Polocrosse carnival another big hit

ACTION: Seb McCracken (Counties) and Australian Tom Cobon (riding for Otorohonga) in action in the A-grade final at the Kaikohe Polocrosse Carnival on Sunday, January 3.

The Mid North's polocrosse tradition is alive and kicking strongly, judging by the turnout at a longstanding annual event.

Organisers of the Kaikohe Polocrosse Carnival held over the weekend of January 2 estimated this year's event attracted nearly 140 riders and their horses. The event was contested by teams representing clubs from Northland, Te Mata (Hamilton), Auckland, Counties, Otorohonga in A, B, C and D grades.

Counties won the A-grade title over Otorohonga in an exciting goal-for-goal final which finished with the two sides in deadlock, but eventually getting the nod on a countback from a previous clash. Elsewhere, Whangarei won the B grade title over Counties, Northland Junior Chukka 1 beat Northland Junior 2 Chukka in the C grade final, and Whangarei finished ahead of the hosting Kaikohe team in the D grade contest.

Northland hosted and played the USA Under-21 selection in New Zealand on a two-week tour in a three game series (two matches on Saturday, one on Sunday); while Northland/ USA Two (a mixed team with three riders from Northland U21s and three from the USA U21s) won the Lyn Zielinski Shield, beating Northland/ USA One in the annual memorial event held to honour a well-known local polocrosse stalwart.

Many of the riders went on to attend the Poutu Polocrosse Carnival in Poutu on Saturday and Sunday , Northland Polocrosse Association spokesperson Rhonda Zielinski said.

She said the Dargaville event was the touring American team's last event in New Zealand before returning home yesterday. The Northland association currently had a really good focus on youth development.

"We are one of the strongest associations in polocrosse in New Zealand in terms of up-and-coming junior riders," she said, estimating 50 per cent of the NPA members were aged under 16.

Zielinski was in the process of naming a nine-strong Northland team - and one which she said would feature a high representation of local Mid North equestrians - later this year to take part in a reciprocal two week tour of the States in April.