Sun soaked fun at the 2026 Arena Challenge

The 2026 Arena Challenge took place at Dallas Burston Polo Club on the 18th and 19th of April and saw members travel from around the country to take part. They were treated to some excellent weather, with the sun shining strongly over the weekend and also some excellent polocrosse as the talented members and their horses battled it out for the prizes.

There was a really strong turnout of complete Branch teams throughout the grades, showing how the sport is continuing to develop and grow. South Shropshire were particularly well represented as they had a team in three of the four grades. There were also a number of strong Area teams and then also a number of mixed teams, put together by the organisers from any members who wished to play and didn’t have a complete Branch, Centre or Area teams for the competition.

However, it was mainly the Branch teams who ended up on the top step of the podium, with Flint and Denbigh taking the win in the Open Seniors, South Shropshire claiming the Open Juniors and Walpole and District winning the Minis competition. Area 11, who had a full team at the competition for the first time for a number of years, won the Novice Juniors. There were also a number of individual prizes available, with a prize for Best Player, Best Horse, Best Horse and Rider and Most Improved in each grade.

There were four overall individual prizes that were judged across all the grades. Clarry Gale of the Burghley won Best Overall Female Player award for her performances in Open Juniors. She was one of ten players who were playing in either Novice or Open juniors despite still being young enough for Minis, showing just how quickly some members are developing their polocrosse skills. The Best Overall Male Player Award went to Ollie Rowbotham from Essex and Suffolk Branch who was playing in the Open Seniors.

There were also two Best Conditioned Horse prizes, kindly sponsored by Dengie Horse feeds. The Reserve Best Conditioned Horse was Highlight, owned and ridden by Olivia Sharp and the Best Conditioned Horse was Birdie, owned by Charlotte Gee and ridden by Tegan Lorey.

The Minis featured two mixed sections alongside the Walpole and Disytrict section and they fought hard over the weekend but couldn’t quite match the Walpole side. Mia Freegard of Walpole and District won best player while Ottilie King’s pony Troy won Best Horse (or rather Best Pony as he is only about 11hh). Millie Jenkinson and Spotty of the Worcestershire Branch won Best Horse and Rider and Rosabella Howitt won Most Improved.

In the Novice Juniors there were a number of young player stepping up from Minis for the first time. Area 11 won the grade with a strong performance, though the overall result was decided on goal difference after they drew 5 goals all with the second placed Tigers team, made up on members from Waveney Harriers, Walpole and District and Devon and Somerset. Abbie Saltern of Ghyll Park Equestrian in Area 11 won Best Player, while her sister’s horse Dally won Best Horse, with some strong performances in defence. Kaitlyn Allen and Rocky of Walpole and District won Best Horse and Rider and Tallulah Buy of the South Shropshire Branch won Most Improved.

In the Open Juniors there were four very strong teams but it came down to a match between Burghley and South Shropshire to decide the grade winner. South Shropshire emerged triumph and they also had Grace Hockley pick up the Best Player prize and Maggie Clark’s Jelly win Best Horse. Most Improved went to Abigail Robbins of East Essex for her performances for the Area 8 team and Millie Taylor of the Warwickshire Hunt won Best Horse and Rider with her horse Mollie.

The Open Seniors ended with a match between Flint and Denbigh and Area 8. It was very close early on but Flint and Denbigh got on a run of goals late in the second chukka and despite Area 8’s efforts in the final chukka they could not close the gap. However, they did have the satisfaction of seeing Sammy Westerling’s horse Merlot win Best Horse. Daisy Stone of the Flint and Denbigh picked up Best Player and her team mate Katie Davies won Most Improved. Best Horse and Rider went to Alfie Vollans and Jupiter for their influential performances in the mixed Dragons team.

Overall it was a great weekend, with a very high standard of play on this pitch and some very exciting moments for spectators to enjoy. It also signals the start of the summer polocrosse season and we all look forwards to the next few months that will see lots of training, Area Qualifiers, the Four Nations and of course the Pony Club Championships itself!

Full Results

Best Overall Female Player – Clarry Gale (Burghley)

Best Overall Male Player – Ollie Rowbotham (Essex and Suffolk)

Best Conditioned Horse – Birdie – owned by Charlotte Gee, ridden by Tegan Lorey

Reserve Best Conditioned Horse – Highlight, owed and ridden by Olivia Sharp

Minis

1st – Walpole and District – Mia Freegard, Otillie King Daisy King

2^nd – Sharks – Georgia Cheetham (Grove), Larry Revell (Waveney Harriers), Edward Greatorex (North Warwickshire)

3^rd – Stingrays – Matilda Bull (West Warwickshire), Millie Jenkinson (Worcestershire), Rosabella Howitt (Romney Marsh)

Best Player – Mia Freegard

Best Horse – Troy, ridden by Otillie King

 Best Horse and Rider – Millie Jenkinson and Spotty

Most Improved – Rosabella Howitt

Novice Juniors

1^st – Area 11 – Abbie Saltern (Ghyll Park Equestrian), Chloe Saltern (Ghyll Park Equestrian), Georgia Whiting (Romney Marsh)

2^nd – Tigers – Kaitlyn Allen (Walpole and District), Ellie May Baskerville (Waveney Harriers), Emmie Webster (Devon and Somerset)

3^rd – South Shropshire – Jim Leeke, Harry Beadles, Tallulah Buy

4^th – Lions – Thomas Kenny (Tynedale), Leila Elliot Ward (South Northumberland), Georgina Cheetham (Grove)

Best Player – Abbie Saltern

Best Horse – Dally, ridden by Chloe Saltern

 Best Horse and Rider – Kaitlyn Allen and Rocky

Most Improved – Tallulah Buy

Open Juniors

1^st – South Shropshire – Maggie Clark, Lily Leeke, Grace Hockley

2^nd  – Burghley – Perdy Gale, Ava Lambert, Clarry Gale

3^rd – Area 8 – Maggie Flower (Essex Hunt North), Lola Flower (Essex Hunt North), Abigail Robbins (East Essex)

4^th – Eagles – Millie Taylor (Warwickshire Hunt), Olivia Sharp (Blankney), Summer Robertson (Grove)

Best Player – Grace Hockley

Best Horse – Jelly, ridden by Maggie Clark

Best Horse and Rider – Millie Taylor and Mollie

Most Improved – Abigail Robbins

Open Seniors

1^st – Flint and Denbigh- Daisy Stone, Isabella Stone, Katie Davies

2^nd – Area 8 – Ollie Rowbotham (Essex and Suffolk), Sammy Westerling (Essex and Suffolk), Kiki Flower (Essex Hunt North)

3^rd – Dragons – Alfie Vollans (Llangeinor), Marsha Humpherys (Amman Valley & district), Jess Alderson (Hurworth Hunt)

4^th – South Shropshire – Jess Clark, Alice Leeke, Charlotte Gee

5^th – North Northumberland – Ama Mason, Tegan Lorey, Tilly Threlfall, Nina Lowden-King

Best Player – Daisy Stone

Best Horse – Merlot, ridden by Sammy Westerling

Best Horse and Rider – Alfie Vollans and Jupiter

Most Improved – Katie Davies