Haydon Pinhey

Snooker Exhibition, Colyton Memorial Social Club 2025

Seaton Snooker League in association with Colyton Memorial Social Club promoted and sponsored an exhibition of snooker by first year professional Haydon Pinhey from Plymouth. After outlining the programme for the evening Master of Ceremonies, Steve Canniford, head of the WEBSF( West of England Billiards & Snooker Foundation), introduced the referee for the evening Nick Harry and professional, Haydon Pinhey.

Haydon played ten frames averaging sixteen minutes per frame, winning all ten frames, against local league and club players.  The overall average frame scores being....the Professional 90pts v Challengers 20pts. Average frame time 16mins.

Between frames, whilst the balls were being set up and the players were having photographs taken, Steve Canniford relayed some interesting facts about Haydon and Nick:

Haydon Pinhey

(WST Snooker Professional)

Haydon's journey towards World Professional status began when he joined the West of England Billiards & Snooker Foundation (WEBSF) as an amateur at the age of nine years. Under the guidance of the WEBSF coaching volunteers it wasn't long before he started winning tournaments, the first being the WEBSF Bronze Waistcoat for under 16's in 2012. Haydon went on to contest no less than forty-two WEBSF finals at bronze, silver and gold levels, amassing more than £5,000 in prizemoney, almost £2,000 more than any other player competing in WEBSF tournaments.

After four closely fought failed attempts to qualify from Q School, Haydon finally achieved professional status at the fifth time of asking at the age of 27. Well respected cue sportswriter, Michal Day of Totally Snookered wrote: 

“It was a case of fifth time’s a charm for Pinhey, who had agonisingly lost in the final round in each of the last four years at Q School. He has previously appeared on the pro circuit many times before as an amateur top up player and registered several notable victories, including one over Luca Brecel."

There is a video on You Tube of the final frame that is well worth a watch!

As an amateur Haydon won the Plymouth singles championship 8 years in row….no mean feat given the number of Plymouth players capable of making century breaks. Haydon feels he should’ve made his first century at fourteen years old but bottled it in the nervous 90’s….it was two years later when he made his first century, one day after his 16th birthday, a 102……follow by another 102 the very next frame! 

Haydon has made at least fifty century breaks in the Plymouth leagues and singles competitions…..twenty-one century breaks have come in the Tuesday league alone. Haydon has made three 147 breaks against opposition in practice matches to date.

When an amateur Haydon proudly represented England 4 times….as an under 16, under18 and twice as an under 21. At the Southwest Snooker Academy, Haydon reached the final of the Mius under 18’s European Open, taking the Runner-up spot.

Haydon is available for exhibitions or challenge matches and can be contacted via his  Email: Haydonpinhey155@gmail.com  or Haydon.pinhey147@yahoo.co.uk or by visiting his web site.

Nick Harry 

(WST Referee)

You won’t see Nick wielding a cue very often but like most referees he most certainly contributes towards the game. He keeps a watchful eye over proceedings at the highest level…..adjudicating with authority whenever the need arises. Nick’s stamina and prolonged powers of concentration is evident. When he used to officiate at WEBSF tournaments he would regularly referee from 9:30 in the morning through until close of play, which on one occasion was close to midnight! We at the WEBSF considered ourselves very fortunate to have had such a committed referee volunteer, who gave his time feely on numerous occasions.

Nick has officiated in several professional tournaments, including the 2023 World Seniors Championship Qualifiers. He is also part of a group of referees who were invited to officiate at the 2019 WSS ROKiT Masters. Nick has also refereed alongside Michaela Tabb.

Nick is an enthusiastic referee, always available to officiate local amateur finals and exhibitions. He remembers refereeing Mark Williams in May 2024 where Mark made back-to-back Maximums. 

Nick’s TV Debut was live on Eurosport refereeing Mark Selby he also refereed Ken Doherty at the Crucible in August 2019, again live on TV.