Ballarat Masters Competition

Notes from Sue Fraser.
As usual Pluto Castles and his tireless offsider, alias Sue, did a fine job in organizing 6 teams of players and “costumes” – playing shirts, brow bands and rosettes. All teams were beautifully presented and appreciated by the “Masters family”.
The trip down was a little eventful. Day 1 saw the “Plut Troupe” stay over at Narrabri. Everyone travelled well. Second day Fraser’s got a flat tyre on the truck and Plut had organized for us ALL to stay the night with Peter Darmody and Wendy Barlow and their 21 Kelpie dogs. They very generously housed a “few friends” and horses for the night. A “few” consisted of 5 cars and vans, 2 goosenecks and cars, 1 single car and a truck – ALL 20 of us. The hospitality was fabulous (Peter and Wendy did not blink an eye – maybe they are used to Plut!!!). The 3rd day we arrived at Ballarat – only 15 minutes before the road from Dalesford was closed, as the huge Victorian bushfires had broken out. The horses all travelled very well and settled in immediately.
Remembering this is a Masters competition – the draw was a little confusing. Some unfortunate team had to play 7 games in 3 days – 2 the 1st, 3 the 2nd and 2 on the 3rd day. It would be remiss of us to remind everyone this team was a Masters Over 50’s – poor souls!!!
The fields were very safe (a little dusty, but very understandable considering the dry season), the refreshments very cold and the food and entertainment great.

Notes from Bronwyn Burnham.
Over 20 teams traveled from the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Victoria, NSW and Queensland to compete in the polocrosse section of the Masters Games with eleven of these in the strongly represented Over 50’s Division, the remainder being Women Over 40, Men Over 40 and Mixed Competition.
Tex Burnham, Captain of one of the Queensland teams, said “Play was held over three days with a total of seven games for the weekend, so the pace was pretty hectic. Weather conditions were also very cruel on the Friday with the temperature soaring to 38 degrees, but luckily Saturday saw a complete turn around with a pleasant 29 degrees, whilst Sunday was a bitterly cold, windy day that barely rose above 17 degrees!!!”
Calliope player, Norma Pengelly was ecstatic with the weekend’s results that saw her team the “Daisy Trains” win Gold in the Ladies Over 40 Division, Gold for Best Section Ladies Over 40, and Best Presented Ladies Team. The award closest to her heart however was Best Ladies Horse that went to Norma’s 7 year old bay mare “Faith”.
In the Men’s Over 50 competition the ‘Curtis Polocrosse Racquets’ team consisting of Captain Tex Burnham (Monto), Pluto Castles (Gold Coast), Mick Beresford (Eulo), Keith Bowling (Wandoan), Eric Beresford (Eulo) and Chas Nobbs (Bauhinia) brought home Silver after a hard fought encounter in the Finals game. They also won the Best Presented Team Men’s Over 50 and Tex Burnham received a Silver Medal for Best Individual Player.
Brenda Taylor of Bauhinia teamed up with the “F111’s” in the Over 50 competition. Although the team was unsuccessful in taking a medal, Brenda was awarded an individual Bronze Medal for Lady Player Over 50 for her dogged and consistent defense work throughout the weekend.

Ballarat is the venue for the 2010 Polocrosse Nationals. The Ballarat Club has built a great shower/toilet complex and is developing additional fields.  So all should be set for the Nationals on 22nd to 28th March 2010.

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