Polo THE SAVILE CUP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 30, 19 February 1937, Page 15

Polo THE SAVILE CUP

'Chukkah.")

Hawke's Bay's Remarkable Run of Successes GISBORNE TRIP IN 1911

(By '

In last week® 8 artdcle we traced the savfie dnp games froni 1890 td 1907, in which yeaf Hawke'a Bay won tho cuup fer tho fir$t time with ihe following team: — J% D, Ormond, O. Nelaon, H. A. Russell and W. C. A. MacKenzie. In 1908 tkq tournament was held in WelRpgton, on thq P®1© grounds, atMiramar, where. the golf course is now pituated. Hawke's Bay again met Rangitikci in the final a'nd again emerg--fd the victof s, after a very close game, which was played in a strong gale. ' Thia is probably th© worst conditionin which polo can be played, as the ball is caTried out of its path and eonsequently mishits are frequeut. The team whiqh won that year had two new men in it, C. Beimett and A. Hamilton Russell, O, Nelson and hiV, C, A- Mac" Hengie. again making ihe four. The following year, at palmerston North, th® same team that won iifT3b7 had no difiiculty in retaining tbe cup for the third timo i®- succession, This same team in 19i0 jOurnfeyed to Christchurch, and at Hagley Park again won the cup after many close games. TOUrney at Gisborne, In J911 the tournament was held at Gisborne, and the HaWkq 's Bay m®mbers to dofend- ihe cup , lyefe: Eidc Nairn, Fred MacKenzie, H. A, Russell ahd W. C. A. MacKenzie, Although Hawke's Bay again fetained the ooveted trophy they had great difficulty in gfetting home. In those dayS travel to Gisborne war bjr boat, and as most readors probably know, the Gisborne Harbour had an inconveiu«nt habit of silting up, thereby maroanlng t.ra,yell®r9 for sometimes, as long as a fortnight. Records ara rather dbscure as to how long the Hawkq's Bay team were held iip, and there also seems to 'be eomoi doubt about the harbour story. However, the shme fate had ovortakori many cthers befdre and why not the Hawke's Bay team, especially after a very suc* cessful tournament? By winning again in 1911 Hawke's Bay established a record by Holding the

cup five yeara in succession. Both Christchurch and Manawa tu had held (Sie trophy four years in succession m the years preceding 1907, bv»t Hawke's Bay were to enhance their record stilJ fUrther by winning through again in 1912, This tournament was held in Hastings on the polo grounds at Twyford, and Hawke's Bay "A" team conr prised J. D. Ormond, Fred MacKenzie, H. A. Russell and W. O. A, MacKenzie. Comment on Saturday's Play. Players had advetse weather conditions to cope with on Saturday 'aftetnoon last, but althouugh very unpleasant it is good training, as the weather, as in all outdoor sports, plays a very big part, and it bebovea players to be ablo to deai with all types v.f conditions. NotwithStandiug the high wind thai was blowing the polo reached a high standard, and shows that both pomos and ififcn .are quite fefidy for the forthciming tonrnamefit ehrly next moith. J. J. GATENBY was playing weil and Seems to have stfiick the form he was sh®wing in 1035, when he Was v> member di the HaWke'p Bay Savile Cup team. , TED ORMOND is another player who as showing good form. A -fastmoving player with a good sense of auticipatioh, he is an aequisition to any side. His birother Wai is also playing well and should give a good aceoiiat of himself during the tournanicnt. Ponies In Great Condition. There were over seventy ponies at the raeecourse on Saturday,. and all look very fit and in the best of condition. A very bufey scene is presentog as the players, finishing a chukkhh, gallop to the stalls, wheri • the attendants hve a frash potjr saddled ready

for the player to mounf apd carry on with the next spell without ipss of time. The ponies thht haVe fmished playing are rubbed down, rugged and

restM tnitf! they are reqnired again. Eheh ppny plays at the most threo speile, but more usually two. About 4 o'dioCk the ponies that are finjshed fo"

, . . tha day are taken harae and -■ next half hour there Is praei' continuous stream of ponies lea\ ground.