Battle of the Bays

Glen Armstrong (left) of Poverty Bay A competes with Ollie Jones of Hawke's Bay A in the six-goal final of the Poverty Bay Polo Open at Bushmere over the weekend. Hawke's Bay beat Poverty Bay 12-5 in the final, played on Saturday and Sunday, four chukkers a day. English three-goaler Jones received awards for Player of the Tournament, Champion Team of Ponies and Champion Senior Pony. Jones did not have it all his own way, though. He played in the 0-goal final for another Hawke's Bay team against a Poverty Bay side, and Gisborne's Laura Gavin did so well marking him that it was a factor in her being awarded the Guy Kirkpatrick Memorial Trophy for horsemanship . . . and Poverty Bay won the 0-goal final 4-3. Picture by Paul Rickard

by John Sherratt

English three-goaler Ollie Jones was named Player of the Tournament at Bushmere polo ground over the weekend, and had a hand in another prestigious award.

Laura Gavin was awarded the Guy Kirkpatrick Memorial Trophy for horsemanship in the Harvest Transport Poverty Bay Polo Open, and her marking of Jones in the Wilencote 0-goal final was a factor in the judges’ decision.

Gavin was in the Poverty Bay EJ Gordon team that beat a strong Hawke’s Bay side 4-3 in a thriller. Poverty Bay borrowed Auckland one-goaler Alex Richardson, who gave a dashing performance leading from the front. Philip “Curly” Thompson was at the back, Gavin was at No.2 and resident English player Amelia Shotter was at No.1.

Both Shotter and Gavin were in outstanding form for their three games. The judges for the Guy Kirkpatrick Memorial deemed that Gavin played consistently well in all her games and played an integral part in her team’s victory in the 0-goal final with her outstanding marking of Jones, who played in that grade as well as the Eastland Vets six-goal grade. Gavin’s task was difficult, considering the difference in handicap, but good horsemanship enabled her to accomplish it.

The Poverty Bay victory meant another trophy for 75-year-old Curly Thompson to squeeze into his cabinet of cups won during a lengthy playing career with Hawke’s Bay as a five-goaler doing battle with the likes of the senior Kirkpatricks — John, David and Colin.

Richardson was not far behind Jones in form, and said he appreciated playing with three like-minded teammates . . . something that didn’t always happen. He received the award for junior pony.

Sunday was finals day for the Poverty Bay Polo Open, and Hawke’s Bay A defeated Poverty Bay A 12-5 at the end of two days’ play, each of four chukkers, in the six-goal grade.

Although Hawke’s Bay deserved to win, Poverty Bay had their moments. The home side played much better on Sunday, scoring three unanswered goals in the fifth chukker and looking likely.

But Hawke’s Bay proved too slick overall. Their combinations were better and their hitting was more consistent.

English three-goaler Jones was outstanding throughout the tournament and deservedly collected the awards for Player of the Tournament, Champion Team of Ponies and Champion Senior Pony. The others in the Hawke’s Bay team were Anna Kinge, Nick Coddington and Jared Thompson.

Glen Armstrong led a home side that also contained Fern McIldowie and the front combo of father and son Burne and Scott McNeil.

Love Racing pony awards, sponsored and initiated by Love Racing NZ in recognition of New Zealand thoroughbreds playing polo, in the senior pony category went to Naomi, ridden by Glen Armstrong and owned by Fern McIldowie; and in the junior pony category to Breeze, ridden by Amelia Shotter and owned by Rob Telfer.

Fern McIldowie heads north in a few weeks to play in the New Zealand women’s test side against Australia at Mystery Creek.

In mid-December, the club staged the Kirkpatrick Cup, which was won by the EJ Gordon team of Neville Clark, Angus Kelly, Laura Gavin and Curly Thompson.

Just before Christmas, the Clark Cup was won by the Kaharau Angus team of Jenny Shanks, Scott McNeil, Cody Clark and Curly Thompson.

The weekend before last, the Lane Trophy tournament was held over two days and won by EJ Gordon with a different combination — Jenny Shanks, Scott McNeil, Fern McIldowie and Glen Armstrong.