POLO VICTORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23019, 22 April 1938, Page 11

POLO VICTORY

NEW ZEALAND TEAM )

GOLD CUP CONTEST") TROPHY HOLDERS BEATEN" ADMIRATION FOR PONIES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 21, 10.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 21 The New Zealand polo team this afternoon scored a decisive and clearcut win in their semi-final against Hunter River, holders of the Gold Cup. Eight teams entered the contest for the cup, which is the blue riband event of polo in the Southern Hemisphere. Hunter River led by 2 goals to none at the end of the first period, but from then until the end of the fifth period the New Zealanders were definitely superior and finally won by 7 goals to 4.

The Nf?w Zealand goals were scored as fellows:—G. Peake (5), K. Peake, McKenzie. Excellent combination and hitting were displayed by the winners, but the remarkable speed of their ponies gave them a decided advantage. Their ponies are considered the finest string seen in Sydney since the depression. The Hunter River mounts.were sluggish hy comparison. K. Peake was a magnificent back. His control on all hands was uncanny. McKenzie was sound, while both Nolan and G. Peake were versatile. In the other semi-final Town and Country Whites beat Queensland by 8 goals to 5. The final will "be played on Saturday. FINE SPIRIT SHOWN

SPEEDINESS OF MOUNTS PICK OF THE WAIKATO POLICY FULLY JUSTIFIED One of the features of the New Zealand polo victory most gratifying to enthusiasts in New Zealand, and particularly in the Walkato, will be the reference to the superiority of the Dominion team's ponies. Since the 14.2 maximum for polo mounts was abolished some years ago and with the rennaissajice of the sport following the depression, ponies have shown a marked improvement, and the result has been a general speeding-up in the game itself. * A fine spirit was shown by Waikato players when the trip to Australia wa3 mooted, and the pick of many stables was available to members of the team. Some of the ponies which were originally likely to be taken developed soreness following hard play in the Savile Cup tournament at Claudelands, but no difficulty was experienced in obtaining a team of 24 thoroughbreds, almost . all of which were from stud book mares and by sires that have good performances on the turf. .In selecting the string of ponies, the greatest emphasis was placed on pace, and it appears that this policy has been fully justified in the sesquicentenary 'tournament. The members of the New Zealand team are:—No. 1 player, 11. Nolan (Cambridge); No. 2, G. Peake (Matangi); No. 3, R. Q. McKenzie (Hawke's Bay), captain; No. 4, K. Peake (Cambridge). The emergencies selected were L. R. Kay (Cambridge) and K. Henry (Waimai).