Far North darts player Jaymie Hilton-Jones showing the form on the oche that has seen him chosen a one of only two Kiwis taking part in the PDC Youth World Championship in England in October
Far North darts player Jaymie Hilton-Jones showing the form on the oche that has seen him chosen a one of only two Kiwis taking part in the PDC Youth World Championship in England in October
Like any young darts player growing up, the Far North’s Jaymie Hilton-Jones dreamed that one day he could play in the Professional Darts Corporation circuit and earn big money playing against the world’s best.
Now Hilton-Jones is living the dream after being chosen as one of two New Zealand dartists to compete in the PDC Youth World Championship in England in October — a stepping stone to hopefully make the pro tour. But first he needs to raise the money to get there and is looking for help from sponsors and backers.
The 24-year-old found out he had been chosen while playing darts for Mussel Rock in Kaitāia on a Wednesday night, and immediately rang his dad, Chris, who had spurred his interest in the arrows.
The news came only a month after making the NZ Darts Team after he was runner-up to Mark Cleaver in the NZDC nationals in June.
Hilton-Jones said he couldn’t remember when he took up the tungsten and stepped up to the oche.
The Far North’s Jaymie Hilton-Jones (right), who was runner-up at the NZDC nationals to men’s singles winner Mark Cleaver, is living his dream after being chosen to play in the Professional Darts Corporation’s Youth World Champs in England in October
“It’s been years, but I can’t really recall when I started. I’ve had darts in my hands for quite a few years, though, and it’s a dream come true to be going to the PDC comp in Wigan. It’s something you dream of, but I never really thought it would happen.”
He has been playing against, and beating, adults since he was 16, and that helps handle the pressure when he’s on the oche.
“To be honest, though, I wish I’d started playing darts even earlier than I did. Darts has really taken off, particularly in the last 18 months of so with Luke Littler’s rise, and there is big money to be made on the professional circuit and I’d love to one day get on that tour and play against those big-name players.”
He’s hoping the experience will progress him to the senior professional ranks so he can take on the likes of Michael “Mighty” Mike; Van Gerwin; Luke “Cool Hand Luke” Humphries; Peter “Snakebite” Wright; Michael “Bully Boy” Smith; Rob “Voltage” Cross; Gary “Flying Scotsman” Anderson; and Luke “The Nuke” Littler.
Hilton-Jones said he did not yet have a stage name or suitable walkout song — essentials for the pro tour — they are things he has been thinking about for a few years, but never thought he’d have to seriously consider getting a darting moniker, but he’ll need one if he makes it on the pro tour. And New Zealand is one of the stops on the lucrative pro darting circuit, so he could one day be performing as a professional in his home country — “that would be amazing”.
Littler won last year’s PDC Youth World Championships as a 16-year-old and has since stepped up to be a major force on the professional circuit, winning a number of big tournaments and regularly beating some of the game’s biggest stars. Littler has so far earned more than £303,500 (about $600,000) on the pro circuit, and Hilton-Jones is keen to test himself at that level.
Last year’s PDC Youth World Championship was won by teen darting sensation Luke "The Nuke" Littler, then 16, who is now a star on the professional adult PDC circuit. The Far North’s Jaymie Hilton-Jones hopes his appearance at this year’s champs will get him into the pro ranks too. Photo / PDC
Just making the NZ team after the national champs was a big-enough shock — “I didn’t expect that at all when I went there” — but being one of the two chosen for the PDC youth champs took it to the next level for him.
“When I got chosen for the NZ team I didn’t think I had a realistic chance beforehand, but Dad was the first person I rang and I was in tears. I rang him and Mum when I got chosen for the PDC youth champs and they are both so proud. They’ve been a big part of me getting this far. Also, the Far North darts community have been amazing in supporting me,” Hilton-Jones said.
He’s still working for Laser Electrical in Kaitāia and he was thankful that the company gave him time out to compete on the national circuit, and it helped that some of his workmates also loved their darts.
“I decided to give up playing rugby a while ago to really concentrate on my darts, and while I got a bit of flak from the boys, this shows I definitely made the right decision as it’s now paying off.”
And paying off is what pro darts does big time as its popularity surges around the globe.
The total prizemoney for the PDC World Darts Champs, held over Christmas and New Year at the Alexandra Palace, in London, is £2.5m (about $5m) with the winner taking home £500,000, and Hilton-Jones hopes he will one day make it to the “Ally Pally” for the sport’s biggest event.
Those mouth-watering amounts show how much the sport generates, and while Hilton-Jones knows it will be a huge challenge to get to that level, the youth champs provide a fair amount of prizemoney.
It has a total prize pool of £45,000 ($90,000) with the winner earning £10,000 and the runner-up £5000..
Hilton-Jones needs sponsors and support to get to Wigan to compete in the PDC Youth World Championship in October. If you can help, email him on jaymiehiltonjones@gmail.com
A modern dartboard
SOME DARTING TERMS:
Arrows — another name for the darts
Oche — where the thrower stands to launch their darts at the board
Tungsten — the dense metal used to make darts. The more tungsten a dart barrel has, the smaller it can be made without sacrificing weight.
