International feel to Poverty Bay Open

IN TOP FORM: Poverty Bay No.2 Susie Hamilton (left) had an outstanding tournament in the Poverty Bay Polo Open over the weekend, showing the type of form that earned her selection in the New Zealand women’s team to play Australia at Cambridge next month. Joey Malone, of Hawke’s Bay C, gets close to the action in the Saturday match that Poverty Bay won 8-½. On Sunday, Poverty Bay won the 0-goal final against Wanstead B 7-1. Picture by Paul Rickard

POLO

SUSIE Hamilton hails from Tiniroto but has an international view when it comes to polo.

She had an outstanding tournament in the Harvest Transport Poverty Bay Polo Open at the Bushmere grounds over the weekend.

It was no surprise to spectators when it was announced after the 0-goal final that she had been selected for the New Zealand women’s team to play Australia at Cambridge next month.

Hamilton, 32, played at No.2 for the Poverty Bay Harvest Transport team that defeated Wanstead B 7-1 in the Rebecca Williams Photography 0-goal final.

Hamilton played above her 0-goal handicap and stamped her mark on the game with lots of intelligent plays.

The Poverty Bay team of Pepe Barthelemy (from France and working for the Clark family), Hamilton, Rob Telfer at No.3 and Cody Clark at No.4 had a great tournament in the 0-goal grade.

They had a one-sided win against Hawke’s Bay C on Saturday, 8-½, keeping the opposition scoreless as Hawke’s Bay C had a half-goal handicap start.

Their 7-1 win against a strong Wanstead B side in the grade final on Sunday was an impressive performance.

Barthelemy played very well in the final of his first tournament.

Telfer played with authority and hard riding at No.3, while 2-goaler Clark played with his usual finesse and directed play well from the back.

Hawke’s Bay A defeated Wanstead A 7-6 in the Eastland Veterinary Services 6-goal final.

Hawke’s Bay A — Jonny Coddington and wife Lucy, Matt Pitts (borrowed from the Waimai Club) and Ann-Marie Cavanagh — got ahead at the vital time in an exciting match where the lead changed throughout.

Wanstead A — Pete Hyslop, East Coast’s Wirihana Kururangi, Lucas Simcox and 5-goaler Lochie Hunter — pushed Hawke’s Bay all the way.

A feature of the game was the battle of skills between Wanstead’s Hunter/Simcox combination and Hawke’s Bay’s Coddington/Pitts combo.

Hawke’s Bay D defeated Waimai 3½-3 in the Ballance Agri-Nutrients low-goal open final.