International Federation of Dangerous Croquet & Trivia Championship
By Taylor Hale
STEVENS POINT – A mad scientist’s mashup of trivia, croquet, and an obstacle course hit Pfiffner Park on July 10. The 2021 International Federation of Dangerous Croquet & Trivia Championship Tournament is as crazy as it sounds.
The event is the brainchild of Dave Coulthurst, co-writer of the annual 90 FM trivia contest and next in line to take over the world’s biggest trivia contest when Jim Oliva steps down.
“I started this for a friend’s birthday about 15-years ago,” Coulthurst said. “We all brought our croquet sets together to play a long game, that was the inspiration. Now we have seven courses, play multiple rounds, and have a semi-final leading to a final, which uses parts of every course.”
Roughly 35-40 people came out to play, with more than 60 coming out to spectate throughout the day. Coulthurst said the event grows each year, and the objective of the gathering is to make a fun, over-the-top spectacle.
“Anyone who walks by or hears about it can join,” Coulthurst explained. “It’s an all-day party. It can run more than 8 hours.”
Coulthurst crafts each obstacle and set-piece on his own, stating that COVID-19 gave him an abundance of time to create. He sees the event as a unique and fun thing that is special to Stevens Point, similar to the 90 FM trivia contest.
The contest sees participants playing in rounds through selected croquet-based obstacle courses, and running back to the trivia table to answer questions at certain intervals. Guests also utilize a croquet trebuchet and catapult throughout the crazy day of outdoor lawn games.
To learn more about next year’s event, follow the Portage County Gazette.