Narrabri polocrosse players represent NSW at Warwick’s Barastoc Interstate Series

Narrabri Polocrosse Club was represented by nine players at a massive carnival in Warwick from Friday, April 16, to Sunday, April 18, six of whom represented NSW in the Barastoc Interstate Polocrosse Series.

Trent Mortimer and Islay Young competed for the state’s open men’s team while Julia Stuart, Jessie Ross and Felicity and Makayla Elford were part of the under-21 women’s side in which they teamed up with Galloping Gully Polocrosse Club’s Holly Turnbull.

Narrabri Polocrosse Club juniors Brittany Schwagger, Lily Baguley and Rosie Ross also competed at the carnival in the Rosebowl Junior Club Competition.

The NSW men’s team was eventually crowned the champion of its division in the Barastoc Interstate Polocrosse Series.

The Narrabri men and their teammates played two games under lights, both of which they won to advance to Sunday’s final. NSW downed Queensland on Friday night then defeated Victoria on Saturday night. Those victories set up a Sunday afternoon grand final against Queensland which the NSW side won.

The full NSW open men’s team included Mortimer, Young, Quirindi duo Chris Anderson and Luke Saul, Albury’s Jim Grills, Bunnan’s Joe Wamsley and Jugiong’s Will Weston.

The NSW under-21 women’s team was dominated by Narrabri girls who teamed up with Albury’s Gemma Stuart and Bunnan’s Leah Wilson.

They played their first game on Friday afternoon against Queensland and won 24-13, then beat South Australia 14-9 the following morning to qualify for Sunday afternoon’s final. The NSW team finished the series as runners-up after going down 16-13 against Queensland in that match.

The two in-form Elford sisters were both acknowledged for their individual brilliance at the carnival. Felicity was awarded best horse and rider combination in her side’s first game then Makayla received the same accolade at the conclusion of the second match.

Makayla, who played on her horse Charm at the tournament, then went on to win overall best horse and rider combination in the under-21 women’s competition.

There were seven divisions running in the Barastoc Interstate Polocrosse Series. Both NSW and Queensland fielded teams in all seven divisions while Victoria travelled to the carnival with four teams and South Australia entered two.

Winners and runners-up from each division are as follows:
Open men: Winner – NSW, runner-up – Queensland, horse and rider – Jim Grills, ASH – Will Weston ‘Silver Hills Skim’.
Open women: Winner – Queensland, runner-up – NSW, horse and rider – Beth Hafey, ASH – Sandra Weston ‘Nimby Lara’.
Under-21 men: Winner – NSW, runner-up – Victoria, horse and rider – Harry Semmens, ASH – Alex Grills ‘Burradoon Dusk’.
Under-21 women: Winner – Queensland, runner-up – NSW, horse and rider – Makayla Elford, ASH – Gemma Stuart ‘Future Dori’.
Masters men: Winner – NSW, runner-up – Queensland, horse and rider – Terry Donnelly, ASH – Garry Stevenson ‘Springside Jamaica’.
Under-16 boys: Winner – Queensland, runner-up – NSW, horse and rider – Jim Henry, ASH – Mace Edmistone ‘Emugully Tahlee’.
Under-16 girls: Winner – Queensland, runner-up – NSW, horse and rider – Emily Wamsley, ASH – Emily Bowden ‘JH Guill’.
Overall: Champion player of the series – Will Weston.

Meanwhile, Narrabri trio Brittany, Lily and Rosie played in a team which competed in the A-grade junior competition across the weekend. They qualified for the final in that division but lost narrowly to Jugiong in the final.