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

Queensland WINS 2008 Cooper Trophy .... to read full story - Click Here ....

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.

Following discussions about tie lapsed, it was decided that a more suitable basis for competition would be between Queensland and New Zealand for all grades, as this would give more opportunity for competition, with any alteration to the rules for competition requiring the Cooper family consent.

In 1997 a New Zealand Intermediate Team comprising Tania griffin, Tanis Addis, Joelene Rowlands, Pricilla White, Jonathon Ward (captain), Mathew Oliver, Harry Seminoff and Atahere Cameron with Mike Grifin as Coach and Keith Rowlands as manager 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 of Warwick Fraser (Captain), Todd Waugh, Carl Wade, Cameron Tickell, Cameron Sturgess, Luke O'Leary and Matt Shepherd with Kent Wells as Coach 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 of Donna MacQillivray, Casey Mullany, Calley Mullany, Stephanie Takarangi, Lionel Gundrey, Russell Tye (Captain), Tony Schrafft and Matthew West with Bryce Reynolds coaching and Helen McKenzie as Manager gave New Zealand a victory. The Queensland team comprised Paula Dean, Leisa Bowling, Anna Hedger, John Bowling (Captain), Todd Edwards and Steve Hardy with Merv Mangan as Coach/Manager.

The 2008 Cooper Family Trophy was won by Queensland - to read the full story - Click here

In 2009 New Zealand's National Quadrangular Series team played in the competition defeating Queensland's Development team. See results below.

This makes the current state of competition as three 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.