Brief History of the Cooper Family Trophy
Supplied by John Cooper – New Zealand

QLD WINS 2008 Cooper Trophy Click Here To Read Full Story

New Zealand's national team defeats Queensland in 2009 .... see chukka scores and results below....

As the result of an invitation from the King Country Polocrosse Association in New Zealand to the Queensland Polocrosse Association a Queensland Open Men’s Team conducted a short tour to New Zealand in 1989.

The then Patron of the King Country Polocrosse Association, Mr. Gilbert Cooper, donated on behalf of himself and his wife Mrs. Georgina Cooper, a challenge trophy which was intended to be for competition between Queensland and King Country.

The trophy was first played for in the King Country at Kaitieke on that basis.

The timber used for the trophy is Totara Burr, a growth which develops on a damaged trunk of a New Zealand native Totara tree during the healing process. As a logging contractor, Mr. Arthur Little established a collection of these pieces of timber and turned a hobby into a business, making many different items.

The touring Queensland team made up of Manager/Coach – Bob Sargood, Captain – Bill Abraham and players Wayne Rogan, Les Eames, Alex Hall, Chris Franklin, Charles Brook & Barry Donovan were the inaugural winners.

In 1997 a New Zealand Intermediate Team were the victors over two weekends played at Gisborne and Kaitieke, New Zealand.

The next competition was in 2001 at Warwick and Killarney with a Queensland Intermediate team the winners.

In 2004 the competition moved back to New Zealand in conjunction with the Horse of the Year Show in Hastings and a New Zealand mixed team was victorious. This makes the current state of competition as two wins each for the respective competitors.

2009 Cooper Family Trophy
will be contested in New Zealand

The Queensland team had two weekends of play while in New Zealand - the first at the Kaitieke Polocrosse Carnival on 28 February & 1 March and the second on 7 & 8 March at the NZ Sponsors Carnival held at the Equestrian Centre in Wairakei, Taupo.
The team was hosted by the Putaruru – Tirau Polocrosse Club for the Kaitieke Polocrosse Carnival and played in the club competition.
The second weekend played in Taupo, saw the Cooper Family Trophy game as the main attraction. The Queensland team also played in the tournament competition during the weekend.