POLO.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17986, 3 April 1930, Page 8

POLO.

FEILDING TOURNAMENT. HANDICAP . CUP. SEMI-FINALS. In the semi-finals for the Handicap Cup in the New Zealand Polo Association’s tournament Matangi B defeated Hawke's Bay. In the first cliukka Hawke’s Bay found the posts twice out of about nine attempts to goal, the remainder of the shots going behind, and early in the second cliukka R. McKenzie and Campbell added two more,. reducing the lead of the opposition to 15. Just prior to tiie chukka hell R. McKenzzie broke through au almost continuous melee, in front of the Matangi posts. W. -McKenzie made the opening in the next spell for R. McKenzie to tap the willow borne. In the succeeding play no little amusement was caused when one of the umpires became unseated. Hawke’s Bay continued to press their opponents, and at the end of the fourth chukka the score read 19—10, the scratch team having cut their handicap in half. The long odd's given, however, proved too • great an obstacle to the Hawke’s Bay players, who at times shot most inaccurately. The final chukka fround the scores 19—14 in favour of Matangi, the win being solely on its handicap, no goals to the Waikato team being registered. Messrs Levin and Welder were the umpires. Cup Final. The New Zealand Polo Association’s annual tournament was concluded yesterday morning, after a successful season, the weather throughout being perfect. The final game yesterday morning was for the Handicap Cup, between Matangi B (9) and Wairarapa A (9), the te-ams being as follows : Matangi (old gold).—W\ Phillips, R. Townsend, E. Brown, B. Chitty. Wairarapa (red). —C. H. G. Hewitt, D. C. Collins, 11. N. Barton, D. H. 3. Riddiford. Wairarapa forced the issue in the opening chukkas, and at the end of the third spell had registered four goals, the scores standing at 19—13 in favour of Matangi at the chukka bell. The fourth chukka saw the open game continued, but with the reds failing to make the headway against Matangi that their handicap demanded. A siege on the Matangi goal saw several shots to the posts warded off by a staunch defence, and a raid by the old gold players saw Chitty come through to find the posts with a clean hit—2o—l3. Playing to the opposite goal, Matangi again assfijned the offensive, Brown out-distancing the field to register an easy goal, the spell ending: Matangi 21—13. Barton failed with a clear hit’ to goal early in the succeeding chukka, but the pressure was maintained for Barton to retrieve his laurels and a score. 21 —14. Townsend rode Hewitt off the willow in the opening stages of the following chukka, and although for a while the reds threatened the old gold posts, no score resulted, Chitty finally repulsing the attack, to carry the game through to the reds’ territory with clean driving at a fast pace, his final shot going behind- A penalty hit was awarded Wairarapa in the succeeding play, an old gold player crossing Collins, but Riddiford failed to turn it to advantage. Matangi attacked, but were held off by Riddiford for Hewitt and Collins to have a clean run, the latter failing with an easy hit. . The final chukka opened with the reds forcing the issue, but failing through inaccurate shooting. Matangi contested the advances of Wairarapa, Brown playing clever polo to outmanoeuvre Riddiford and get away, but with a clear field before him he lost possession of his stick in making a drive. The reds saved, Barton holding off the opposition for Riddiford to streak up. the side line, his gallop ending in a goal, while almost immediately after the change-over Barton evaded the opposition to find the posts, the final bell sounding soon after with the scores reading 21—16 in favour of Matangi. Messrs O. Nelson and C. F. McKenzie were the umpires. Cup Presented. After the match the Mayor (Mr C. E. Taylor) presented the cup to the successful Matangi team, and congratulated them on their double win in annexing both the Junior Cup and the Handicap CupMr Riddiford, vice-president of the New Zealand Polo Association, and captain of the Wairarapa team, also spoke, paying a tribute to the sporting game Matangi had played, and also thanking the people of Feilding for the hospitality extended to the visitors during the tournament