Polo tournament at week-end

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32587, 22 April 1971, Page 9

Polo tournament at week-end

The presence of an Auckland team—probably the strongest since the pre-war period to visit the South Island—in this year’s Willssponsored polo tournament should produce some of the most spectacular polo ever seen in Christchurch. Organised by the Christ- give further solidity to thej church North Lions Club and side. The South Island Polo Asso- Waimate and Ashley have

ciation, the tournament has attracted six teams in the open section and four in the junior. Elimination matches will be played on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and the two finals on Sunday afternoon. All matches will be played on a well-prepared field in Ryans Road, Yaldhurst. Improvement in South Island polo-playing standards was evident at the Christchurch Show last year when a three-man South Island team lost three close matches to a higher-rated North Island side. A crowd of about 4000,! ! which watched the matches i —played over three days—was fascinated with their! rapid pace and with the dexterity of the players and their ponies. J. McKelvie and J. Walker, the two seniors of the Auckland team, are amongst the most tightly assessed polo ! players in New Zealand, both ! being on handicaps of five. Although the other members, I. McKelvie and M. Thompson, are relative newcomers, their experience of the strong . Northern competition should . enable them to play well. Attempting to win the , Gould Cup for the seventh . successive time, Ashburton, . the winning team at the Amuri Club’s tournament two . weeks ago, will probably I emerge as a finalist with i Auckland. 1 Included in its team are the . South Island players, J. T i Askin and E. B. O'Sullivan while A. Askin and P. Soutl

proved little inferior to Ashburton in recent weeks, and should provide the Auckland team with spirited opposition. At stake also will be the coveted Rangitikei Plate—a trophy given by a Northern team which contested the South Island circuit four years ago, and awarded to the best team of two polo ponies. With high-calibre teams competing and two experienced umpires officiating, it should be an entertaining week-end for the polo enthusiasts.