TOUR HISTORY

Quick Facts:

Longest, largest running regional women’s tour.
Most women in one event – 72 – at Fast Eddie’s in Austin, Texas Feb 2006 (won by Xiaoting Pan (from China)
Most women in a combined event – 128 – when the Hunter Classics Tour was held in conjunction with the Amateur Nationals in Austin, TX in August 1995 (won by Kimberly Kirk).
Most expensive cue(s): Hunter Classics Custom Cues valued at $2,700 – raffled at Big Daddy’s Billiards in Alvin, TX November 2004. $2,600 – raffled at Legend’s Billiards in League City August 2004. Two others – One raffled off Sept 2001 and the other Feb 2003 valued each at $2,400.
Lisa Marr becomes first to win three events in a row (2002)!
Leslie Anne Rogers becomes first to win Tour Champion FIVE Years in a row (2001-2005)

How and Why did the Hunter Tour get started?
First Hunter Article – “Hunter Classics Amateur Women’s Tour Kicks Off Its First Year”
‘Tour Director’ to ‘Board of Directors’:
Susan Dasher – Tour Director (1994-1997) and Tour Coordinator (1998)
December 21, 1997 Newsletter
Directors Corner (1998)
Board of Directors (1999-present)
OB Cues Takes Over Sponsorship – 2008
Jerry Olivier Custom Cues becomes Tour Sponsor – 2018

How did Qualifiers start?
Gentleman Jack offers 4 Qualifiers – 1998 (and who can play in them?)
Two WPBA Prescott Qualifiers were won in 1998 and early 1999
Starting in April of 1999, each stop would be a WPBA Qualifier! (you could qualify for the event by paying an extra $50. Whoever has placed the highest and paid the extra $50, gets to play in a WPBA event!)
Top Ten Qualifier Drawing (year 2000 only due to WPBA Qualifier limit) – at the end of the year, the top ten names in the rankings who had not won a qualifier were put in a hat and a name was drawn to see who won a WPBA Qualifier. Julie Stephenson won the Qualifier in 2000.
WPBA limits Qualifiers to 4 a year – 2001 to Feb 2002 * *(A 60-day notice is required by the WPBA to have a Qualifier – because ABQ was in Feb, we didn’t hear this news in time for the stop to be a Qualifier.) * (1/29/02) Players ranked on the WPBA Tour up to 48, but who are not a Touring Pro, must pay an additional $25 to play in any non-qualifiers at a Hunter Tour Event. If the event is a qualifier, you do not have to pay the extra $25.
Each stop a WPBA Qualifier started again in 2004 to present.
2005 – trial period of $75 fee or number of ladies interested in qualifier divided into $500 (which ever is lesser).
Qualifier fee was reduced from $75 to only $20 for all the stops of 2006. Courtesy of an anonymous donor who wants to provide an avenue for ALL players to afford a chance at the WPBA Qualifiers. If $500 (the price of a WPBA entry fee) is not raised with the WPBA Qualifier fees, he will make up the difference for the tour and the ladies. Thank you to our anonymous donor!
Qualifier Winners
Can Pros play? How did that evolve?
WPBA Pro Players who have played on the Hunter Tour.
Hunter Classics Logo – created in 2000 and a new one created in 2005.

True Double Elimination?
1994-2001 – The semi-finals was a race to 9 and the finals was one race to 11.
2002 – After a few inquiries from some of the players wanting a true double elimination tournament, the Hunter Classics Board took a vote of the members to see if they wanted the finals of the Hunter Classics Tour to be true double elimination or kept to one race to 9 in the semi-final and one race to 11 in the final. When the voting was over, an overwhelming majority wanted the tour to become true double elimination (i.e. race 7 in the semi-final and (if necessary two races to 7) in the final. This change was implemented in 2002.

Who Breaks?
1994 – 2000 – Winner breaks.
2001- 2005 – In a effort to encourage new players to participate in the Hunter Classics Tour-all matches played on Saturday will be alternating break. Players will flip or lag for the first break and will alternate turns during the remainder of the match. Matches played on Sunday will be Winner break.
2006- present – Alternate break throughout the entire tournament.

How have the points evolved?
1994-1999: points were given through 12th place for each stop.
2000-2001: Points changed to reflect an incentive for players trying to get perfect attendance. Each person per stop received points.
In 20 2002 – present, Points were changed to accommodate WPBA Regional Tour Championships (RTC). Beginning in 2001 through 2018 the RTC invitations were offered to the top sixty-four regional tour players in the US & Canada determined by the point system to compete in an annual one time, round robin event hosted at different venues in the US.

What awards are available?
Tour Champion – the player with the most points. The WPBA started inviting the Tour Champion to the WPBA Nationals. Precedence has been an invite to the BCA Nationals in May, also. Quick Fact: So far there has been only one play-off – in 1999, when Melanie Koger and Shelly Barnes tied for points at the end of the last stop. They played one race and Melanie won.
Most Improved Player
Perfect Attendance
Best Sportsmanship 

What about the Second Chance Event ?
Held EVERY Sunday of a Hunter Classics Stop for members not in the main event (or couldn’t play on Saturday due to personal conflicts). At least $100 is added to the tournament with only a $10 entry fee. Tour Champions are not eligible to play in this tournament.