The 2022 Autumn Challenge took place at Cheshire Polo Club over the weekend of the 24th and 25th of September, kindly hosted by Celyn Polocrosse Club. The event was open to both Pony Club and UKPA members and saw some fantastic play over the weekend, as players took part in Minis, Juniors and Seniors grades, based on age and horse height.
Members and their horses put on a great display of their skills in a relaxed and friendly competition and the winners got some great prizes, thanks to our sponsors Polocrosse Extreme and Bombers Equestrian Equipment. As well as prizes for the winners and runners up there were limited edition Bombers polocrosse racquets awarded to the highest placed complete Pony Club section in each grade (which in most cases was also the winning section).
There were also best male and lady player prizes awarded for each age category and then an overall best male and best lady player prize awarded, where the two winners received the Bombers perpetual trophies that are presented each year and a Bombers Iceman polocrosse racquet. The overall best lady player was awarded to Isabella Stone of the Flint and Denbigh branch after she had a great weekend in the number 3 shirt for her team aboard her pony Chuna, as they won the Open Juniors grade. The best overall male player was awarded to Alfie Vollans, who played in the Juniors grade aboard Bissy at 12 years old, helping his team finish in the runners up spot in the Novice Juniors.
The Novice Minis competition saw members play in mixed teams over the weekend, with players switching round for each game. Because of this it wasn’t possible to declare any specific team overall winners and so instead joint first place was awarded to the following members: Sammy Westerling (Essex and Suffolk), Clarry Gale (Burghley), Lily McKenzie (Belvoir), Olivia Sharp (Belvoir), Annabelle Gill (East Down), Archie Wasdell (West Warwickshire) Lola Flower (Essex Hunt North), Lottie Jones (Flint and Denbigh), Fraser Lowden King (North Northumberland) and May Chance (North Warwickshire)
In the Open Minis final the Area 6 Warriors team of Perdy Gale, Ava Lambert and Morvah Luke just beat the United Pack team of Maggie Clark, Grace Hockley and Charlotte Gee in a close fought game.
Best number 1 in the Minis was won by Maggie Clark, best number 2 was Grace Hockley and best number 3 was Malva Luke. Best Playing Pony went to Charlotte Gee’s Snowy. Best Lady player was won by Perdy Gale and best male player went to Sammy Westerling of the Essex and Suffolk branch.
In the Novice Juniors competition there was a win for the Celyn team of Daniel George, Bridie Gilbert and Eve Spears, as they overcame a mixed team featuring Bailey McGuile (North Down), Jess Norton (Celyn) and Alfie Vollans (Llangeinor) in the final. Daniel George won best number 1, Abbey Wallace won best number 2 and Max Lewis won best number 3.
In the Open Juniors in was the Flint and Denbigh section of Daisy Stone, Leia Lloyd Williams and Isabella Stone who claimed the win, adding to the Junior title they won at the Pony Club Championships in August. They overcame the Area 2 team of Millie Dacosta Evans, Jasmine Ford and Tilly Threlfall in the final. Daisy Stone won best number 1, Maggie Flower won best number 2 and Isabella Stone won best number 3. Ollie Rowbotham’s pony Arizona won best playing horse in the Juniors.
The best overall male player in the Juniors went to Daniel George and best lady player went to Olivia Kirkham of the Essex and Suffolk branch.
In the Seniors it was the Ardenshire team of Alasdair Broadbent, Kate McKee and Alyson Bater who came out on top as they beat the Kent Target team of Ed Flower, Neil Hinkinson and Amada Wasdell. The highest placed Pony club team in Seniors was the United Pack team of Jess Clark, Abi Davies and Alice Leeke.
Amanda Wasdell won best number 1, Alasdair Broadbent best number 2 and Ed Flower best number 3. Jess Clark won best lady player in the Seniors and Alasdair Broadbent won best male player. Ed Flower’s horse Skooch won best playing horse.
A huge thank you to all our volunteers and to Celyn Polocrosse Club who ran the weekend and made the competition possible. And also a big, big thank you to the umpires who umpired all the games over the weekend, both those who were also playing in the Seniors grade and those who came along just to umpire!
We hope you all enjoyed the weekend and we look forwards to doing it all again in 2023!
Full Results
Best overall lady player – Isabella Stone (Flint and Denbigh)
Best overall male player – Alfie Vollans (Llangeinor)
Novice Minis:
1st equal: Sammy Westerling (Essex and Suffolk), Clarry Gale (Burghley), Lily McKenzie (Belvoir), Olivia Sharp (Belvoir), Annabelle Gill (East Down), Archie Wasdell (West Warwickshire) Lola Flower (Essex Hunt North), Lottie Jones (Flint and Denbigh), Fraser Lowden King (North Northumberland) and May Chance (North Warwickshire)
Best number 1: Sammy Westerling
Best number 2: Lily McKenzie
Best number 3: Clarry Gale
Open Minis:
1st: Area 6 Warriors – Perdy Gale (Burghley), Ava Lambert (Burghley) and Morvah Luke (Belvoir)
2nd: United Pack – Maggie Clark, Grace Hockley and Charlotte Gee
Best number 1: Maggie Clark
Best number 2: Grace Hockley
Best number 3: Morvah Luke
Best Playing Pony in Minis: Snowy (Charlotte Gee)
Best male player in Minis: Sammy Westerling
Best lady player in Minis: Perdy Gale
Novice Juniors:
1st: Celyn – Daniel George, Bridie Gilbert and Eve Spears
2nd: North Celyn and Llangeinor – Bailey McGuile (North Down), Jess Norton (Celyn) and Alfie Vollans (Llangeinor)
3rd: Area 2 – Ethan Campbell (Morpeth), Nina Lowden King (North Northumberland) and Anya Tate (Morpeth)
4th: North Down – Eloise Keers, Abbey Wallace and Max Lewis
Best number 1: Daniel George
Best number 2: Abbey Wallace
Best number 3: Max Lewis
Open Juniors
1st: Flint and Denbigh – Daisy Stone, Leia Lloyd Williams and Isabella Stone
2nd: Area 2 – Millie Dacosta Evans (North Northumberland), Jasmine Ford (North Northumberland) and Tilly Threlfall (Percy Hunt)
3rd: Essex Hunt North – Ollie Rowbotham, Maggie Flower and Kiki Flower
4th: Essex and Burghley – Olivia Kirkham (Essex and Suffolk), Zara Stafford (Burghley) and Eloise Kirkham (Essex and Suffolk)
Best number 1: Daisy Stone
Best number 2: Maggie Flower
Best number 3: Isabella Stone
Best playing pony in Juniors: Arizona – Ollie Rowbotham
Best male player in Juniors: Daniel George
Best lady player in Juniors: Olivia Kirkham
Seniors
1st: Ardenshire – Alasdair Broadbent, Kate McKee and Alyson Bater
2nd: Kent Target – Amanda Wasdell, Neil Hinkinson and Ed Flower
3rd: Celyn – Amy Galvin, Rachel Tranter and Sarah Simkin
4th: United Pack – Alice Leeke, Abi Davies and Jess Clark
5th: Limemere – Tim Batchelor, Shanna Rawbone and Keeley Rock
Best number 1: Amanda Wasdell
Best number 2: Alasdair Broadbent
Best number 3: Ed Flower
Best playing horse in Seniors: Skooch – Ed Flower
Best male player in Seniors: Alsadair Broadbent
Best lady player in Seniors: Jess Clark