Narrabri Polocrosse Club hosted their annual carnival at the Narrabri Racecourse from Friday to Sunday, and event once again proved why it is considered one of the marquee events on both the NSW Polocrosse and the Narrabri sporting calendars.
Players travelled from across the North West Plains region and from both inter and outer state to compete, while international representation from the United Kingdom and the USA added a global dimension to the event.
There were about 400 players in action across 68 teams in total, which Narrabri Polocrosse Club president Trent Mortimer told The Courier was positive.
“It was really good. We had lots of compliments about how it was run, and we think everyone had a good weekend,” Mortimer said.
“We ended up with 68 teams, which was pretty positive for us.
“We had night games on Friday and Saturday and the carnival also during the day on Saturday and Sunday.
“The Junior Challenge was successful again and we had a lot of people say they’d be coming back.
“The whole carnival was well supported by a lot of businesses. I think we had 51 sponsors and businesses that donated things that helped run the carnival. We really appreciate that support.”
The United Kingdom team lined up in the under-16s quadrangular series that began on Friday night and wrapped up on Saturday night, and they were victorious after goals for and against were taken into account.
The UK team, second-placed Western Australia and third-placed NSW all won two of their three games as the Queenslanders went through the weekend without a win despite playing some competitive polocrosse.
Mortimer said that series was entertaining to watch between some of the best young players from across Australia and the UK.
“The series between the UK, NSW, Western Australia and Queensland was really good. It was a very even competition,” he said.
“UK ended up winning but only by a very close margin on (for and against) percentage.
“It went on a three-way countback between them, WA and NSW. They were all close games and it was really good polocrosse.”
The prestigious annual Whitehaven Narrabri Junior Challenge attracted 16 teams this year, which were split into five grades.
There was a USA side among those teams, but the winning A-grade team were the Silver Hills side that included Quirindi’s Walter and Elsie Greentree, Wondoan’s Storm Gould, Jugiong’s Sid Weston, Yass’ Cameron Clark and Bunnan’s Sophia Rose.
The popular club carnival attracted 11 sub-junior teams, 31 open teams and nine women’s teams, and the local North West Plains clubs enjoyed an abundance of success.
Narrabri Polocrosse Club were runners-up in the A-grade women division and Makayla Elford was awarded best number one, and they were also runners-up in the E-grade open division, with Dion Morris awarded best number one Harry Griffin awarded best number three.
Galloping Gully Polocrosse Club were F-grade open division winners, with Campbell Williams named best number one and Dylan Duncan named best number two, and Max Hunter was awarded best number two in the G-grade open division.
Cubbaroo Polocrosse Club won the G-grade open division, with Mitchell Brodigan named best number one and Olivia Wilson named best number three.
All three clubs had players in action in the Whitehaven Narrabri Junior Challenge as well.
Next up on the NSW polocrosse calendar is the Cubbaroo Carnival at the Wee Waa Showground this weekend.
Results from Narrabri Polocrosse Club’s 2025 carnival are as follows:
Junior Challenge:
A-grade:
Winners – Silver Hills, runners-up – Mac Energy, best number one – Cameron Clarke, best number two – Walter Greentree, best number three – Storm Gould.
B-grade:
Winners – Highland Hunters, runners-up – Biamble, best number one – Ella French, best number two – Elouise Brice, best number three –Taylor Smith.
C-grade:
Winners – REMT, runners-up – Rosebrook Ash Stud, best number one – Eli Riley, best number two – Sky Manning, best number three – Peyton Manwaring.
D-grade:
Winners – Turnbull Transport, runners-up – Narrabri, best number one – Ian Duff, best number two – Chloe Turnbull, best number three – Ella Galagher.
E-grade:
Winners – TFS Woods, runners-up – Mix Ups, best number one – Xanthie Watson, best number two – Oscar Thompson, best number three – Sienna Pettet.
Major awards:
Best overall boy player – Walter Greentree.
Best overall girl player – Storm Gould.
Best junior horse – Storm Gould’s Rod Stevens bridle.
Club carnival:
A-grade sub-juniors:
Winners – Southern Subbies, runners-up – Gulgong.
B-grade sub-juniors:
Winners – Inverell, runners-up – Guyra.
A-grade opens:
Winners – Albury One, runners-up – Bunnan One, best number one – Jim Grills (Albury/Holbrook), best number two – Katie Willis (Albury/Holbrook), best number three – Mitch Wamsley (Bunnan).
A-grade women:
Winners – Guyra, runners-up – Narrabri, best number one – Makayla Elford (Narrabri), best number two – Lauren Sibley (Albury/Holbrook), best number three – Lucy Grills (Albury/Holbrook).
B-grade opens:
Winners – BraidYass, runners-up – Lake George One, best number one – Riley Clark (Lake George), best number two – Matt Yeo (BraidYass), best number three – Greg Davidge (Lake George).
B-grade women:
Winners – Bunnan, runners-up – Muswellbrook, best number one – Sophie Hawthorne (Bunnan), best number two – Michelle Wamsley (Bunnan), best number three – Vicki Hawthorne (Bunnan).
C-grade opens:
Winners – Lake George Two, runners-up – Gold Coast, best number one – Hudson Ward (Gold Coast), best number two – Rainer White (Lake George), best number three – McCormack Finlayson (Gold Coast).
D-grade opens:
Winners – Muswellbrook One, runners-up – Wandoon, best number one – Jack Hamilton (Tansey), best number two – Ella Morgan (Central Districts), best number three – Col Parkinson (Muwellbrook).
E-grade opens:
Winners – Albury Two, runners-up – Narrabri One, best number one – Dion Morris (Narrabri), best number two – Luka McLachlan (Inverell), best number three – Harry Griffin (Narrabri).
F-grade opens:
Winners – Galloping Gully One, runners-up – Guyra Two, best number one – Campbell Williams (Galloping Gully), best number two – Dylan Duncan (Galloping Gully), best number three – Zac Cochrane (Guyra).
G-grade opens:
Winners – Cubbaroo, runners-up – Cassillis, best number one – Mitchell Brodigan (Cubbaroo), best number two – Max Hunter (Galloping Gully), best number three – Olivia Wilson (Cubbaroo).
Major awards:
Best sub-junior girl – Kelsey Mulligan (Gulgong).
Best sub-junior boy – Bailey Yeo (Yass).
Gilbert Harris memorial champion intermediate player of the carnival – Luka McLachlan (Inverell).
Best overall lady player – Lucy Grills (Albury/Holbrook).
Best overall male player and best overall horse and rider– Jim Grills (Albury/Holbrook).
Photos: Tom Pattison and Leslie Hardman
