AREA NEWS

THE PONY CLUB Issue No. 2

July 2011 WORLD CUP POLOCROSSE SPECIAL

Special points of ENGLAND - TEAM PROFILES interest OLIVIA HAMILTON England & Great Branch: Dartmoor Hunt Britain Team Profiles Age: 20 Years playing polocrosse: 7 Preferred position: 2 Branch: Dartmoor Hunt International Caps: 0 Interests: , Young Farmers, Tug Of War Inside this issue: and Socialising

Team Profiles 1—4 SAMMY CONNORS Branch: North Warwickshire Age: 21 Area News 5—6 Years playing polocrosse: 4 years Review Preferred position: No. 3 International Caps: 4 Polocrosse 5—6 Interests: Polocrosse, Young Farmers, Music and Poem Dancing

Check your 7 MORGAN GRIFFITHS Polocrosse Branch: Rockwood Harriers Net Age: 18 Years playing polocrosse: 3 Preferred position: 3 Tournament 9 International Caps: 0 and Training Interests: As well as polocrosse I hunt through the winter with my Pony Club, enjoy Show Jumping, Team Chasing Dates and with my hunter. I also love socialising with my friends particularly at College where I am studying Polocrosse 9 Horse Management. World Cup Information GEORGE BOISSEAU Order of Play Branch: North Cornwall Age: 18 Years playing polocrosse: Since spring 2007 at Pony Club level. Preferred position: No. 1 is my preferred position, be cause of my horse being small and nippy and suits position No. 1 best., but I am able to change positions if necessary. International Caps: 0 Interests: Apart from riding, I like to play guitar, hang out with my friends, play squash, and a bit of surfing.

ROSIE HAMILTON Branch: Dartmoor Hunt Age: 18 Years of playing polocrosse: 4 Preferred position: No. 1 International caps: 0 Interests: Netball, Ultimate Frisbee and milky bar chocolate POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 2

ENGLAND TEAM PROFILES Cont’d

LOUIE CORNFORTH Branch: North Warwickshire Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: 6 B e r e a d y Preferred position: No. 2 or 3 punctually on International Caps: 0 Interests: Horses, Polocrosse and , socialising with my time for the tack friends and also at Arden Clubhouse inspection and thereafter report KATY WISE to the Collecting Branch: Rockwood Harriers Age: 16 Steward, together Years playing polocrosse: 5 with your team 10 Preferred position: No. 2 or 3 International Caps: 0 to 15 minutes Interests: Obviously love polocrosse and love to event or before you are show jump. I play under water hockey throughout the winter playing for the Yorkshire Ladies. due to play. GREAT BRITAIN - TEAM PROFILES

HENRY CHRISTIANSEN Branch: South Oxfordshire Hunt Central Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: 2 Preferred position: No.1 or 2 International Caps: 0 Interests: All other aspects of riding, having competed at Area and Show Jumping and I have recently rediscovered the joys of Hunting. I also enjoy playing recreational tennis at school despite my acute lack of skill.

EMILY GILFILLAN Branch: Rockwood Harriers Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: 4 years Goals can only Preferred position: No. 3 be scored by International Caps: Captain of the UK Junior Squad tour to New South Wales 2009. UK Junior Squad 2010 and Best UK the No. 1 Player of 2010 Junior tri-nations. Selected onto the Under 21's Squad for 2011 Interests: Polocrosse, general Pony Club activites, Badminton and Running

HENRIETTA CARTHEW Branch: Brecon & Talybont Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: No. 3 Preferred position: No preference International Caps: Junior Squad (2010) Interests: Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Tetrathlon

CHRIS MILBURN Branch: North Warwickshire Age: 20 Years playing polocrosse: 8 years Preferred position: No. 1 International Caps: 0 Interests: Studies sport science at Lincoln University, Riding and Rugby Union POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 3

ENGLAND TEAM PROFILES Cont’d

LAYLA HENSHAW Branch: North Warwickshire Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: 5th season Preferred position: No. 1 International Caps: 1 Interests: Show Jumping and Young Farmers.

OLIVIA MILLER Branch: Flint & Denbigh Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: About 7 or 8 years Preferred position: 3 (but I love playing 2 as well, just to It is important get in everyone's way) that ponies’ International Caps: 2009 UK U16 Squad Tour to Australia and 2010 Captain of UK U16 Squad (Vs Ireland and NSW) l e g s a r e Interests: First and foremost, chocolate. Other than b a n d a g e d that, Art and generally riding horses! correctly for protection. HARRIET PRICE Branch: Hertfordshire Hunt Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: 3 years Preferred position: No. 3 International Caps: 0 Interests: Lacrosse, violin, singing/vocal, Show Jumping, Eventing

Unlike polo there is no risk from the stick or ball, but there is risk NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM PROFILES from other p o n i e s ’ RACHAEL GRAHAM hooves when Branch: Mid Antrim Age: 18 pla ying at Years playing polocrosse: 4 close quarters. Preferred position: No. 1 International Caps: I have played at the Pony Club Championships for the past 3 years & The Irish Nationals in Limerick Interests: Showjumping, Hunting, Eventing,

LIZZY GRAHAM Branch: Mid Antrim Age: 19 Years playing polocrosse: 4 Preferred position: 2 (3 if my pony is up for it) International Caps: Played 3 years at Pony Club Championships and 2 years at the Irish Nationals Interests: Polocrosse, Eventing, Mounted Games, Hunting, so basically just going fast! I also play drums and I love a good night out! Issue No. 2 POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 4

NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM PROFILES

MATT FYNN Branch: North Down Age: 18 Years playing polocrosse: 3 Preferred position: No. 3 International Caps: 0 Interests: Polo, Rally Navigation, Fast Cars RIDING OFF Keep watching

play when EMILY-JANE McCLEANE riding off a Branch: Iveagh Age: 17 player. Things Years playing polocrosse: 4 years can change. Preferred position: No. 1 or No. 3 International Caps: Represented Ireland in one International versus Holland in 2010. I also won best Irish player at this match. Interests: Polocrosse, Eventing, Games, Show Jumping and Tetrathlon. Also enjoy all other sports, especially Hockey

WILLIAM ARMSTRONG Branch: Iveagh Age: 17 Years playing polocrosse: 4 years Preferred position: No. 1 International Caps: 0 Interests: Almost everything to do with horses, Rugby, Shooting and climbing things that may or may not be able to hold my weight. Remember, the No. 3 is both a REBECCA MACKEY defending player Branch: Iveagh w h e n t h e Age: 17 opposition has Years playing polocrosse: 4 months the ball and also Preferred position: No. 2 an attacking International Caps: 0 player when Interests: I hunt with the Iveagh Foxhounds every Satur their own team day in the winter season. I also enjoy Eventing in the has the ball. summer and hiking.

NIAL AURET Branch: Iveagh Age: 16 Years playing polocrosse: 1 year Preferred position: No. 3 International Caps: 0 Interests: All aspects of farming and machinery, hoping to make a career in contracting work and helping my mother run her busy riding school.

* * * * GOOD LUCK TO ALL TEAMS * * * *

POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 5

Area News Review

Area 11

If you get Polocrosse in Area 11 continues to grow, albeit mainly within the Romney Marsh Pony possession, club. Members regularly attend practices run by the Kent Target Polocrosse Club, held at Risebridge Farm, Goudhurst. These are always great fun with coaching from pass the ball some of the top players in the country, including Jason Webb, the UK captain. Stick t o t h e work, tactics and positional play are all worked on and the children are encouraged to take charge and help out with umpiring their chukkas. One of the many benefits of number one training alongside an established club is that newcomers to the sport can watch ex- as soon as it perienced players in action and can quickly grasp the concept of the game and see how the different positions work together. is safe to do so. Many of the Romney Marsh players recently took part in the Kent Target Tournament. UKPA teams from all over the country were involved. The UK squad came down and participated, taking the opportunity to practice as a team before heading up to the World Cup in July. For those pony club members that were at their first tournament, this was a very exciting introduction to the sport!

Furthermore, the prizes at the end of the tournament were presented by Hugh Robert- son, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, who had been invited to come and watch for the afternoon. Having never seen polocrosse before, he was very impressed by the skill of the riders and the agility and speed of the horses – something we all are!

The ball A Poem—Polocrosse carrier must The teams have declared, always work umpires at the ready, to be on the scorers and time keepers at the table, but where are the goal judges? N o . 1 ’ s racket side. There are hats on our heads, sticks in our hands, girths are tightened “good luck!” our mums shout!

Rushing onto the pitch, we warm up our ponies we line up as 1,2,3, the ball goes in, we rush out the back, we shout at each other, Don’t pass to “get that ball!!!” the No. 1 in Their number one gets it, t h e g o a l it’s my job to stop him, scoring area twisting, turning and tackling, my pony Tommy stops him, when the No. I whack my stick up high, 3 is between the ball comes flying out, I catch it in my racket, you and your it’s time to go!!! No. 1. Up the pitch we gallop, then stopping, starting and spinning, I pass it to my number one, he lines himself up, takes aim and fires, the ball flies through the posts, the side line goes wild, we`ve scored the winning goal!!! Cont’d Issue No. 2 POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 6

Area News Review

Beaming like a Cheshire cat, Line Ups umpires are thanked, ponies patted, hats off, Keep your girths loosened, eyes on the sticks drop to the ground, umpire and we`re glad we did our best. the ball in the By Isabelle Kish umpire’s hand

Line Ups

Keep the opposing No. 1 covered

Hugh Robertson, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics who came for the afternoon and presented the prizes. POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 7

To check your Net (See Fig. 17)

1. From the top centre of the stick locate the second knot down - Knot A. With your finger, pull this up to B. Most players like the net set so that A will reach to just a little above B.

If the ball 2. Another method to check your net is to hold the stick head down with the ball in the net. hooks in the Gradually bring the handle up to the perpendicular. The ball should fall out of the net just before the stick reaches the perpendicular. If it falls out too soon the net is too tight. front of the net If it does not fall out until the stick is completely perpendicular, or past the w h e n y o u perpendicular, it is too loose (See Fig. 18). throw, the net may be set too deep in front.

Fig. 18

If the ball is difficult to pick up and rolls too easily out Fig. 17 of the net it may be too shallow in front.

P r a c t i s e shooting at goal from all angles Issue No. 2 POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 8

TOURNAMENTS AND TRAINING DATES

8th to 17th July Polocrosse World Cup Onley Equestrian Centre W o r k o n Rugby Warwickshire changes of CV23 8AJ p a c e , particularly 13th/14th August The Pony Club Championships Draycott House changes from Draycott a collected Derbyshire trot to an DE72 3PD extended trot and back to collection.

It is easiest to pick the ball up when the h o r s e i s moving in a f o r w a r d direction. It is possible to pick the ball up from either side of the horse, but is usually found easier to pick up from the p l a y e r ’ s natural stick side.

Pictures included in this Area News are by kind permission of Michael Sedgwick, Pinpoint Images POLOCROSSE AREA NEWS Page 9

POLOCROSSE WORLD CUP 2011 Your horse The Polocrosse World Cup 2011 will be held from the 8th to the 17th of July and will m u s t b e take place at Onley Grounds Equestrian Centre (also known as Rugby Polo Club) in Warwickshire. It has previously hosted the UKPA National Championships and pro- shoulder to vides excellent playing surfaces with laser levelled pitches and extensive space for a shoulder with range of supporting activities the opposing The Polocrosse World Cup will see the top 8 countries in the world play over two week- horse with ends for the World Cup title. Alongside the main attraction there will be a Polocrosse International Challenge, featuring other polocrosse playing nations, a Pony Club your knee in polocrosse event between England, a Great Britain Team, Northern Ireland and the front of the USA also a number of other displays from other equestrian sports within the BEF, alongside a range of demonstrations, trade stands and top class entertainment. o p p o s i n g player’s knee. Please look on www.polocrosse2011.com for ticket prices and please come along to support our Pony Club members at this prestigious event.

PONY CLUB

ORDER OF PLAY

Monday, 11th July Great Britain vs Northern Ireland 10.00 a.m. England vs USA 2.00 p.m.

Tuesday, 12th July England vs Great Britain 12.00 noon Northern Ireland vs USA 4.00 p.m.

Thursday, 14th July England vs Northern Ireland 10.00 a.m. Great Britain vs USA 2.00 p.m.

Saturday, 16th July 3rd & 4th Play Offs 2.00 p.m.

Sunday, 17th July International Pony Club Final 2.00 p.m.

Pony Club Team Members attending the Polocrosse World Cup Training Session—31st May 2011 The Pony Club is a voluntary youth organization for young The Pony Club people interested in ponies and riding. It is a Registered Charity and is subject to Charity legislation and to regula- Stoneleigh Park tion by the Charity Commission. The purpose of The Pony Kenilworth Club is Warwickshire CV8 2RW To encourage young people to ride and to learn to enjoy all kinds of sport connected with ponies and Phone: 02476 698300 Fax: 02476 696919 riding. E-mail: [email protected] To give instruction in riding and horsemastership and to educate Members to look after and to take proper care of their animals.

To promote the highest ideals of sportsmanship, citi- zenship and loyalty to create strength of character and self-discipline.

We are on the web: www.pcuk.org