News from Scone Polo Club – Source NSW Polo Association Newsletter
Jason Crowder, a 5-goal pro from the United States, is currently competing in Australia. He played on the Sydney Polo and Country Club team and won the Hector King Tournament trophy. Rob Ballard, a 4-goal Australian pro, was also on his team. Rob played here in the U.S. last winter at the Eldorado Polo Club in Indio, CA.
Sydney Polo and Country Club defeated Jemalong to win the Hector King Trophy, the NSWPA’s 10 goal Club Championship.
All of the games – especially the final, were exciting. It see-sawed up until the last chukker. Tony Ryan was the key to Sydney’s ultimate win and Rob Ballard displayed some of his special magic scoring two spectacular goals in the last chukker putting Sydney out of harm’s way. Jemalong was right up there all the way. Andrew Williams was consistently excellent and worked relentlessly. It could have gone either way but ultimately Sydney got the better of Jemalong to take home the prestigious Hector King Trophy.
NSWPA Hector King Tournament Results
Hector King Trophy was won by Sydney Polo and Country Club
P Higgins 1, R Ballard 4, J. Crowder 5, T Ryan 0
Millamolong won the King Family Trophy:
J Ashton 0, M Lillyman 4, G Lee 5, W Ashton 1
Pentacle Property won B Grade:
J Burkitt 0, E Matties 2, A Williams 4, M Anderson -2
Killarney won C Grade:
G Birrell 0, T Ryan 0, R McCarthy 3, N Brown -1
Three horses belonging to Peter Higgin’s and ridden by Rob Ballard won the Pony Prize.
Ian McDuie sent this news from the Scone Annual Tournament.
Fourteen teams competed in four grades for the Annual Scone Polo Club Tournament on the weekend and it attracted a good crowd of spectators in fine spring weather.
Teams from the home club performed well, winning the finals of the three lower grades, but when it came to the A Grade final for the coveted Macintyre Cup, it was Wirragulla, from the lower Hunter at Dungog, and the Sydney Polo Club teams who faced up in a thrilling final.
With the score at 9 all when the final bell rang, the teams went into a sudden-death extra chukka, with Wirragulla scoring from the first play to take out the 2006 Trophy.
Captain Jock Mackay won the Mistral Trophy for champion playing pony with his homebred mare Fancy, while the Haydon Trophy for champion team of ponies went to Scone captain Rob Archibald with his team of Blush, Bronze and Tonic.
Wirragulla Tournament Results
Jaime Mackay writes: The Wirragulla Tournament was a great success with 8 teams playing. The Mackay Cup was won by Wirragulla: Jock Mackay, Julie McIntosh, Joe Curran, Mal Moffat.
The defeated Sydney Polo and Country Club 7 goals to 5 1/2.
The Sydney team was:
Peter Higgins, Greg Ballard, Rob Ballard & Andrew Doyle.
The B Grade was won by Scone B defeating Scone C, 7 goals to 4 1/2. Scone B players: Jack Archibald, Henry Bell, Ed Archibald, James Archibald.
North Star Tournament Results
Simon Doolin, President of North Star Polo Club writes with his Club’s Annual Tournament results:
A Grade final: Salvage -5 VS. North Star -4, Richard Doolin scoring 3 goals & Morgan Ruig scoring 2 goals
A Grade losers final: Beersheba -10 VS. Gunnedah -8.5, W. Glennie scoring 4 goals, J.Daniels scoring 2 goals
B Grade final: Gold Coast -7 VS. North Star 2 -6, R. Rawlings scoring 7 goals
B Grade loser final: Downs 1-14 VS. Downs 2- 6.5, T Houston Scoring 6 goals
Best and Fairest awarded to Richard Doolin
UPCOMING EVENTS IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2006
OCTOBER
Sat 21 and Sun 22 Archibald-Cudmore Trophy, 6 Goal Championship at ‘Ellerston’, Scone
Sat 21 and Sun 22 Riverlands 4 Goal at Riverlands Polo Club, Richmond and Bentley Cup 10-12 goal at Sydney Polo and Country Club
Sun 21 – Sun 29 Ellerston Spring Trophy, 16 Goal at ‘Ellerston’, Scone
Sat 28 and Sun 29 Folly Lodge 6 goal Tournament, Tourist Road, Glenquarry, near Bowral, Southern Highlands
Sat 28 and Sun 29 Archibald-Cudmore Trophy, 6 Goal Championship at ‘Ellerston’, Scone.
NOVEMBER
Sat 4 – Sun 12 Melbourne Cup International Tournament at Werribee Park
Sat 4 and Sun 5 Jemalong Tournament, Forbes
Sat 11 and Sun 12 Riverlands Ladies International
Sat 18 and Sun 19 Millamolong Tournament, including State of Origin
Drought Update
Despite all the good news, polo is having a tough spring due to the ongoing drought. Two of our Clubs, Garangula in the south and Timor in the north, have cancelled tournaments scheduled for November.
All 2006 tournament dates are on the website under NSW and Events Calendar www.australianpolo.com.au.