Southern Highlands Polocrosse
Sub Association Inc

SEPTEMBER 2008 NEWSLETTER

Issue No 3/08

ZONE PRESENTATIONS

The Southern Highlands ended the 2008 season in style with a suave presentation dinner in Goulburn. Almost two hundred members attended the night with zone president Brian Luton presenting the following awards.

Best D Grade Female - Jess Vine
Best D Grade Male - Robert Motbey
Best C Grade Female - Cathy Darmody
Best C Grade Male - Ben Mackenzie
Best B Grade Female - Cherylee Sturt
Best B Grade Male - Pat Hallam
Best A Grade Female - Belinda Tarlinton
Best A Grade Male - Jason Smith
Encouragement Award - Rachael Amey
Encouragement Umpire - Farryn Brousek
Umpire Award - Andrew Ellis
Coach of the Year - Garry Hallam
Best Sub-junior - Charlie Hartwig
Best Junior Girl - Claire Gee
Best Junior Boy - Stephen Howes
Best Intermediate Female - Annie Waterer
Best Intermediate Male - Daniel Jones
Best Female - Alison Mathie
Best Male - Greg Davidge
Mick Blenkinsopp Memorial for Best No. 2 - Kaaren Hassell
Hal O'Donnell Memorial for Horse & Rider - Belinda Tarlinton & Surprise Package
Jacko Sillis Memorial Award for Outstanding Dedication and Achievement in Horsemanship - Toni Davidge

Michael Gorman summed up the Jacko Sillis award by stating that it is the most prestigious award in our zone which every player should aim for. The recipients of this award possess what every great polocrosse player should, great horsemanship. Congratulations to Toni, a lady who lives polocrosse and horses.

The night was rounded out by some killer moves on the dance floor with many choosing to party on into the wee hours in downtown Goulburn.

AUSTRALIA v UK TEST

The Australian Senior team travelled to summery England to take on the United Kingdom in a four match test series. The Aussies headed into the series underdogs with the UK expected to take full advantage of a home turf and crowd. Despite this, the Australian side was able to run out strong victors in a whitewash, but rest assured the Brits will be doing some homework ready for the next World Cup.

Match 1 12 July 2008 at Kent - Australia 29 def United Kingdom 15
Match 2 13 July 2008 at Kent - Australia 23 def United Kingdom 19
Match 3 19 July 2008 at Essex - Australia 23 def United Kingdom 19
Match 4 20 July 2008 at Essex - Australia 37 def United Kingdom 16

The victorious Australian Test side

VISITING PLAYERS

Our zone is very fortunate to host visiting players throughout the seasons, whether they hone from other NSW zones, interstate or in the majority of cases, overseas. I think this is a great compliment to our zone, especially with players regularly returning to take to the field in the Southern Highlands. This would not be possible without the help and support of the families who welcome these players into their homes. Here the host clubs fill us in on their visiting players.

Dori Wiseman
Eurocoast was fortunate to have Dori Wiseman (Texas, USA) play with the club for several carnivals including the NSW Club Championships whilst she was visiting the Mathie family. Dori's determination and passion for the game was great to see and she was certainly a valued player.

Colleen Smythe
Colleen Smythe from Western Australia also played with Eurocoast for several carnivals this year, while staying with the Reid family. Colleen received a Best Horse Award at the NSW Club Championships riding Ben MacKenzie's 'Buckmeoff'.

Sharna & Tia Hall
Lake George was fortunate to have Sharna and Tia Hall play with our club this year. Sharna came to NSW for a working holiday staying with Deb and Greg Davidge for five months from February 2008. Our club thoroughly enjoyed having Sharna as a member, she brought light to our club and we thank her for competing with us at the NSW Club Championships and congratulate her for being selected to play at the Zone Championships.

Tia came across for two weeks to holiday with her sister and played with us at Burradoo carnival and in our Junior side at the NSW Club Championships. We wish both Sharna and Tia all the best in their representative roles with Western Australia at the Nationals and hope that one day both members will return again and wear the blue and white colours.

Annie Waterer
Annie Waterer followed in the footsteps of older brother Will coming out to spend six months on the Bengoran Stud with Cathy Bennett & Michael Gorman. She immediately fitted in with the Yass crowd and our friendly banter between Oz and the mother country could often be heard around the camp fire.

Annie's polocrosse just kept getting better throughout the season, with her awards of Best Intermediate Female No.3 at the Zone Championships and Best Intermediate Female for the Southern Highlands zone her biggest achievements.

We wish Annie all the best in her studies and her polocrosse and hopefully she will return to once again take to the paddock with the mighty black & white.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wes & Belinda Cosgrove welcomed baby boy Peter Garry Cosgrove into the world on 22 August 2008.

Peter & Kylie Blyth also welcomed a baby boy. Jack arrived on 17 September 2008.

FUNDRAISING AUCTION

The Yass Club held a fundraising auction at the zone presentations. The aim of the auction was to raise as much support for Karen Brown and her family as we could. We never expected a lot, but you all gave more than we could have ever hoped for.

Karen has shown some slight improvements and Cathy Bennett was lucky to be on the receiving end of Karen's first smile just last week. Although Karen still remains in a coma, she has heard all about how supportive our polocrosse community is. Below is a speech which Cathy Bennett gave just before the auction.

Karen joined the Yass club some 10 years ago, having come to the sport later in life, Karen would agree that she was never destined for elite Polocrosse, she simply enjoyed the sport, the atmosphere and the people.

Karen immediately fitted in, she loved the campfires, the endless conversations about horses, the Saturday night dancing, the tall tales, the Sunday morning recovery and of course the pranks. So being Australian you may play the odd trick on the 'new chum'.

In her first year as I was giving directions to Burradoo (something I would later discover was a regular assignment).

I mentioned that as Burradoo Club was a little up market, she should also pack crystal glasses and a lace table cloth in her truck along with her swag and camp oven.

Well Karen arrived at Burradoo, (after more directions), complete with camp oven, swag, crystal glass and lace tablecloth - as required, no worries.

(I had failed to mention the long drop dunnies at Burradoo but they didn't phase her either).

It resulted in her first Polocrosse award - the inaugural "Touch of Class" award from the Yass Club, and to this day she continues to bring a crystal wine glass to carnivals, 10 years on. Her latest award was Best Number 3 in her grade at Lake George carnival this year. I know she was absolutely thrilled with both awards.

I think it sums up Karen, she is a touch of class, nothing seems to phase her, she loves her horses, the mountains, a party and a dance, loves poetry, art, and photography, she can cook desserts for fancy Canberra restaurants or cook a storm in a camp oven. In sum she enjoys life.

For what ever reason, life puts challenges and disappointments in front of us. But it also makes us sit back and rethink our own values and what is really important, and how lucky we are. I think Karen herself summed it up beautifully in the article in RM Williams magazine. People of value know your true worth, and it is not judged by the value of your car, or the size of your house, but it is who you are. A real life is not about owning a big Merc.

Karen certainly does have a battle in front of her now. An old mate of mine has a saying that life is about getting scars and Harry Gorman use to say if you were not in trouble you were not having a go.

A real life usually does involve taking risks.
Most know Karen as a bit of a camp fire philosopher - let me share a note that has been taped to my fridge door for a few too many years now...

It is titled

To Take a Risk

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd, is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk failure
But risks must be taken
Because the greatest risk is to risk nothing
If you risk nothing and do nothing, you dull your spirit
You may avoid suffering and sorrow
But you cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love and live
Chained by your attitude you are a slave
You have forfeited your freedom
Only if you risk are you free.

I would suggest Karen, like the people here tonight chose a full life and its incumbent risks.

She has always given a great deal without expecting or wanting anything in return. She is certainly not expecting anything from us now, except what we are able and willing to give in terms of camaraderie and friendship. The prayers, thoughts and support that the Polocrosse community have already provided is more than what she would have expected. But anything you are able to give tonight to support her family during this difficult time will be a real bonus.

On behalf of Karen and her family I very sincerely thank you all for your support, in whatever way you are able to provide it. It may be a long haul.

THE GALLERY

Pat Hallam & Cherylee Sturt. Canberra Royals members
who picked up Best B Grade Male & Female awards

Michael Gorman the winning bidder of a custom made Peter Britt stock saddle.
This saddle was donated by the Eurocoast Polocrosse Club

Brooke Ellis at the Hall Carnival this year. Living life to the fullest - polocrosse
racquet in one hand lollipop in the other!

Michael Barton and Megan O'Brien. Michael Barton was just one of the
sponsors involved with the fundraising auction

DATES TO REMEMBER

13-19 October 2008 - WA Nationals
7 November 2008 - Zone AGM

EDITORS PIECE

Well the season has wrapped up and our night of nights which was held at the Southern Inn in Goulburn was one to remember… or not remember in some cases. A big congratulations to Belinda Tarlinton and Letty Hallam for organising such a great night.

As most of us wind down during the off season a thought to those who are headed across the Nullabor. I'm sure they will see new sights and unbelievable diesel prices along the way. We wish you a safe journey and you will be able to hear us cheering you all the way from the East Coast as you take on the rest of Oz.

If you have any announcements or classifieds to place in the next newsletter please contact myself on the numbers or email below. All ads placed by zone members are charged at $10 per issue. The newsletter is circulated to all the NSW zone secretaries and an electronic copy is also posted on the NSW part of the following polocrosse website www.polocrosse.net.

Publicity Officer - Rachel Hughes
Phone: 02 6299 1997 - 0404 942 710