NZ Polocrosse Board Announces New Junior Scholarship.

Polocrosse NZ has obtained a further junior scholarship to Queensland in conjunction with the existing junior scholarship to New South Wales (NSW). Since the late 1990's junior polocrosse players have applied for the scholarships to the NZ Polocrosse Board based on a recommendation from their Association and President.
Initially the NSW exchange scholarship was for one player per annum but as the benefits of the scholarship became apparent, the scholarship has increased to two players to NSW and now one to Queensland.

As the popularity of polocrosse increases, so does the quality of applications submitted.

The three successful applicants for 2007 are Flo Cumming, Sam Cunningham, and Mareka Prentice. On June 28th Flo and Mareka travel to NSW and Sam to Queensland and will return on 23rd July. They will be staying with host families, travelling with them to carnivals and playing for their host clubs on horses supplied.

Mareka Prentice Best No.2 NZ Juniors 2007

Mareka Prentice, age 16, lives in Turangi at the southern end of Lake Taupo and plays for the Tuwharetoa Development Squad in the King Country Association.
His father and other whanau played polocrosse for Kuratau - a King Country Club - in the late 1970's so he has had family support throughout his polocrosse career. Along with other young members of the Squad, Mareka has had meteoric success since he first started playing in 2005. This year's success included selection in the NZ Junior Team, Best No2 at the NZ Junior Championships and in the team named Best Turned Out at the NZ Junior Championships.
Apart from polocrosse, Mareka enjoys pig hunting, breaking in horses and local race and sports days.

Flo Cumming is 15 years old and lives north of Hatfield Beach, North Auckland. She plays for the Counties Polocrosse Club in the Waikato Association. She has been playing polocrosse for about five years and, aside from success with the scholarship, the highlight for Flo has been at the 2007 NZ Junior Championships where she won Best Pony with 'China'. She is also a member of the NZ Junior Polocrosse team.
Flo is a very active, successful, and multi-talented sports woman strongly supported and encouraged by her parents Shirleen and Al. She is a rep for the Whangaparoa Netball Club and plays lacrosse and soccer for her school, Pinehurst.
She enjoys hunting with the Kaipara Hunt in North Auckland and when visiting the family farm, rides with the Brackenfield Hunt in North Canterbury.

The inaugural Queensland scholarship resulted from discussions with NZ Polocrosse President Robin Cave and Queensland President Phillip Hughes. This scholarship opens doors and creates further opportunities for junior players from both countries.

Sam Cunningham is delighted to travel to Queensland. Fourteen-year-old Sam has been a member of the Ashhurst Polocrosse Club in the Manawatu Association for four years. He lives on a sheep and beef property where Sam enjoys helping on the farm at weekends. His parents, Dean and Theresa, also have an equine business where they break in and pre-train thoroughbreds. Sam enjoys rugby, horse sports, helping at the stables and track work at the Bulls training track. Sam is a member of the NZ Junior Polocrosse team for 2007. He will be staying on a cattle station near Roma in Queensland.

As these are reciprocal scholarships, the Australian polocrosse juniors will visit New Zealand in January, the height of our polocrosse season. This allows them to take part in our coaching camp, play in our National Junior competition and other polocrosse carnivals.

The NZ Polocrosse Board thanks all scholarship applicants, congratulates the successful candidates, and highly commends Kenyon Marais from Waipa Association and Chris Kereopa from King Country.

Mareka breaking in his pony

Mareka the boarslayer