FINALS OF THE KERRY PACKER CHALLENGE CUP

SUBSIDIARY FINAL Wastecorp and Eynesbury both decided to give there 14 goal teams for the next tournament a run in this final. The Eynesbury team was Will and Ed Goold, Ruki Baillieu and Jamie Le Hardy and the Wastecorp team was Mike King, Mark Field, Damien Johnston and Earl Herbert. Over night the heavens had opened and dumped 35mm of rain, along with the 11mm from Friday night, so this game was played on the North Field so as to give the Home Field a bit more time to dry for the final and also so the field would not be chopped up. The end score after the 6 chukkas was 8 all and rather than play an extra chukka Ron Wanless tossed a coin and it was Eynesbury that officially won the Subsidiary Final.

Ellerston: Jeff Fisher, Jarrod McHardy, Mat Grimes and Niel Craig. Umpire Ruki Baillieu

Pitchfork: Umpire Mark Field, Tim Clarke, Rob Archibald, Andrew Hinw and Rick Mitchell.

The crowd then moved their picnics to the home field and watched a fast game of open polo played between Ellerston White and Pitchfork. Pitchfork had to give Ellerston 1 goal start as they were a 13 goal side and that was the score at the end of the 1st chukka with neither team being able to get the ball through the posts. The 2nd chukka had the first goal scored by Pitchfork but they conceded 2 to Ellerston and the score at the end was 3-1 Z.

Andrew Hine and Mat Grimes

Ellerston maintained the momentum into the 3rd chukka and the end it was 5-1 Z. The 4th was a stop and start chukka and only 1 goal scored by each team to end 6-2 Z. The 5th saw a few whistles blown and penalties awarded but Pitchfork were having no luck in their penalty hitting with 3 missed opportunities, but not all in this chukka, and the end score was 7-4 Z

Jarrod McHardy and Tim Clarke

The 6th chukka was how, I am sure, the Pitchfork team wished the whole game had been with Rob Archibald and Andrew Hine making several charges at goal and scoring twice but Ellerston was up to the challenge and added 1 goal of there own and on the final bell Ellerston had taken out the 2009 Kerry Packer Challenge Cup 8-6.

Rob Archibald

What was so special about this win, and I am sure most of the Australian polo community agrees, is that this was won by home grown players on home grown horses. Well done to all concerned. The Champion Pony was awarded to “Crinkle”. She is a 6yo mare who is an embryo foal out of “Crackle” and by “Norman Pentaquad” and she was played by the MVP of the match Mat Grimes. As the presentations were finalized the rain started again and all eyes turned to preparations for the next tournament. Stay tuned for more results. Thanks for reading.