The SUPA University Nationals at Dallas Burston Polo Club
Friday 10 June to Sunday 12 June saw hundreds of students congregate at the beautiful Dallas Burston Polo Club to play out the annual SUPA University Nationals. Despite heavy rainfall creating conditions not really conducive to fast paced polo, the tournament was a great success and the students made the best of the bad weather, thoroughly enjoying themselves and playing some great polo at all levels. Wins from all the sections were scattered across a number of different universities, meaning that everyone got a chance to celebrate.
With teams coming from universities all over England and sections ranging from Beginner to Open, Dallas Burston was filled to bursting with enthusiastic students both playing and supporting. The Beginner and Novice sections were especially well attended, necessitating a split in to three sections for Beginner and four sections for Novice to accommodate the huge numbers of newcomers to the sport keen to show off their stuff and have a go at competition.
The upper levels saw fast, open polo played and close competition between all the teams. Very often relying on rundowns to decide the result after close chukkas resulted in draws. The anticipated Open Final was one such match. Making the most of a short break between showers, the match between Bristol University and Newcastle was speedy and exciting. Going down to the wire the match ended in a draw which meant all players had to battle the churned up Number 1 Ground in a run down. With two big hitters on each team it was a close call, but Bristol just pipped Newcastle to the post to take the win.
The rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm and the sun finally came out for the prizegiving where winners and runners up received their prizes sponsored by RJ Polo as well as some Polo Times and The Polo Magazine copies to take home and swat up ready to come back harder, better and faster next year.
There will be a full report of all the action in the July issue of Polo Times. To subscribe in time to receive this edition click here.
The Results
Beginner 1: 1st: Warwick B1, 2nd: Kent Kestrels, 3rd: Aberdeen
Beginner 2: 1st: Warwick B2A, 2nd: Nottingham B2B, 3rd: Warwick B2
Beginner 3: 1st: St Andrews, 2nd: London C, 3rd: Nottingham B3A
Novice 1: 1st: Oxford Brookes Gin & Tonic, 2nd: Liverpool N1, 3rd: Bournemouth
Novice 2: 1st: Cardiff Elle Pres’, 2nd: Birmingham N2, 3rd: Oxford Brookes Rankins Angels
Novice 3: 1st: Exeter N2B, 2nd: Portsmouth A, 3rd: Bath Spa N3
Novice 4: 1st: Exeter N3, 2nd: Southampton, 3rd: Buckingham
Lower Intermediate: 1st: Kent Ospreys, 2nd: Royal Holloway
Open: 1st: Bristol, 2nd: Newcastle, 3rd: Warwick
Lower Combined: 1st: Liverpool, 2nd: Manchester/ Liverpool
Upper Combined: 1st: Birmingham/ Winchester, 2nd: Nottingham, 3rd: Loughborough
Photograph 1: All the students playing at the SUPA University Nationals gathered together to celebrate HRH The Queen’s 90th birthday. By Lucy Wilson
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