Mallets at the ready for PB Polo Open

OPEN ACTION: A dozen teams will contest the three grades of the Harvest Transport Poverty Bay Polo Open this weekend at the Bushmere grounds, and the Bay teams should do well. Cody Clark, in the centre of this charge, will steer the Poverty Bay A team against line-ups from Hawke’s Bay and Waikato. Picture by Paul Rickard

The annual Harvest Transport Poverty Bay Polo Open at the Bushmere grounds this weekend has attracted a dozen teams and the history-stacked event is set to provide two great days of action.

There will be six one-hour games played each day, with the first match under way from 9.30am tomorrow.

“We’ve got a full book of teams, 12 in all, in three grades,” said Poverty Bay Polo Club president Neville Clark.

“The Bushmere grounds look phenomenal for this tournament. They are exceptional.”

The annual polo open has been running for well over 100 years.

“So there’s a lot of history around it,” Clark said.

“We’ll have 250-plus horses here for it.”

The visiting teams are Kihikihi from the Waikato, Wanstead from southern Hawke’s Bay and the Hawke’s Bay team.

“Plus, of course, our two Poverty Bay teams,” said Clark.

“Our line-up in the nought-goal section, the Harvest Transport Poverty Bay A team, will be led by my son Cody Clark, alongside Rob Telfer, Susie Hamilton and Pepé Le Pew (aka Frenchman Marco Barthelemy).”

The Kirkpatrick Farm Feeds Bay B team are Marcus Shanks, Burne McNeil, Will Jackson and Matt MacLaurin.

“The Bay teams will do well. They are nicely balanced sides,” Neville Clark said.

“Cody will steer the A team around the park and he’ll be well supported by Rob, Susie and Pepé, who is a low-goal player but full of enthusiasm.

“The B team are also a well-balanced unit and will be strong going forward.”

Entry to the grounds is free and there is plenty of shade.

“We welcome one and all for two days of top polo action.”