Tour to Maitland, NSW, July 9-22nd 2008

Tēna koutou katoa!

The New Zealand Juniors’ Selection Tour to Maitland New South Wales has been completed with
resounding success.  This success was made up of many factors including;  the well behaved Juniors’
team who applied themselves very well to getting to know their Australian horses to get the best out
of them whilst playing.  Their attitudes towards their hosts, their horses, their team, coach,           
management and supporters was exemplary.  They were gracious, well mannered and keen to be  
involved in any experiences their billets designed for them.  They have made very good friends with       
the Maitland kids so much that some of these families are keen to come here and experience our     
hospitality in the near future.  This was clearly evident at the Maitland organised horse school on Tuesday tutored by well known expert camp drafter, Paul Spiers held at Arch Anderson’s home. 

The kids all mixed in well and learnt additional skills in terms of controlling their horses with their legs and not so much with the reins and bit.  They also had a social occasion attending ice skating at the Hunter Ice Stadium in Newcastle with their billets and some host parents along with the team management on the Thursday. 

A wonderful, hilarious and rewarding experience!  Especially when coach Paddy Cornelius fell over courtesy of his young team mates and supporter Kerri Duff wore half the ice skating rink on her back!  The group were then treated to fish and chips Aussie style beside Australia’s largest sea water lake, Lake Macquarie.

As a team the Juniors managed to gel very well prior to going overseas.  Several practices at the King Country grounds, Mananui proved to be great preparation for them as well as their ability to get along with each other as individuals.  Coach Paddy Cornelius drilled the team with the basics from racquet and ball skills to lineout practice and horse control.  PJ Dempsey and Kyla Hill our New South Wales 2008 scholars had a head start spending two weeks prior to the team arriving with their Galloping Gully billets and playing at two carnivals.  This showed once they rejoined the team as most of our Juniors had not played since our season had finished in April however this did not disadvantage our team as they quickly applied themselves to the jobs at hand.

Our first carnival was held at Scone, hosted by the Bunnan Club, adjacent to the Scone Racing Club (home of Kerry Packer) and as the sign by the pub said, ‘Horse Capital of Australia, where horses reign’!  The five fields were a little rocky but in good condition for some nerve wracking polocrosse!  Some of our players were rotated with the Gully club who played in the Junior A pool with Maitland, Bunnan and Cubbaroo.  The USA team played in the Junior B pool with Gulgong and Bunnan 2. 

The divisions ranged from A to G open, a Womens’ division and the Juniors’ division, Subbies and L Platers.  The prizes were amazing ranging from the horse cover Kyla Hill received for International best pony/rider combination to Wrangler belts. 

Results from this carnival were;  Saturday July 12th vs Maitland lost 17-5, vs Cubbaroo won 14-4, Sunday July 13th vs Bunnan lost 9-8, vs Galloping Gully won 9-6. 

The facilities were not unlike ours with portaloos, access to showers at the racing club, huge marquee for food and drinks and a mobile real coffee shop which we loved!!  They had a disco Saturday night beside a huge fire with giant logs that would mean 3 months firewood for some of our families! 

We spent a lot of time socialising (or should I say networking!) beginning with the ‘Op shop formal’ themed cocktail party that the Maitland men put on exclusively for the Maitland women – of course we New Zealanders had to attend and yes Alastair was allowed in by majority agreement! 

Then we were guests of the Galloping Gully club dining on garlic creamed prawns and fine Hunter Valley wines!  Then over to the main marquee where we met some of the Bunnan committee, the USA team and management and helped look after our host parents who enjoyed themselves no end!

We were treated to amazing finals on the Sunday watching the newly formed Cassilis club in the A final against Bunnan and the Womens’ final Maitland vs Gulgong (who comprised two members of the Australian World Cup team). 

Talk about spoiled for choice and we were right there on the spot!

Our second and last carnival was held at the Maitland grounds hosted by the Maitland club.  Their facilities are wonderful with fully serviced large clubrooms with adjacent canteen and bar facilities.  Hot showers and toilets as well as portaloos comprised the ablutions. 

Once again there were 5 fields and 37 teams participating.  Divisions went from A to E open, a Womens’ division, Subbies and Juniors’ including an International Juniors test where our team played against the USA team showcased on Sunday after the A Juniors final Maitland 1 who beat Bunnan.

Most of our people spent time helping our host families set up for this carnival which saw our Juniors come to the fore.  Again some of our players rotated this time within the Sydney team for some much needed practice prior to the test on Sunday. 

Our results were;  Saturday July 19th lost vs Maitland 18-9, won vs Bunnan 14-7.  On Sunday July 20th, after an energetic haka and an error plagued PA system, our Juniors beat USA with some pure NZ style magic 21-8! 
Highlights for me included; 

• the limitless patience of our Maitland and Anderson families who cared for us and put their lives on hold for us.  No request was too great!
• The kids’ horses supplied by Maitland and Cassilis clubs – our kids sat on gold the whole time they played!!
• The 56 whanau support who helped with morale, the wonderful haka (at Scone and Maitland) and everything else we asked them to do!
• The A womens’ final,  Maitland beating Quirindi and the A Open final where Cassilis beat Maitland – what a game!
• The Tuesday night hangi we put on to thank our host families which featured wild pork from Hori Purukamau our own Māori pig hunter resident in NSW!
• PJ Dempsey named International Best No. 3 and Sam Cunningham International Best No 1 with Sam named as Best International Player overall and Taumai Duff Marshall’s pony Ruby (owned by Mike and Donna Downes) voted by the team as best pony!!
• Sam’s Ashhurst lean!
• Our families letting Kerri and I use their cars for the whole stay
• Going 130 kph down the F3 in Alastair’s Ford Falcon!
• The champagne breakfast on the Wednesday with Ashley Anderson and our whanau!
• Seeing Tiddles, Kyla and Flo smile!
• Travelling with Paddy and Nicky Cornelius, Alastair Cumming and our Tūwharetoa whanau – what a privilege, they better not leave me behind on the next trip!
• Our children represented New Zealand Polocrosse to the best of their ability and deserve every opportunity we can give them now for the better future of New Zealand Polocrosse!

Nō reirā, kei te mihi tēnei ki te manaakitanga a Maitland, ki te tiakitanga a Tūwharetoa, e kore e mutu ngā mihi!
Arohanui
Miriama Prentice
Manager.