Quirindi have made a strong start to the polocrosse season with the club’s A grade side taking the honours at Walcha’s annual carnival over the Easter weekend.
The second carnival for the season, the club fielded three teams – one in A grade and two in B grade.
The open team of Simon Rafferty, Daisy Robinson, Hayden Turnbull, Kyla Hill, Ray Davis and Luke Saul, won all four of their games, beating Cassilis in the A grade final by a narrow margin. Hill played exceptionally well winning the best No.1, champion lady player and champion horse of the carnival, while Turnbull won best No.3 and champion male player.
The second team was made up of Josie Wilson, Tash Holz, Issy Robinson, Niki Holz, Tasia Martin and Emily Saul. The team of intermediate girls, played great polocrosse to make it to the B grade final against Muswellbrook/Bunnan.
They went down but Martin was named the best No.2 for the weekend.
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The previous weekend at the Guyra carnival, the juniors led the charge with Zane Smith, Jayde Smith and Emily Butler winning the junior competition on a count-back after a nail-bitting final.
Smith was also adjudged the best No.2 and Butler the best No.3
The open team won three games to make the final against Gulgong. Gulgong though took the win in what was a fast-paced final.
Junior player Cameron Frear stepped up into the open team and had an outstanding game, while Hill, who had only just flown in from New Zealand hit the ground running, taking out the best No.2.
As they prepare for the Barastoc interstate competition in Warwick in May, Emily Saul and Josie Wilson played with their NSW team as a practice run.
Both girls and their team played extremely well winning the A grade womens competition.
The focus this weekend turns to Narrabri. Quirindi president Brett Holz envisaged they will send three or four teams. As the season picks up, he said that will grow to seven or eight teams.
Hill is one of two visiting New Zealanders.
“This is the off season for them back in New Zealand,” Holz said.
“There will often be traveling Kiwis coming over and playing out the season and getting a bit more experience.”
Holz said one of the great things about the sport is that the whole family can play.
“You can go out and play in a team with your family at times,” he said.
He also enjoys the team sport aspect.
The club is preparing for it’s own carnival on May 12 and 13.
The weekend will incorporate a Trans-Tasman competition between intermediate (17-21-years) players from New Zealand and New South Wales.
