at Hackney Wick. Open competitions were held, awarding significant belts and prizes funded by the patrons. However, only natives of Cornwall were permitted to compete for the Great Duke of Cornwall cup.<ref name="SL01041863">The Cornwall and Devon wrestling society's grand carnival, Sporting Life, 1 April 1863, p3.</ref>

Patrons of the Cornwall and Devon Wrestling Society

The Prince of Wales for many years.<ref name="MA10041868">The Cornwall and Devon wrestling society, Morning Advertiser, 10 April 1868, p6.</ref><ref name="ISNTMR13041867">Wrestling, Illustrated Sporting News and Theatrical and Musical Review, 13 April 1867, p2.</ref><ref name="CRT27031868"/>
Sir Arthur William Buller from 1868.<ref name="CRT27031868">Wrestling - the Cornwall and Devon Society, Cornubian and Redruth Times, 27 March 1868, p2.</ref>

Governing bodies inside Cornwall

County committee

In 1886 and 1887 a series of wrestling tournaments (in Truro,<ref name="WBCA16091886">West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 16 September 1886.</ref><ref name="RCG03091886">Royal Cornwall_Gazette Falmouth_Packet and General Advertiser, 3 September 1886.</ref><ref name="C08091887">The Cornishman, 8 September 1887.</ref> Penzance<ref name="RCG20081886">Royal Cornwall Gazette Falmouth Packet and General Advertiser, 20 August 1886.</ref> and Redruth<ref name="WBCA03061886">The West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 3 June 1886, p5.</ref> amongst others) was organised by what was described as the "County Committee" with secretary Mr J F Mark.

Cornish Wrestling Association

The different regional associations within Cornwall merged into the Cornwall County Wrestling Association ("CCWA") in September 1923, under the presidency of Lord St Levan,<ref name="TA09101928">CORNISH WRESTLING, The Advertiser (Adelaide) 9 October 1928, p14.</ref> to help standardize the rules, facilitate the competing of Duchy championships, mitigate the risk of clashing tournaments and promote Cornish Wrestling throughout Cornwall and indeed Worldwide.<ref name="M Tripp Thesis"/> When the CCWA was formed there were only 9 affiliated local associations, but by 1925 there were over 50.<ref name="CG11121925">Annual dinner of the association, Cornish Guardian, 11 December 1925, p12.</ref><ref name="TA09101928"/> Note that the Newquay and Port Isaac associations initially indicated that they wanted nothing to do with the CCWA.<ref name="WMN13091923">Cornish Wrestling, County Association Formed, Western Morning News, 13 September 1923.</ref>

In 1927 the CCWA adopted a rule that if there was no back obtained within 20 minutes wrestling, then the match would be decided by the best of 2 falls. Note that previously there had been no time limit on bouts.<ref name="NE22091927">Wrestling Record, Newquay Express and Cornwall County Chronicle, 22 September 1927.</ref> In 1928 this was changed to two 10 minute rounds where, if there was no back, accumulated points decided the winner.<ref name="NE23021928">County Wrestling, Rule alteration, Newquay Express and Cornwall County Chronicle, 23 February 1928.</ref> Note there was still no time limit for championship finals.<ref name="NE30081928">St. Wenn Wrestler's Success, Newquay Express and Cornwall County Chronicle, 30 August 1928.</ref>

In 1928, William Tregonning Hooper initiated inter-Celtic tournaments between the CCWA and its counterpart in Brittany, as the similarities of Breton and Cornish wrestling are sufficient for successful competitions to be held between the two.<ref name="CG19102011">In My View, Cornish Guardian, 19 October 2011.</ref>

In 1930, the CCWA had financial difficulties resulting in suspension of activities and the belts and cups being seized by the bank. As a result, belts and cups were not awarded.<ref name="CG16071931">Breton-Cornish wrestling, Cornish Guardian, 16 July 1931.</ref><ref name="C03071930">Cornish Wrestling - suspension of county association, Cornishman, 3 July 1930, P10.</ref>

In 1932, the CCWA was refinanced, with help from the London Cornish Association,<ref name="CG13041933">Promising outlook for Cornish wrestling, Cornish Guardian, 13 April 1933, P4.</ref> Federation of Old Cornwall Societies,<ref name="WMN11071932"/><ref name="CG13041933"/> Viscount Clifden,<ref name="CG15091932">Cornish Wrestling, Cornish Guardian, 15 September 1932, P2.</ref> the Western Morning News<ref name="CG15091932"/> and the Duke of Cornwall,<ref name="CG13041933"/><ref name="CG15091932"/><ref name="WMN11071932">Prince and Cornish Wrestling, Western Morning News, 11 July 1932, P7.</ref> and the belts and cups were retrieved from the bank.<ref name="Jacket 1"/><ref name="M Tripp Thesis"/><ref name="CG04051933">Cornish Wrestling Revival, Cornish Guardian, 4 May 1933, p6.</ref> In 1933 the CCWA changed its name to the Cornish Wrestling Association ("CWA")<ref name="CG04051933"/> and adopted a rule to limit rounds to 15 minutes.<ref name="CG20071933">Cornish Wrestling conflict, Cornish Guardian, 20 July 1933, P14.</ref><ref name="CG15061933">New rule operates at Truro tournament, Cornish Guardian, 15 June 1933, P6.</ref>

File:Keith John Menadue Heavyweight Cornish Wrestling Champion 1956.jpg

Portrait of Keith John Menadue wearing the Cornish Wrestling Association Heavyweight Championship Belt 1956

In 1933 various local wrestling associations had competitions unaffiliated to the CWA, culminating with St Mawgan holding a championship of Cornwall, "under the old Cornish wrestling rules".<ref name="CG24081933">Wrestling in the Cornish style, Cornish Guardian, 24 August 1933, p11.</ref>

The East Cornwall Wrestling Federation ("ECWF") was formed in 1934, at least in part to hold competitions under more traditional rules (the time limit being a key issue).<ref name="M Tripp Thesis"/><ref name="C26071934">Cornish Wrestling, Cornishman, 26 July 1934, p10.</ref><ref name="CG19071934">Cornish Wrestling Championship, Cornish Guardian, 19 July 1934, p14.</ref><ref name="CG14061934">Formation of East Cornwall Federation, Cornish Guardian 14 June 1934, p14.</ref> The ECWF also complained that the CWA had preferred placing championship tournaments in West Cornwall and had preferred selecting wrestlers from West Cornwall to represent Cornwall in the inter-Celtic competition.<ref name="WMN25061935">Wrestling Breach not healed, Western Morning News, 25 June 1935, p10.</ref> The ECWF held rival championship titles of heavyweight, middleweight and lightweight champion in the "Old Cornish Style".<ref name="Jacket 1"/><ref name="M Tripp Thesis"/> In 1934, the CWA initially suspended wrestlers involved with ECWF competitions.<ref name="C24051934"/> This rule was suspended in 1936, but re-instigated in 1938.<ref name="CG05051938">The wrestling season, Cornish Guardian, 5 May 1938, p8.</ref><ref name="CG26051938">County wrestling association's finance, Cornish Guardian, 26 May 1938, p14.</ref>

In 1936 the CWA removed the time limit to matches.<ref name="WBCA14051936">Wrestling matches, West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 14 May 1936, p12.</ref>

In 1946, the ECWF was absorbed by the CWA, who have overseen almost all tournaments since.<ref name="WMN30081946">Cornish Wrestling, Remarkable revival in the County, Western Morning News, 30 August 1946, p4.</ref><ref name="WMN08051947">Wrestling in the Duchy, Western Morning News, 08 May 1947, p5.</ref><ref name="CG09051946">Unity achieved, "Red letter" day for Cornish wrestling, Cornish Guardian, 9 May 1946, p5.</ref> A modern example of an exception to this was the annual St Mawgan tournament, which rejoined in 2025.

In 1965 the CWA adopted a 10 minute limit to the duration of matches with points choosing the winner where a back was not achieved. However, the finals of championship matches went back to being two, 10 minute rounds.

In 1994 the CWA opened competitions to women.<ref name="WBCA19051994">Now, wrestling for women, West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 19 May 1994, p3.</ref>

In 2004 the CWA became affiliated with the British Wrestling Association.<ref name="TWMN09092014">Fair play and gentlemanly conduct is key to ancient sport's enduring appeal, The Western Morning News, 9 September 2014.</ref>

Patrons of the CCWA/CWA

Lord St Levan between 1923 and 1934.<ref name="CG17051934"/>
Commander Sir Edward Nicholl from 1923 for many years.<ref name="C03101923">County, Cornishman, 3 October 1923, p8.</ref>
The Prince of Wales between 1932 and 1935.<ref name="WMN31051935">Cornish Wrestling Authorities, Western Morning News, 31 May 1935, p10.</ref><ref name="WMN11071932"/>
Sir John Langdon Bonython between 1932 and 1935.<ref name="WMN31051935"/><ref name="C28071932">County Association to be Resuscitated, Cornishman, 28 July 1932, p9.</ref>
Viscount Clifden between 1932 and 1934.<ref name="CG18081932">Mainly Personal, Cornish Guardian, 18 August 1932, p7.</ref><ref name="CG17051934">Cornish wrestling - county secretary outburst at committee meeting, Cornish Guardian, 17 May 1934, p12.</ref>

Notable people who were also Cornish wrestlers

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King Henry VIII was a confident wrestler,<ref name="BOA">Longhurst, Percy: Cornish Wrestling, The Boy's Own Annual, Volume 52, 1930, p167-169.</ref> but he lost a hitch with the French king, Francis I, at the Field of the Cloth of Gold (possibly with a Flying Mare<ref name="M Tripp Thesis"/>), after his Cornish wrestlers had soundly defeated Francis' Breton wrestlers.<ref name="Romance">Morris, Charles: Historical Tales, the Romance of Reality, JB Lippincott Company (Philadelphia) 1895, p212.</ref><ref name="Frenchstuff">Sewell, Elizabeth Missing: Popular History of France, Longmans Green and Co (London) 1876, p302.</ref><ref name="MMA1">Jennings, LA: Mixed Martial Arts: A History from Ancient Fighting Sports, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group 2021, p52-53.</ref>
John Wesley had been a Cornish wrestler in his youth.<ref name="CG23091910">Wrestling advocated : Football condened, Cornish Guardian, 23 September 1910, p2.</ref>
According to his brother, Sir Humphry Davy was a Cornish wrestler in his youth. Davy was a Cornish chemist, inventor,<ref name="ODNB" >David Knight (2004) "Davy, Sir Humphry, baronet (1778–1829)" Template:Webarchive in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press</ref> a baronet, President of the Royal Society (PRS), Member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA), Fellow of the Geological Society (FGS), and a member of the American Philosophical Society (elected 1810).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Cornish inventor Richard Trevithick, was a champion Cornish Wrestler.<ref name="BOA"/><ref name="EB">Trevithick, Ricard, Encyclopedia Britannica Vol XXIII, Maxwell Sommerville (Philadelphia) 1891, p589.</ref><ref name="CG17031966">Cornish wrestling champion of 150 years ago, Cornish Guardian, 17 March 1966, p10.</ref>

File:Tom Molineaux ('Molineaux') by and published by Robert Dighton.jpg

Tom Molineaux

Tom Molineaux, the famous bare knuckle boxer, entered Cornish wrestling tournaments in England when touring in the early 1800s.<ref name="SA08081812">Exeter Annual wrestling match, Staffordshire Advertiser, 8 August 1812, p4.</ref><ref name="BTM01081812">Exeter Annual wrestling, Bristol Times and Mirror, 1 August 1812, p3.</ref>
Billy Bray, the famous unconventional Cornish preacher, was a Cornish wrestler.<ref name="CG22092010">Fears for future of wrestling after event's small turnout, Cornish Guardian, 22 September 2010.</ref>
Abraham Lincoln, the president of the United States, was a Cornish wrestler and would practice Cornish wrestling during his work outs in the White House.<ref name="TG12062001">Playing the judo card cost Hague his job, The Guardian (London), 12 June 2001.</ref><ref name="TS03062023">Gruesome British folk sports – from cheese-rolling to Hare Pie Scramble, The Spectator; London, 3 June 2023.</ref>
The US president, statesman and soldier Theodore Roosevelt, started training in Cornish wrestling when he was New York governor, where he was taught three times a week by Professor Mike J Dwyer.<ref name="NYT1">Gov. Roosevelt, a Wrestler, New York Times, 1 December 1899, p1.</ref><ref name="MJ21011906">Wrestler has apparently defied all traditions of athletics and is throwing all comers, The Minneapolis Journal, 21 January 1906</ref><ref name="TMJ21011906">Old "Farmer" Burns comes back and shows splendid condition, The Minneapolis journal, 21 January 1906, p3.</ref>
John Lillywhite, the famous cricketer who was in the first England team, competed in Cornish wrestling tournaments in the mid-1800s.<ref name="C29121887">Cornwall, Cornishman, 29 December 1887, p6.</ref><ref name="C13091894"/><ref name="WBCA03101856">Wrestling, West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser, 3 October 1856, p5.</ref>
US senator, Thomas Kearns, when he moved from Kansas to Utah, went around Cornish mining camps challenging the strongest miners to Cornish wrestling matches for side bets.<ref name="TSFC12011909">Wit sharpened by fight for fortune, The San Francisco call, 12 January 1909, p6.</ref>
Robert James Fitzsimmons, better known as Bob Fitzsimmons was a Cornish professional boxer who was the sport's first three-division world champion between 1894 and 1903. He knew Cornish wrestling from when he was a boy and used Cornish wrestling tricks in his early finish fights.<ref name="VDT010324">"Fitz" wrestled, The Victoria Daily Times, 1 March 1924, p10.</ref> He usually had a wrestler in his camp while training for a fight.<ref name="SBS06041924">Berlenbach shows wrestling training, San Bernardino Sun, 6 April 1924, p4.</ref><ref name="C25031897">Robert Fitz-Simmons, Cornishman, 25 March 1897, p7.</ref><ref name="CDN02131924">Boxing and wrestling won't mix, says Edgren, Canton Daily News, 2 March 1924, p20.</ref>
Roy Jennings was a rugby player that played for Redruth and the British Lions (touring Australia and New Zealand in 1930), who regularly competed in Cornish wrestling tournaments in the 1930s. He also represented Cornwall in the 1933 inter-Celtic wrestling tournament.<ref name="C31081933">Breton wrestlers in Cornwall, Cornishman, 31 August 1933, p6.</ref><ref name="MT19101935">Iron Men, Manawatu Times, 19 October 1935, p11.</ref>
The actors, Paul Dupuis and Ralph Michael, studied Cornish wrestling under middleweight champion Tom Cundry, for their roles in the film - Johnny Frenchman.<ref name="CPMN08091944">Cornish wrestling at stake, Cornish Post and Mining News, 8 September 1944, p3.</ref> Later, Dupuis and Michael were invited to enter the Cornish wrestling festival at Helston.<ref name="BW21031946">For Realism, Border Watch — (SA), 21 March 1946, p4.</ref><ref name="TG140945">Paul Dupuis, from the CBC Here, Becomes a Star of British Films, The Gazette, Montreal, 14 September 1945, p6.</ref>