There was action aplenty at the Clifton Recreation Grounds on Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July when the Downs Morgans Polo team won the Cooke O’Leary Shield.
Downs Morgans team members, Russell May, Justin Cowley, Jack Mantova and Aiden Nunn, won the A grade final against a strong North Star line-up in Angus Gunn, Nick Benson, Angus Doolin, and Justin Rouse. In the B grade final, Downs Hooper Accountants team of Hamish MacIntosh, Zac Cochrane, Derek Gilmore and Will Gilmore, were too strong for the Primo side of Vince Ferraro, Tony Telford, Indi Bennetto, and James Shepherd. The A grade pony prize was won by Izzy, owned by Aiden Nunn; in the B grade it went to Will Gilmore’s Lavender. Winners of the C Grade were the Downs Hoey Floats team of Julian Zapico, Craig Holman, Anthony Crane, and Gary Gilmore. The tournament was contested by eleven teams with players competing from as far afield as Goondiwindi, North Star, Beaudesert, Gympie, and Warialda, as well as the local Downs Polo Club players.
On 20 and 21 July the Downs Polo season continued with the Silver Shop Bracelet heralding yet another fantastic weekend of polo attracting 14 teams from Gympie, Goondiwindi, North Star, Beaudesert and the local area. A grade winners were the Downs Hooper Accountants side of Mark Adamson, Peter Cooke, Derek Gilmore and Angus Gunn, who narrowly defeated the Downs Raff team of Graham Mann, Paul MacGinley, Damien Allport and Aiden Nunn.
Angus Gunn, of North Star, had a very successful weekend being named the player of the tournament, as well as winning the A grade pony prize with Twist; best B grade pony was won by Wayne Glennie’s mare Mustard. In the B Grade, the Downs Hoey Floats team of Tony Telford, and James, Stuart and Gary Hoey won a nail biting final against the Colliers International team, Russel May, Jack Mantova, Wayne Glennie and Simon Beirne. Winners of the C Grade were the FH Polo all-female team of Bec Downie, Justine Henwood, Philipa Fitzhenry, and Sian Barnacle.
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