It is an old Easter tradition in Drenthe and Groningen: shooting neutje. This year there was even a Northern Dutch championship in Roden. Taking home the title turned out to be not so easy.
Somewhat disappointed, Fara (8) drops off. She has used up all her walnuts and no longer has a chance at the coveted title of ‘North Dutch champion shooting neutje’. Fortunately, the large chocolate Easter bunny that all participants receive afterwards makes up for a lot.
“I went for third place, but unfortunately it didn’t go so well,” she explains. “I didn’t get past the third round. It was quite a fun game, but I’d rather win. If you don’t win, it’s less fun anyway.”
Thick and thin
Meanwhile, the remaining participants in the category up to 12 years are still competing on the track. Shooting nuts, or shooting nuts, is the intention that you hit the back of a long row of walnuts with a bullet the size of a golf ball. As long as your throw also hits the farthest note, you throw ‘thin’ and you get points for every note hit. If you hit one or more notes in a row, but not the very last one, you throw ‘thick’ and score minus points. Throwing nothing at all also results in penalty points.
The scoring can be done in different ways and the terms ‘thick’ and ‘thin’ are also used the other way around in different places in the North. That’s what you get with such an old game, knows Lammert Kalfsbeek. As chairman of the Association for Popular Entertainment Roden, he will see to it that everything goes according to the rules that apply in Roden this Easter Monday. During the competition, which takes place in a room in the hotel Onder de Linden, he provides commentary and entertains the audience.
“Shooting neutje is actually only played at Easter,” says Kalfsbeek. “And because we want to keep this special game for the future, we have created a real Northern Dutch championship. That makes it just that little bit more exciting and competitive.”
Sisters one and two
It is not all very official, but the winners are happy with their new title. In the youngest category, after an exciting final, a special duo is at the top. Suze (8) took first place and her sister Evi (11) came second. It must be in the genes, you would say.
“It was the very first time I participated, so I thought I would be last,” laughs Suze. “I never expected to be a winner all of a sudden.”
Big sister Evi is proud of her sister and very satisfied herself. “It’s a fun game, but very difficult. You should not throw too fast, but also not too slow.” But what’s the secret? The sisters don’t have to think about that very long. “Stand as slanted as possible. Then it is best to throw along the row towards the last note.”