POLOCROSSE
Further details on Pony Club Polocrosse
The F'n'D Polocrosse manager is Jeanette Mitchell
Pony Club Polocrosse is very closely linked with the UK Polocrosse Association (UKPA), and F'n'D has close ties with Celyn Polocrosse club based at Northop.
Polocrosse is a fantastic sport played on horseback over a field roughly the same size as a rugby pitch. Two teams of 6 players play alternative 'Chukkas' in Sections of 3 players per side, which allows the horses time to rest between their playing chukkas. This permits the use of only one horse (in fact the rules only allow you to play one horse!).
POLOCROSSE SUCCESS at the Pony Club Championships... 01/09/2010
Flint and Denbigh entered a team in the Senior Open Section this year which is just a section of three playing. We hope next year to have a full 6 to enter the main championship class one again which historically we have done so well in.
This years team Simon Amor aged 18 and Olivia Miller 16 and Ceri Williams aged 14, all extremely experienced players, able to demonstrate
the great riding and stick skills that this game develops with practice in its participants. For me it was wonderful to show how far Simon has progressed in his game from starting in pony club to now playing on the UK U21 Men’s and Olivia similarly playing on the UK U16 squads this year. Both Simon and Olivia played a very good supportive game developing the confidence of the younger Ceri through out the different games they played. Each player swapped into different positions with Simon’s encouragement. At the Championships our team was formidable and won all their games convincingly –
conceding just 3 goals in total over the weekend. One of those was a free goal to the other team caused by Olivia hitting one of the opposition on the head, an accident of course!! It was a great weekend and lovely to come back with a trophy!!
The team were supported by Jeanette Mitchell - manager, Debbie and Rosie Miller and Colin Williams and Barry Amor umpires. Lots of fun was had with close buddy teams from Coachman’s Riding Centre and
Mobberley Riding Centres. On an on going basis we shall make use of all the coaching help that is now available to us and Debbie has kindly said that she will continue to offer her help and experience too.
All our pony club team have benefitted hugely from the tremendous support and encouragement that the Simkin family have provided over the last 10 years. As regular trainers - Ruth, Sarah and the wonderful Tom and we feel their father, Mark, would
have been very proud to have seen the development of players that they have produced from Flint and Denbigh PC and on through Celyn Polocrosse Club.
This year Annie Mitchell 20 was not a member of F&D as she had been away on a gap year and is now at Leeds University but she captained the UK U21 squad to Ireland in the spring and then was selected and played on the Ladies open UK squad which won July 2010 against the Irish at Mollington Nr
Chester. Annie and Simon will also help with coaching this year when they are around as they are taking their UKCC qualifications!!
It is worth looking at Michael Sedgwicks website for photos they are fabulous. www.pinpointimages.co.uk
He has kindly supplied these for use on the website see S0232, 235, 287, 415 422 690 1685 1850 and more.
Please look out for the Polocrosse training sessions that will be on through this autumn and winter – we need to develop new young talent as well as those we know.
Polocrosse is huge fun come and have a go!! Beware parents it is a sport with a reputation for capturing parents into playing as well …
Contact Jeanette@gwerydlakes.co.uk
