Exciting polo final

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 34

Exciting polo final

In one of the best exhibitions of polo for several seasons, Ashburton A fought back magnificently to beat Amuri A, 7-4, and win the Gould Cup at the South Island championships at Ryans Road yesterday. The win is Ashburton’s tenth in the 16-year history of the Cup, but at the end of the second of the six chukkas, even its most staunch supporters must have wondered whether Ashburton had any chance of taking the Cup/ At that stage, Amuri, with Alan Calder and Beau Mcßae in outstanding form, led Ashburton, 4-1. But a bad fall forced Mcßae to retire and

then Ashburton scored three times in the third chukka. The experienced pair of John Askin and. Emmett O’Sullivan then both scored to give Ashburton a twogoal lead and O’Sullivan added the final goal in the sixth chukka. Michael Askin and Denis

O’Sullivan stood out for Ashburton, Askin scoring twice. Emmett O’Sullivan scored four times for Ashburton while Calder and Mcßae

scored twice each for Amuri;

The Rhodes Cup, played for on a handicap basis by teams eliminated from the Gould Cup, was won by Ashley, the Plaisted Cup for junior open competition went to Taieri A, while the

Michael Bellerby Cup, for junior handicap competition, was won by Blenheim B. The Russley Gup for the most improved junior player was won by Michael Askin, the champion pony award went to Denis O’Sullivan while the Rangitikei polo pony trophy for the best team of ponies went to Calder. Results of Saturday’s competition.—

Amuri C 4, Taieri B 1-J; Ashley 5, Waimate II; Geraldine 5, Ashburton B 2; Amuri A 9, Blenheim A 1; Taieri A 4, Blenheim B 0; Ashburton A 11, Amuri B 1. .

Yesterday’s results.—Blenheim! A 51, Waimate 5; Blenheim B 8, Amuri. C 41; Ashburton B 6, Taieri B .41; Ashley 5, Amuri B 31; Taieri A. 4, Geraldine 0; Ashburton A 7, Amuri 4.