Cubbaroo Polocrosse Club hosts first carnival in three years

Polocrosse returned to Wee Waa with a bang at the weekend as Cubbaroo Polocrosse Club hosted its carnival on Saturday and Sunday at the town’s local showground.

There were 23 teams that lined up as more than 120 players travelled from across the state to compete at the multi-horse carnival, which was Cubbaroo’s first since 2019 after last year’s event was called off due to wet weather and the 2020 carnival was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The weekend’s weather was ideal for the players who travelled to compete as Wee Waa boasted sunshine and cool breezes on both days.

The annual event kicked off with a barbecue dinner and a night of social fun on Friday and also included the Cubbaroo special Saturday afternoon Angus memorial challenge and then dinner and a DJ on Saturday night.

As expected, sensational polocrosse was played across the three fields on both days.

The hosts celebrated a successful weekend as the Cubbaroo open team was crowned the 2022 carnival’s open C-grade champions following a six-point final win against Muswellbrook on Sunday morning. That team included Mitchell, Emily, Billy and John Brodigan, Olivia Wilson, and Edwina Keft.

Three of those players also enjoyed individual success as Billy, Olivia and Mitchell were named best number one, two and three, respectively, in the division.

Cubbaroo’s neighbours Galloping Gully Polocrosse Club and Narrabri Polocrosse Club were also impressive across the weekend in Wee Waa.
Narrabri won the open B-grade division, was runners-up in juniors and ladies, and three of its players earned individual honours.

Teammates Greg Schwager and Jason Manning were named best number one and two, respectively, in the open B-grade division and Paige Fielder was awarded best number two in ladies.

Galloping Gully won the open D-grade division, was runners-up in the open A-grade division, and also enjoyed plenty of individual success.

Fifteen-year-old Fletcher Williams was impressive in the open A-grade competition across the weekend. He was awarded best number one in the division and was also named the winner of the carnival’s Len Wall best overall junior player.

Fellow Gully players Max Hunter and Kohl Weir were awarded the best number two and three, respectively, in the open D-grade division.

Results from Cubbaroo Polocrosse Club’s carnival held on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24, are as follows:

Sub-juniors:
Winners – Quirindi, runners-up – Gulgong Black, best male – Tom Hill (Gulgong), best female – Jade McFayden (Quirindi).

Juniors:
Winners – Quirindi, runners-up – Narrabri, best number one – Jack Davis (Quirindi), best number two – Lacey Evans-Scott (Galloping Gully), best number three – Harry Davis (Quirindi).

D-grade:
Winners – Galloping Gully Two, runners-up – Cassilis, best number one – Max Hunter (Galloping Gully), best number two – Sophie Hawthorn (Bunnan), best number three – Kohl Weir (Galloping Gully).

C-grade:
Winners – Cubbaroo, runners-up – Muswellbrook, best number one – Billy Brodigan (Cubbaroo), best number two – Olivia Wilson (Cubbaroo), best number three – Mitchell Brodigan (Cubbaroo).

B-grade:
Winners – Narrabri One, runners-up – Gulgong, best number one – Greg Schwager (Narrabri), best number two – Jason Manning (Narrabri), best number three – James Mulligan (Gulgong).

A-grade:
Winners – Quirindi One, runners-up – Galloping Gully One, best number one – Fletcher Williams (Galloping Gully), best number two – Luke Davis (Quirindi), best number three – Luke Saul (Quirindi).

Ladies:
Winners – Quirindi, runners-up – Narrabri, best number one – Kyla Hill (Quirindi), best number two – Paige Fielder (Narrabri), best number three – Mandy Smith (Quirindi).

Major individual awards:
Junior Australian stockhorse – Rosebrook Anacapri ridden by Jack Davis (Quirindi), open Australian stockhorse – Halsted Ninja ridden by Sam Halsted (Quirindi), Len Wall best overall junior – Fletcher Williams (Galloping Gully), David Hamilton memorial horse of the carnival – Claret ridden by Luke Saul (Quirindi), John Hamilton memorial best gentleman player – Luke Saul (Quirindi), Lisa McMillan memorial best lady player – Mandy Smith (Quirindi).

More photos to come.