Over 200 university players participated in The National University Championships
Three days of polo played, three nights of parties, over a hundred ponies and nearly 250 students came together to make this summer’s SUPA National Universities Championships at Dallas Burston Polo Club. The Beginner sections of the tournament were more than healthy with 40 teams in total. St. Andrews Polo Club came first in Beginner 1, and new to polo Cardiff University won Beginner 2, whilst the title for Beginner 3 was taken by Liverpool University. The Novice section had 34 teams in total and the quality of play was a huge improvement on the action at SUPA National University Championships at Rugby Polo Club in February. The coaches had all been working hard to raise the standard in the last few months. Reading 3 took first place in Novice 1, Green Point (made up of Oxford Brookes University players) took the title for Novice 2 and St. Andrews won Novice 3.
The top end level of polo from Combined to Open has seen a drop in entries, but a sharp rise in the class. Thom Bell, coach for the Scottish Universities, who umpired a large number of the Open and Combined chukkas, commented to Polo Times that the matches would not have looked out of place in a 2 goal tournament. Exeter University, after missing out to London University in February, took the Open title against The University of West England (UWE). Reading took home the top prize in Intermediate 1 and the Combined section. Newcastle University won the Intermediate 2 section. Glynn Henderson and Jenny Dohertys’ pony Ember was awarded The Association of Polo Schools and Pony Hirers Best Playing Pony Rug. A full report and roll of honour will feature in the July issue of Polo Times.
Photograph: SUPA participants after the presentation of prizes
http://www.polotimes.co.uk/?pg=35