Poverty Bay close in matches for Skene Trophy

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

POVERTY Bay lost 7–5 to Rangitikei in the final of the Skene Trophy on Sunday in the premier six-goal competition of the annual Harvest Transport Poverty Bay Polo Open.

The composite Bay team of Pete Dormer and Ben Finney from Christchurch had teamed up with club president Neville Clark and former Bay player Glen Armstrong to form a handy combination.

Five-goaler Angus McKelvie led the charge for Rangitikei with brother Cameron, wife Harriet and newcomer Briant Grant.

Dormer opened the scoring for the home side but Angus McKelvie came up with a quick reply from Rangitikei. and another of the same for the visitors to lead 2-1 after the first chukka. Another goal to Angus in the second and with a ripper by Neville Clark on the gong, for Rangitikei to lead 3-2 at the halfway stage of the 4 chukker final.

A goal again to McKelvie in the third with one to Finney from Poverty Bay and another sensational individual goal to Clark again on the gong for the homeside to draw level at the end of the third chukker.

The homeside then slipped a notch to give Cam McKelvie opportunities for a strong last chukker scoring three with one reply from Armstrong to give the visitors their two-goal winning margin 7-5.

An exciting gameIt was an excellent and exciting game throughout and the Skene Trophy is still evading Poverty Bay since they last won the coveted trophy in 1972 with Dave Kirkpatrick, Bruce Holden, John Lane and John Sherratt. Poverty Bay and Rangitikei had beaten Morningstar from Auckland and Cambridge respectively in the semis on the previous day.

Morningstar beat Cambridge 8-7 in extra time to take out the handicap final (Kirkpatrick Cup).

Ballance Poverty Bay with Andrew Moore, Scott and uncle Tennant McNeil had acquired the services of Allan Browne from Cambridge to have an excellent tournament, convincingly beating Birchleigh from Hawkes Bay 15 – 2 ½ in the 0 Goal open final.

Tennant came out of retirement having not played for quite a number of years and exceeded the crowd’s anticipation with three goals in the final and flashes of the past, while nephew Scott looked promising with anther two and Moore had a blinder as did Browne with five each.

The “all girls” Ballance Poverty Bay team were one of the crowd favourites. While showing promise they missed the bounce of the ball a few times but could be pleased with their efforts in going down to Hawkes Bay by 5 ½ - 1 in the final of the 0 goal handicap. The team consisted of Laura Clark, Casey Mullany, Laura Malone (Hawkes Bay) and Tanya Lavas (Auckland).

Neville Clark’s performance over the weekend was enough to edge out Angus McKelvie for a very popular Jolly Stockman “Player of the Tournament” prize and also win the Champion Senior pony with his mare Marie.

Other prize winners were:

‘Betavet’ Senior Team of Ponies – Angus McKelvie‘Fiber Fresh’ Junior Pony – Andy Moore’s “Rebel”‘Betavet’ Junior Team – Allan BrowneGroom – Morningstar’s – NaiomiNeville and Laura Clark and Andrew Moore compete for Poverty Bay in the four-goal section at Kihikihi this week while former Bay player Glenn Sherriff makes his debut for NZ to play against a 25-goal side from Argentina at the International Day at Kihikihi on Saturday. The NZ team is captained by JP Clarkin with Jimmy Wood from Christchurch, Thomas Hunt from Cambridge and Sherriff.