POLO REMINISCENCES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 38, 21 March 1914, Page 6 (Supplement)

POLO REMINISCENCES.

fHISTORY of the saville cop.

[Specially written for The Sytt.]

Though polo had been played regularly in various parts of New Zealand for many years, it was not till about 1889 that regular interprovincial contests were engaged in. During Lord Onslow's term as Governor, his staff included as aide-de-camp, Captain Saville, an experienced and enthusiastic polo player, who, during a sojourn in Christchurch, became associated with the local votaries of the game. At that time the Christy church Polo Club had been in existence for several years, but apart from an Occasional match with the Otaio Club, had- confined, its operations almost entirely to practice games. With characteristic enthusiasm, Captain Saville set to work to improve the standing of the game by arranging a series' of, interprovincial contests, and rthe' Cup he donated for annual competition still figures as the most coveted trophy of the Dominion's polo clubs. . ' TABS ON HORSEBACK. The initial contest for its possession took place* at Potter's Padclock, near Auckland, being confined to ''affiliated" New Zealand teams, though a provision was. also made that officers of thie Imperial Service or Government' House Staff could at any time enter 1 the lists. A team, consisting of Messr& Arthur Rhodes, Heaton Rhodes, Geo. Palmer, and A. W. Bennetts, went north to do battle on behalf of Canterbury, and right well they acquitted themselves, ..as despite the unfamiliar surroundings and inconvenience Of travel, they succeeded in bringing the Saville Cup back with them. Amongst the teams entered va? one from a warship, probably the Opal, at that time lying , in Auckland harbour. Like most „ sailor men, the Opal's team were not experts in the saddle, and to make matters worse the only steeds they could secure were a number of racing ponies that the Ellerslie trainers in misguided kindness placed at their disposal. The result was as unexpected as it was humorous. In those days the game was started by both teams being drawn up in the order of play in front of their respective goal posts. The ball was placed in the centre of the field, and, at a signal from the referee, bothjsides eharged down the ground at full gallop in order to get first strike at the willow. Once a thoroughbred pony, quite unused to the ethics of polo r is started racing down a field he takes some stopping. This is exactly what the sailors found, for their mounts charged right out of the ground, and it is said that two <b# them actually carried their unwilling riders as far as their stables at'Ellerslie before slackening speed. So the unfortunate sailormen were counted out in ,tlie very first round, and Canterbury defeated Auckland in the final.

OHRISTOHUBCH'S UPS DOWNS. In 1892 the Cup contest was ;held on the Sydenham . Show Grounds, : when several North Island teams entered the lists. Once again the Christchurch Club proved victorious, its team consisting of Messrs Heaton Rhodes, Wm. Buckley, Geo. Palmer, and B. L. Lane. Success also attended the efforts of the Christchurch players in the next contest, but from that year the Cup has always found a resting place elsewhere. Still, on at least two occasions, it was sheer bad luck that robbed the local team of victory. On one occasion an exceptionally 1 good quartet in Messrs Heaton Rhodes, G. Gould, B. L. Lane, and Hon. E. Parker, journeyed to Auckland in pleasurable anticipation of bringing the Cup home with them. During a preliminary practice game Mr Heaton Rhodes was unfortunate enough to get his jaw broken, and a substitute had to be played in his stead. Even so the Christchurch men got through as far as the final, only to succumb to Manawatu. Subsequent teams from this province competed at Manawatu and Wanganui, but without success, and from that time onward the sport in Canterbury has been on the down grade. Misfortune also attended the Christchurch team in its first fight for possession of the Cup on its new grounds in Hagley Park. After leaving no stone unturned to command success, the team consisting of Messrs Heaton ithodes, Geo. Palmer, B. L. Lane, and Hon. E. Parker, was iSnlucky enough to have Messrs Lane and Palmer injured in the very first game against Auckland,, and though the local men, even under

this disadvantage, accounted for the ndrtherjaera, they succumbed to Manawajtu in the final.

THE GREAT STRANGS. With the decline 6t the Christchurch Club the, game made, great' strides in Manawatu, Bangitikei, '! Hawked Bay, a potent reasoW being the' better supply of ; ponies in those, district^'than in the south. One notable team that stands out in the history of New Zeaf laid polo was that which for several years successfully > represfeht'ed : the Oroua Club, comprising ; . the ; three brothers Strang and another. player. Better exponents! of the game have not been seen in . the Dominion -than the Strangs, who, on the breaking up of-the Oroua Club, threw iri their. Jot with;the Manawatu Club. With their accession to its ranks the Manawatu Club was almost invincible for several 'years, but recently it has had to - 'gite way-to the Hawke's Bay players,, who have defended the cup against all.comers for several seasons past. How popular polo is in the Hawke's 'Bay province just' at present may be gauged from- the fact that no fewer than three teamsfrom thereare playing in next week's contests, while on the other hand the Christchurch Club can only put on'e team in the field,- and,a poor one at thatT INDIAN ARMY CHAMPIONS. Probably the best exhibitions of . polo ever witnessed in - Canterbury.!.; were those given by the officers of the Indian Army, who came round • the -Dominion, 1 after assisting at the of the Australian Commonwealth} " some thirteen years ago. Thoughat the disadvantage of always being mounted on strange ponies, they showed to what perfection game had be6i brought in Indian and!" the teams they" met iff various parts <jf the Dominion* , Another visiting teaiji that toured .the Dominion, was one consisting of four officers belonging to H.M.S. Curacoa—Lieutenants Harford, Dudley Ward, de Crespigny, and' Lord Kelbourne. The combination shown by these officers was quite a revelation to the local players. They had their own ponies, wiich were shipped from port to port in advance of the warship, and rumour has it that the Commander of the Curacoa, himself a keen enthusiast, generally found an excuse for hurrying away from aiiy port where a game of polo could not be relied on. .CAPTAIN QUICK.

It was chiefly through the agency of Captain Quick that the Christchurch Polo Club was first formed, and to the good offices of that officer not a little of the success attending the local players' early efforts can be ascribed. The first outside match was played against Otaio, the local team consisting of Messrs P. A. Archer, Geo. Palmer, C. Miles and B. L. Lane. This match was made an annual affair for quite a whil,e, and victory generally rested with the city players. In those days the game was much more dangierous than is now the case, and a person had to be endowed with more than an average amount of nerve to achieve success. It was no uncommon thing, for instance, to see the two leading players on opposing sides reach the ball, placed ;by the umpire half way down the field, at the same moment, and a collision almost" invariably resulted. ■ Even the smartness of the ponies could not avert accidents of this nature, and, finally, as the outcome of two players being killed in South Australia, the method of starting play was altered. Now the opposing teams line upo just as in a line up at football, and the ball is thrown in between the two lines. Other modifications of a similar nature have also been brought about with the object of making the game safer, if less spectacular. TEMPLAR.