Northern Ireland Pony Club Polocrosse
The 12 strong Northern Ireland Pony Club Polocrosse Squad, have just returned from a very successful Home International Tournament in Cheshire.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent training under the watchful eye of Team Coach, Craig kileff, and Manager, Angela Fynn, perfecting their riding and ball skills and how to use these to advantage in different match situations.
The Team was made up of 3 sections, Minis aged 12 years and under, Rachel Dominy, Bonnie McCallum, Harry Thomason and Xanthe Goodman, Juniors 16 years and under Hannah Kileff, Ashleigh Saunderson, Eve Thomason and Jake Wilson, an Open section, of players under 25, Thomas Kileff, Will Armstrong, Toby Fynn and Hannah Drew. They play in sections of 3 riders with a 4th impact players who slots in at different stages throughout the game.
Play starts with the mini team on the pitch for their 6 minute chukka, followed by the Juniors and then the Open section. The aim is to catch the ball in the starting line up, thencarry and pass to your team mates, scoring as many goals as possible. When the opposing team gets the ball, players try to dislodge it from the net without incurring a penalty and with the turnaround of play they race to score in their own goal area.
Our Minis did not have the experience of their opponents, but their determination shone through to give gripping play and when the goals were scored the crowd erupted, it could have been the world cup!!!
The Juniors played a blinder and were fit to see off the attacks from the Scottish and Welsh Teams with only the extremely competitive English Squad managing to find a chink in their armour. They finished 2nd in their section.
The Open section, traditionally the most experienced of three, went out all guns blazing against Wales in the first game and by their 2nd chukka they had their opponents on the ropes but on this occasion, playing with more recently formed horse and rider partnerships the third chukka unravelled giving the Welsh a small advantage. The Open team regrouped going on to win their following games against Scotland and England to join the Juniors finishing second 2nd in their sections.
The overall team scores gave the Northern Ireland Squad a very creditable 3rd place finish ahead of the Scottish.
Teams on the mainland are picked from large numbers of experienced players, and are very strongly mounted on Polocrosse horses. They compete regularly in UK Tournaments gaining valuable match experience. Northern Ireland Pony Club don’t have these advantages but what they lack in numbers and experience, they certainly makes up for in enthusiasm and commitment to the sport.
The Northern Ireland Pony Club Polocrosse players ranging from 10 years to 22 years old are all great ambassadors’ for their country, and despite the two days of intense rivalry, players from all four Nations finish as great friends, many swapping their playing shirts to take home as a memento of the tournament.
For anybody, young or old who would like to get involved with the fun sport of Polocrosse, there will be Tyrella Polocrosse Club and Area 17 Pony Club, training chukkas this Sunday morning, from 10am, 30th July, at Oaktree farm, 107 Drumlough Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6PS.
For further Information contact Angela Fynn on 07718080244.