POLO TOURNAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 81, 17 March 1934, Page 3

POLO TOURNAMENT

CONCLUSION OF PLAY N. CAMPBELL'S TEAM WINS OPEN HOMEWOOD WINS HANDICAP Th« Hawke’s Bay polo tournament, played on the Hawke’s Bay Club’s grounds in Omahu road, Hastings, concluded yesterday afternoon when the third day's play was conducted in ideal weather and under circumstances that were most favourable. The attendance was excellent and an increase on that of either of the two previous days of the fixture. Yesterday saw a scries of excellent games played, the standard showing considerable improvement and indicating most clearly that should further similar tourneys be arranged in the near future players in this part of the province would attain a high standard indeed. Once again a feature of the games was the excellence of the handicapping which resulted in all games being exceptionally close. Indeed so accurately did the handicapping committee judge the form of the various teams, that draws were as frequent as outright wins. Two competitions were conducted, the open event being for the J. J. Gatenby Cup and the handicap event for the 0. Nelson Cup. These were won by N. Campbell’s H.B. team and Homewood respectively. The personnel of the winning teams was as follows: — Campbell’s team: S. Laurence, Bobt. McKenzie, Short and Campbell (capt.) Homewood: Nelson, Donnolly, Williams and Wilder (capt.) At the conclusion of the final series of matches Mr Thornley Sherrat made an appropriate speech, congratulating the players upon the excellence of their performances and also the committee in charge of the tournament for the able manner in which the fixture was conducted. He then called upon Mrs F. McKenzie, wife of the H.B. Club's captain, to present the trophies. The results of the games played yesterday, with brief notes thereon, are as follow: — N. Campbell’s H.B. Team (scr.) 5 v. Homewood (4) 5. In this game Campbell’s team showed to advantage, scoring five times to their opponents’ once. Campbell, Laurence and Bob McKenzie played great polo. This was the only game of the tournament in which they did not win outright. The Homewood team gave an excellent account of itself, being all young players under the expert guidance of Captain “Tony” Wilder, who in this game was a veritable tower of strength. F. McKenzie’s H.B. team (scr.) 4 v. Jack Lyons’ team (2) 4. In this contest, one of the most interesting of the afternoon, McKenzie’s team pressed at the commencement of the first spell, but a sudden break and a good run by Lyons’ team ended in D. Nelson scoring a goal. From the centre McKenzie’s team had bad luck in overrunning the ball just at the goal-mouth, which was unfortunate as a goal was fully deserved. However, after even play in front of the stand F. McKenzie scored with a fine shot, making the score 3—l. After the centre the game was even, and from a run away from the line in front of the stand McKenzie’s team just missed another score. Lyons’ team then came away strongly at this stage to be sent back from their opponents’ goal to defend their own, John McKenzie scoring another fine goal for McKenzie’s team after a fine bit of play. The score was now McKenzie 2, Lyons 3. In the second chukka McKenzie’s team pressed hard, the ball just missing the goal twice in quick succecssion. Give and take play was the rule most of this spell and no further scoring took place. The third spell opened with quiet, even play, which was enlivened by a fine sprint by Harold McKenzie up the centre of the field. He missed narrowly. In the fourth spell Bob Symes opened the scoring right away with a fine shot for McKenzie’s team, making the scores 3 all. J. Lyons now led his team in great style to just miss, but immediately after the same player, after a fine piece of “dribbling”, scored a goal from a melee in front of the posts. Lyons 4, McKenzie 3. Close play in front of Lyons’ goal now ended in Crompton picking up a fine cross by F. McKenzie to score a snapped goal, again the scores being even, 4 all, play concluding shortly afterwards. Wallingford (Ser.) 2v. Gatenby’s H.B. team (3) 5. Gatenby’s team scored in the first spell, no scoring taking place in the second spell. Gatenby's scored again in the third spell and Wallingford in the third and fourth. Wallingford ponies seemed to tire in this game, giving Gatenby’s men a certain advantage in winning an evenly contested match. J. J. Gatenby’s H.B. team (s) 6v. Homewood (4) 6. Gatenby’3 team scored goals in each of the first three spells. Homewood scoring twice. “Tony” Wilder’s “Colts” showing up to advantage in an even and fast game. Wilder himself again being the stalwart of the team, splendidly backed up by “Punch” Nelson and Pat Donnolly. N. Campbell’s H.B. team (scr.) 3 v. J. Lyons’ H.B. team (2) 2. Campbell’s team opened in great fettle and immediately scored two goals in quick succession, adding another score in the third spell, winning a fine match in which Campbell, Laurence and J. Lyons showed up to great advantage all through. F. McKenzie's H.B| team (scr.) 4 v. Wallingford (scr.) 3. Another very even game in which F. McKenzie and Crompton played well for the winners and J. D. Ormond and W. Sherratt showed excellent form on behalf of Wallingford.