FOUR teams of lady polo players took part in the inaugural Bunclody Polo Festival Ladies Tournament that took place recently and the squad that rose to the top was Bishopsland.

Emma Hayes, Wendy Quinlan, Tara Moore and alternate Karyn Jameson teamed up for Bishopsland on the team led by Emily Beere. They took on River Slaney and Bunclody Engineering, earning their way into the final against Rits.

The two teams, Rits lining out with Angela Madden, Tina White, Hazel Valentine and Jennifer Healy, played to a draw at the end of four chukkas on three-all, the final score requiring a shootout on goals with the first team across the line declared the winner.

Bishopsland’s Emily Beere was first across the line with a total of four goals to three from Rits.

All of the ladies who participated in the inaugural tournament have been developing their skills all summer with weekly training in the field as well as on rules and right of way, player positions and penalties under the guidance of Kieran Doyle and Nick Murphy in a programme developed by Brian Thoma and led by Bunclody Polo Club polo manager Alejo Aita Tagle.

The Rits team ladies were the runners-up in the final, while Bunclody Engineering took third place with their score of four goals to the half-goal handicapped, otherwise scoreless River Slaney.

Best pony award

A delighted James Connolly accepted the award for Best Playing Pony on behalf of his polo pony, Josie, at the recent Bunclody Polo Festival.

Playing the number four position in the final against LHK Insurance, James’s job was to clean up the field by driving through the long, sweeping hits for which he is quite renowned. Connolly has lined out successfully for Horseware Ireland abroad.

James and Josie teamed up throughout the final and were together in the fourth chukka when he cleared the CJ Law goalmouth of an almost certain score against the team.

The pair galloped the entire length of the field to score the goal that would see the team finish on seven to five goals from LHK.

The Best Playing Pony award was sponsored by hotelier David Hanlon.