Revised Summer League and Competition Rules (Revised January 2025)

1.  Constitution

1. The Association shall be called THE ABINGDON & DISTRICT AUNT SALLY LEAGUE governed by an elected Committee including a Chairperson, a Secretary, Treasurer and a number of other members (up to a maximum of 10 people) who may fulfil specific roles including, but not specific to, Doll Recording, Competitions organisation and section representatives.
2. The Association will bank with an appropriate financially regulated body which will provide accounts held in the name of the association and deposits and withdrawals of monies from these accounts will be monitored and executed by at least 2 authorised committee members signatories. The account is held with the Newbury Building Society.
3. All members will have voting matters on all matters affecting the Association. Each registered team will have 1 vote only at the AGM and any ad hoc General Meetings held.
4. The elected Committee will be able to co-opt additional members during the year subject to the maximum number (10).
5. The Committee will meet regularly during the year and notes will be kept of all decisions taken by the Committee.
6. Proposals for any changes to the rules or any other matters affecting the running of the league should be presented, in writing, ideally 14 days before the published date of the AGM.
7. All disputes affecting the administration or implementation of the league competitions, individual or team grievances, inappropriate behaviour or any other matter impacting on the playing and conduct of the league must be formally raised in writing with the Chairperson in writing and will be investigated appropriately by the Committee who will decide if any actions/changes/rule amendments are needed.
8. The Committee will be responsible for the ongoing development, maintenance and cost of the Associations web site.

2.  Registration and Fees

1. All players need to be registered with the League and the names will be recorded on the team listings published on the website. The entry fee for each team is £45 and includes up to 15 players. Additional players may be registered during the season subject to Committee approval as late registrations may potentially adversely affect the balance of the section formation or, in some situations the designated handicaps.
2. Landlords, landladies and club stewards who are not initially registered as players may be include in teams on an irregular basis, but their names should be included on the team registrations to enable their scores to be recorded.
3. Transfers are not permitted, but in the event of a player being registered for more than 1 team the team for which they first play they will be ineligible to play for the other registered team. The only exception to this rule will be if a team is unable to fulfil its fixtures and withdraws partway through the season any of their registered players may be free to join other teams again subject to Committee approval which will normally be forthcoming subject to the usual considerations regarding handicaps and section formations.

3.  League Rules

1. The playing pitch must be 10 yards long from the doll standing to the throwing point (the oche) which can be permanent or fixed but should be raised ideally by 2 inches.
2. The doll, painted white, needs to be 6 inches high and 3 and a quarter inches in diameter.
3. The doll should sit on a vertical swivel stand 30 inches high and with a platform to stand not exceeding more than one and a half inches in diameter. Ideally a black backing area should be fixed centrally behind the doll stand.
4. Wooden sticks measuring 18 inches length and a maximum diameter of 2 inches but can be of varying weights and can be partially taped, but not fully covered.
5. All League games will be played on Wednesdays with a start time of 8.15pm. All scheduled matches should be complete on the scheduled date and any postponement or re-arrangement will need to be notified to and agreed by an appropriate Committee officer in advance with both teams’ agreement.
6. Handicaps, where appropriate, and section compositions are based on the top average of the top 8 registered players for each team based on the previous season and this will include players who have moved teams and/or leagues.
7. The league games will be of 3 legs (horses) all of 8 players throwing 6 sticks in each leg the winning team in each leg will be awarded 2 points per leg and in the event of a tied leg both teams will earn 1 point.
8. The order of play on the evening will be decided by the team captains tossing a coin for the first and third legs with the winning team choosing to throw first or put the other team in. The second leg the team that lost the first leg toss will have the choice.
9. Callers and “stickers up for each leg will be provided by the home team all should be registered players of that team and if they are playing, they should be substituted to enable them to prepare and take their throws.
10. The non-throwing side are required to recognise and respect their opponents when they are throwing in the same way as they would expect their opponents to behave. “Treating each other with respect”.
11. The match card provided should be completed and signed by all players before play commences and by both captains at the end of the fixture and all of the scores need to be completed online by the winning team within 48 hours of the match being played. The losing captain should also check that the sores have been entered and are correct. It is good practice for both captains  to take a photograph of the match card  to minimise the possibility of incorrect entry of scores being recorded. On submission of the match card a match number will be supplied, and the scores will be retained online under that match number.
12. A handicap system applies to the Premier and A sections only. As mentioned in rule 14 the individual team handicaps are determined by the Committee at the start of the season based on the aggregate average of their top 8 registered players from the previous season. Each team in these sections are assessed individually and therefore the handicap whilst fixed for each team will mean different handicaps (greater or smaller) will apply to teams even though they may be in the same section.
13. League positions through the season are based on both points won and dolls scored. Where the handicap system applies the handicap dolls awarded to teams are included in their total dolls scored.
14. In each section the team winners and runners upon completion of the season will be awarded a trophy in recognition of their achievement. There are no individual trophies for league winners or runners up although there are trophies that recognise individual league performance during the year including for most 6’s (overall) and for the top doll scorers in each section.

4.  Additional Individual and Team Competitions

1. Through the season the Association organise several individual and team competitions, namely (as at 2025) these are the Team 8’s, team 5’s team 4’s team 3’s, Pairs, Singles, Captains and Secretaries. These are arranged on various throughout the summer months and entry for all of these competitions requires a separate registration process with entry fees being set at £1 per player in each competition. In 2024 at an Extraordinary General Meeting it was agreed that all of these Competitions, traditionally long standing events over many years would only be held if at least 8 entries were received.
2. The rules for these Competitions vary, in part, from the normal league rules largely because they are knockout events which are played to the final or semi final stage on one day/evening and therefore require an immediate result or outcome.
3. The team 8’s competition is the only one with a handicap system which is based on a 2 doll advantage per section exampled by if a Premier side is drawn against a side from section C the section C side would have a doll advantage of 6 per leg, a B Section drawn against a side from section C would have to concede 2 dolls per leg to their opponents
4. All entrants must be registered players.
5. Named individuals for each team who are unable to play when the event takes place can be replaced by a fellow team member providing that the substitute has not already played in that competition. The replacement must then continue in that team throughout. The originally named team member cannot therefore return to that competition even if that competition continues to be played later (e.g. Finals Night).
6. In team competitions where more than one team plays more than 1 game is on the same day substitutes will be permitted providing that they have been originally named as members for that team.
7. For most Competitions entries will be accepted before or on the day of the competition and the draw will take place and order of play determined on the day.
8. Practice and, where necessary, compensatory throws, will be allowed for all competitions including those held on Finals and Presentation Night at the discretion of the Committee.
9. All Competitions will be played as the best of 3 legs. In the event of a tied leg play will proceed to a third leg. If after the third leg no clear winner is established, then a result will be determined by each player throwing (and holding) 3 sticks. Should that not provide a result each player will then throw (and hold) 1 stick. If no result at that stage, then both teams/individuals will revert to an additional 6 stick leg.
10. Callers and stickers up for all Competitions will be provided either by fellow competitors or, members of the Committee.