Believed to be the only World Cup-standard sporting event to have been held in regional Australia, the 2019 Adina Polocrosse World Cup is in the running for a prestigious Queensland Sport Award.
Organising committee chairman Les Fraser, president of the Warwick Polocrosse Club, has already been announced as the winner of a Queensland Service to Sport Award while his wife Robyn Fraser is a finalist in the Queensland Volunteer of the Year category.
Hosted in Warwick in April, the World Cup not only attracted thousands of visitors at a time when the region desperately needed an economic and social boost, it increased the exposure of the sport globally and enhanced the professionalism of the under-rated Australian sport, hence its nomination in the Event of the Year category.
The venue in Queensland's Granite Belt handled over 6000 visitors each day and planners had to gather up 150 of Australia's best mares and geldings over 18 months, described as one of the largest peace-time recruitment drives in Australian history, to mount the 64 players from around the world as well as umpires.
Making the organisation even more complex but adding to the spectacle was the staging of the Barastoc interstate competition alongside the international contest.
The polocrosse World Cup is vying with the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament, the Australia v Belarus Fed Cup tennis semi-final, and other national and international competitions held in the past year, for the title of Queensland's event of the year.
Sharing the announcement of the triple accolade for the sport and two of its long-term supporters, Queensland Polocrosse said it was hugely exciting news, adding that to call it well-deserved would be an understatement.
Mr and Mrs Fraser managed the planning and delivery of the Adina Polocrosse World Cup over two years, with support from the World Cup organising committee and members of the Warwick Polocrosse Club.
Over the last 40 years Mr Fraser has spearheaded the development of Morgan Park, a multi-million-dollar equine facility created from the vision and hard work of the Warwick Polocrosse Club, which has earnt the title of the world's best polocrosse facility.
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Former Queensland MP and current Queensland Polocrosse Association patron Howard Hobbs said Les Fraser was one of those people who most sporting clubs would would love to have.
"His contribution to polocrosse has been exceptional," he said.
"He has been an inspirational leader for our sport at club and executive positions for decades. He led the way to take polocrosse to the world stage.
"I cannot think of another individual more deserving of recognition of a service to sport medal than Les Fraser."
Even though she has never played the sport, Robyn Fraser has volunteered thousands upon thousands of hours towards running polocrosse events and has been the driving force behind the scenes of all polocrosse events, large and small, at Morgan Park.
The 25th annual Queensland Sport Awards will take place on Saturday, November 30 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
