The Yass Valley Times would like to acknowledge these stunning action photos were taken by Amanda Dunstan
The past month has been both hectic and rewarding for Yass Polocrosse members. The Southern Highlands Zone presentations for the 2022 season showed the Club is on the right track with junior and new player development as well as horsepower.
A majority of individual Zone 2022 awards went to Yass members including:
Best Sub Junior Boy – Johnnie Erland
Best Junior Girl – Olivia Erland
Junior Rising Star – Riley Clark
Best Intermediate Male – Ryan Slater
Most Improved Male – Henry Cartwright
Best A Grade Female – Rachel Hughes
Best Women’s Player – Hayley DeBritt
Hal O’Donnell Memorial for Best Horse & Rider Combination – Callum Hughes and Berragoon Appeal (alias Request)
And NSW State Administrator of the Year – Cathy Bennett
In the local competition, the Annual Yass carnival held on the 15th / 16th of April attracted teams and players from across 5 states, with a great response to the Women’s Chukka competition. Yass fielded 5 women’s sections, coming away with Runners Up in the A grade, and winning the B and D Grade women’s competitions.
One of our newest members, Flynn Moloney, who stepped up from Juniors into the open grade this season, won the Male Encouragement award with Best Junior Horse and Rider going to Olivia Erland and ‘Lealukas Shield’, and Best Male Horse and Rider to Ryan Slater & ‘Bumpy’
Overall Champion Horse of the Carnival was Claire McCormack’s ‘TKP Vegas’.
The following weekend the Albury Autumn Classic drew international players as well as interstate from WA, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria. It was, therefore, a big call for our Yass members, Olivia and Johnnie Erland, and Riley and Cameron Clark to be selected to represent NSW in the Junior and Sub Junior teams. Riley Clark won Best Junior Boy, and Johnnie Erland won best number 2 in the second Division competition. While Olivia Erland had a clean sweep, being awarded Best No. 3 Girl, Best Junior Girl Horse & Rider, Best Junior Girl Stock Horse and Overall Champion player. Quite an achievement and grateful to have been lent her grandmother Dorothy’s horse “Shield”.
While the wet weather has given most of the Yass players and ponies a bit of time to recover from travel and competition, Yass juniors and women are certainly on a roll. Being once again selected for NSW, Olivia Erland, Riley Clark, Hayley DeBritt, and their supporter teams are packing up to head to Queensland for another interstate series (Barastoc) and the International test series at Warwick on 5th /6th 7th May. Hopefully, the sunshine state will live up to its name.
Locally Yass members will head down the coast for the Annual Milton carnival, wet weather and fields conditions permitting.
Cathy Bennett
