Southern Highlands Polocrosse
Sub Association Inc

JULY 2009 NEWSLETTER

Issue No 2/09

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS ZONE CARNIVAL

The Southern Highlands 2009 season wrapped up with a zone carnival at the Bong Bong grounds on 20 & 21 June. Despite a wet and bitterly cold weekend everyone enjoyed themselves with the highlight of the carnival being the Saturday Sundown Shoot-Out Competition.

Eleven contestants made their way into the second round of the competition and even though it looked like married duo Daniel & Belinda Tarlinton might have paid for the racquet in their crowd amusing attempts at the target, Steven Howes was the one shot wonder who took home the brand new Bennett Racquet.

A cold Saturday night did not keep the crowds away with the Bungendore club cooking up a schnitzel storm for more than 100 people. After dinner it was time to hit the dance floor - that is unless of course you were some nameless Lake George members who took to the bar top displaying some Coyote Ugly inspired moves.

Sunday was a repeat of the day before with cooler conditions ensuring the fields were muddy and joddies even more so. A big thank you to the following sponsors:

Ancare
Bennett Polocrosse Racquets
Hiscocks Saddlery
Jim & Debbie Colquhoun
Mitavite
Prydes
The Hughes Family
The Ultimate Horseshop

SH ZONE CARNIVAL RESULTS

A Open
Winners - Sydney
Runners Up - Canberra

B Open
Winners - Yass
Runners Up - Lake George

C Open
Winners - Moss Vale
Runners Up - Amie's A Team

A Womens
Winners - Eurocoast
Runners Up - Burradoo

B Womens
Winners - Lake George
Runners Up - Bungendore/Lake George

C Womens
Winners - Yass
Runners Up - Burradoo

Best Sub Junior - Bianca Messina
Best Junior Female - Farran Mathie
Best Junior Male - Jack Davidge
Best C Grade Female - Rhiannon Mackie
Best C Grade Male - Mark Skerjboski
Best B Grade Female - Claire Gee
Best B Grade Male - Callum Hughes
Best A Grade Female - Farran Mathie
Best A Grade Male - Francis Hallam
$100 Club Winner - Fiona Wykes
Raffle Winner - Thompson Family

Congratulations to all zone members who contributed in the running of such a successful carnival.

FAREWELL TO A FRIEND

Ray Martin passed away on Tuesday 23 June 2009. Ray was well known throughout the polocrosse community with his family playing for the Burradoo and Yass clubs. Our thoughts are with Ray's wife Lana, family and friends.

AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA TEST

The Australian Junior side hosted the traveling South African’s in a test match which took place on 10-12 April 2009 at Sale, Victoria.

Australian Team

NSW CHIEF UMPIRE UPDATES

The New South Wales Chief Umpire Chris Bourke has asked that all players and administrators make themselves aware of the following rules as per the PAA Rule Book.

Rule 3 - One horse per player
(page 35) Only one horse shall be allowed each player in any one tournament, except in the case of accident or injury to a horse, when a substitute is permissible with permission of the senior tournament umpire.

If any player has to double up it MUST be with the permission of the host club and the zone chief umpire. If any player has a young horse to play as well as a going horse they must go in the pool for the club so that the club can put that player where they require a spare.
Set penalties for this is 1 week *

(page 33) Substitution of horse or player without
correct authorisation 1 week + 1 week.
(page 32) *1 week constitutes a week in which
your club participates in a Tournament.

Please ensure that these rules are followed or the set penalties will apply.

INTERNATIONAL QUADRANGULAR SERIES

On 16-19 April 2009 the Burradoo Polocrosse Club hosted the Quadrangular Series at the Bong Bong grounds Bowral. The quad series saw teams from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand make their way to Bong Bong to take on the Australians. The Australians made full use of their home turf advantage, not dropping a match on their way to the final.

The UK took on a firing South African side in the B final with a timely error forcing extra time and a golden point chukka. The South African girls came on firing and rest assured they weren't to be beaten, scoring the winning goal in high class fashion.

South Africa 18 def United Kingdom 17

The Australians took on their trans-Tasman counter parts and although they ran out strong winners the New Zealanders put on a great display of polocrosse, proving that Australia will have some great competition when they head to the UK for the next World Cup.

Australia 27 def New Zealand 8

The South African women take on the New Zealanders in a hunt for the ball under the watchful eye of match umpire Lance Anderson

CHANGES TO THE PAA OFFICE

This year was the last in the PAA office for President Peter Crauford. After heading the Polocrosse Association of Australia for many years Peter has passed over the reins to a new president. We wish Peter all the best for the future. Gil Mathie was appointed as the new president of the PAA at the annual general meeting on Saturday 23 May 2009.

Congratulations to Gil as he takes on this new role.

President: Gill Mathie
Elected Directors
Rodney Geppert
Barney Langford
Les Fraser

SH NSW ZONE CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAMS

Congratulations to the following players and coaches who have been selected to represent the Southern Highlands at the NSW Zone Championships on 1-2 August 2009 at Young.
We wish you all the best as you play for the mighty Highlands in the black, white & red.

PICTURE PERFECT

Photos can be viewed at the following web sites from some of the Highlands Club Carnivals:

www.billchant.com/braidwood_polocrosse.html
macarthur-chronicle-campbelltown.whereilive.com.au/photos/gallery/polocrosse-at-camden

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Andrew & Tash Blenkinsopp welcomed a baby boy in Jake Michael Blenkinsopp on 15 March 2009. A much awaited arrival for big sister Tess.

Neale & Kylie Green welcomed baby boy Macauley Raymond Green on 28 April 2009.

Ian & Rebecca Hindmarsh welcomed a baby girl Alison Grace Hindmarsh on 4 February 2009.

Jo Reid & Daniel Piggott welcomed baby girl Abbee Margaret Piggott on 14 May 2009.

Congratulations to Kaaren Hassell and Steven Darmody who were married in the Northern Territory on 25 July 2009.

THE GALLERY

Karen Brown is visited by an old friend in the car park of the Liverpool Hospital

Marnie & Mark battle for the ball in the muddy conditions at the Moss Vale carnival

EDITORS PIECE

Well this edition has certainly taken it's time in hitting the post - however after a house move and some extraordinary number of carnivals I have decided to take some time out at my desk and get you all up to date with the season so far. Many long trips in the new "big yella" truck have enabled me to jot down bits and pieces for the newsletter - the only problem being a two year old daughter who likes to shred my great pieces of literature.

As the night time air chills to sub zero temperatures the twilight riding regimes have become something of a novelty. It seems that no matter how many carrots I eat, I am still unable to see fences, rock piles and the Bungendore nocturnals that lie in, around and off the beaten track. A faithful steed and a brother leading a grey horse have been a guiding light on many a dark night with unanswered games of marco polo and an occasional hunter's spotlight bringing more concern than comfort.

Lack of sight isn't the only hindrance when living in the Lake George (wind farm) district. One lovely evening as the rain began to turn to sleet we arrived home from work (in the dark as usual) to horses that were saddled and ready to go. By this stage the wind was imitating arctic blasts that could have well sent us with Toto out of Kansas and onto the yellow brick road.

However, no need to worry, Dorothy had just been out and assured us that the flat country had just a breeze in comparison to this south westerly which could make Braidwood seem like Hawaii. So off we headed with clouds racing over the almost full moon - vision absent, brain frozen and reins left to their own devices as hands were stuffed firmly in slightly warmer pockets - up, over and around the hilly country. We came around the north easterly corner of the flat and WHAM.

That "breeze" that the mother had spoken about hit me and had me believing that I was an Antarctic explorer trying to make my way back to my station with my disobedient sled dogs dragging me around in the blizzard. But in reality I was just an ordinary mad polocrosse player out there taking my horse for his evening ride. Nothing out of the norm - just good old Bungendore on a typical winter's night.

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 this website.

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