Tansey Polocrosse Club is cementing its reputation as one of the best polocrosse club’s in Australia as it continues to dominate other clubs from around the country. This weekend at their home carnival was no exception.
Almost 400 riders and their horses took to the fields on Tansey Polocrosse Club to battle for club pride over two action packed days.
As well as Queensland teams, players travelled from as far afield as New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. A full men’s and women’s team flew from WA to play on horses supplied by Tansey Club members.
In the men’s competition of 30 teams, Tansey 1 won A Grade and the runners up were Tansey 2. Best Horse and Rider for the A Grade was awarded to Tansey’s Shane Gherke.
The Men’s B Grade was an interstate battle with the WA team coming out victorious over a NSW team from Quirindi. Best Horse and Rider went to WA’s Chris Dunlop.
Horses play a major part in polocrosse and can make or break a game so it is fitting that they are also honoured. Champion Horse of Carnival was awarded to KL ridden by Grant Carroll.
The Queensland Polocrosse Association endorsed dedicated women’s competition was a great display of toughness, horsemanship and racquet skills to showcase just how good ladies are in the action packed sport.
In their largest turnout yet, 20 women’s teams took to the field. In the end, Tansey 1 women were too strong for traditional rivals Warwick 1 in A Grade. Former WA player who now rides for Tansey, Lauren Sillitoe, was awarded the Best Horse and Rider in Women’s A Grade. Lauren was also named Champion Lady Player of the Carnival and presented with the Alex Rowe Trophy.
In B Grade Women’s the winners were Warwick 2, against NSW team Galloping Gully. Best Horse and Rider for the grade went to Warwick’s Millie Beck.
In an emotional presentation in memory of strong Tansey Polocrosse Club supporter Ian Burns who recently passed away, his daughters Kristi and Bobbi Burns gave the new Burnsey’s Trophy for Champion Ladies Horse to Jaylyn Downs Love ridden by Tansey’s Beth Hafey. Beth was also awarded the Nick Muller Trophy for Champion Intermediate player.
Ian Burns’ love of polocrosse and the Tansey Club was honoured by the club after they renamed the main field at the grounds Burnsey’s Blue Field. They dedicated it to him with a sign at the main field.
Young up and coming players played in the nine-team dedicated juniors’ competition, held to expose younger players to a high level of play under the watchful eyes of team selectors for next year’s Nationals.
The winning team in the Juniors A Grade was the Meerkats with the Lions coming in runners up. Best Horse and Rider in the A Grade Juniors Competition was Tansey player Dan Hafey.
In the B Grade Juniors, the Koalas won all three games to claim victory over the Joeys. Best Horse and Rider for the grade was Connor O’Sullivan.
Champion Junior Boy of the Carnival was Warwick’s Callum Brook and Champion Junior Girl of the Carnival went to Warwick’s Bridget Shepherd.
The next weekend of polocrosse in the South East Queensland Zone will be hosted by Toowoomba Polocrosse Club on July 15 and 16.
Polocrosse is a fast paced team sport played on horseback. It combines the speed of polo, the strategy and tactics of netball (in terms of the field being divided in to three sections), the
toughness of rugby and AFL and the ball handling ability of lacrosse. This unique sport originated in Australia in 1939 and is dubbed as the “King of the One Horse Sports”.
Australia is the largest polocrosse country in the world. The Polocrosse Association of Australia boasts a membership over 4000 players nationwide spanned over 135 clubs within the seven states and territories.
Anyone who can ride a horse can play polocrosse at an amateur/club level. The sport will help improve riding skills. Unlike polo, only one horse per player is needed, making polocrosse an affordable family sport.
Tansey Polocrosse Carnival 2017 Results
Champion Lady Player Alex Rowe Trophy - Lauren Sillitoe
Champion Horse of Carnival - Jill Phillips KL ridden by Grant Carroll
Champion Ladies Horse - Burnseys Trophy - Love ridden by Beth Hafey
Champion Intermediate Nick Muller Trophy - Beth Hafey
Champion Junior Girl - Bridget Shepherd
Champion Junior Boy - Callum Brook
MEN’S
A Grade Mens Winners - Tansey 1
Runners Up - Tansey 2
Best Horse & Rider - Shane Gherke
B Grade Men’s Winners - Western Australia
Runners Up - Quirindi
Best Horse & Rider - Chris Dunlop
C Grade Men’s Winners - Chinchilla 1
Runners Up - Wandoan
Best Horse & Rider - David Trail
D Grade Men’s Winners - Gold Coast 3
Runners Up - Stanley Rivers 1
Beaten Teams - Tansey 3
Best Horse & Rider - Terrence Rowe
E Grade Men’s Winners - Gold Coast 4
Runners Up - Chinchilla 3
Horse & Rider - Scott Colwell
F Grade Men’s Winners - Warwick 4
Runners Up - Taroom
Horse & Rider - Dean Challenor
WOMEN’S
A Grade Women’s Winners - Tansey 1
Runners Up - Warwick 1
Beaten Teams - Tara
Horse & Rider - Lauren Sillitoe
B Grade Women’s Winners - Warwick 2
Runners Up - Galloping Gully
Horse & Rider - Millie Beck
C Grade Women’s Winners - Wandoan
Runners Up - Warwick 3
Horse & Rider - Jen Rohan
D Grade Women’s Winners - Tansey 3
Runners Up - Gold Coast 3
Horse & Rider - Donna Gurney
JUNIORS
A Grade Juniors Winners - Meerkats
Runners Up - Lions
Horse & Rider - Dan Hafey
B Grade Juniors Winners - Koalas
Runners Up - Joeys
Horse & Rider - Connor O'Sullivan