Shepherd Neame Supports Former Licensee and Rising Kent Darts Star Vicky Cauteruccio

p-and-coming Kent darts player Vicky Cauteruccio is aiming high, thanks to new sponsorship from Faversham-based brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame.

The independent family business has stepped in to support Vicky, who lives in Sandwich, after she decided to focus on the sport full-time.

Currently ranked 43rd in the World Darts Federation (WDF) UK and Ireland Women’s rankings, Vicky has a special connection to Shepherd Neame, as she and wife Ant previously ran one of its pubs. The couple were licensees of the Fitzwalter Arms in Goodnestone prior to the Covid pandemic.

They were on a family holiday last year when Vicky was encouraged to enter a Winmau Challenge Tour event – a decision that proved pivotal as she made it to the semi-final and hasn’t looked back since.

“It is all a learning curve,” she said. “The darts were always on in my house, and Mum and Dad both played in teams when I was growing up.

“I had always played in pub teams and we’d won the league a few times, but I never thought of anything more than that. I was very surprised to reach the semi-final. I just stood back and thought this is unreal. It was mad.”

Vicky, who has two sons aged two and five, first played in the Mill Inn in Deal and now plays in The Vault in Dover. She practices for around two hours a day on her own dartboard at home.

“I’m over the moon to have received sponsorship from Shepherd Neame,” she said. “We have a strong relationship with the Brewery, and I have always played in pubs, so it feels very fitting. I hope I can do Shepherd Neame proud!”

Head of Brands at Shepherd Neame, Rose Davis, said: “We are delighted to help Vicky on her journey in the darts world. There has been a growing interest in women’s sports in recent years, including in darts, and we are pleased to back Vicky as she champions both to a wider audience.”