International Polo at Kihikihi

Story By Gae Parrott

A capacity crowd of several thousand saw some of the best polo seen in this country for some time between New Zealand and England at the Nga Rakau grounds at Kihikihi on Saturday. The International test sponsored by Novatis is the 9th that Kihikihi has held but this time it was the national side taking on the might of England with one of their countries best player, Henry Brett, playing off an 8 handicap, displaying amazing ball skills and impressing everyone to the extent that one seasoned spectator said that he was the player of the game which was confirmed when he won champion pony on Paul Kay’s Chico. He was the highest handicapped player of the two sides, with team mate Will Lucas on 7 and Johnny Wade and Peter Webb on 5. It was he who set up play for his team mates to score from. Webb had a particularly good game and his Mitavite team did win the Kihikihi 10 goal open tournament held over 3 days with the finals on Sunday with the score 10-8 against Balance.

NZ however were a more balanced side with Cody Forsyth, impressive young player John-Paul Clarkin and Thomas Wilson all on 7 and James Watson on 4. All players selected are affiliated to the Northern Polo Association and deserved their win of 12-10 with good team work once Forsyth changed places with James Watson and moved to four from the one position.

England came out fired up and Brett opened the scoring but the Lucas missed 3 penalties awarded them in that chukka, 2 of them penalty 6’s when Forsyth deflected certain goals and went over his own goal line. Wilson opened scoring for NZ to draw 1 all. The 2nd chukka was marred by penalties, with Lucas missing another penalty but they increased their lead to four goals to two. In the 3rd chukka, NZ got cracking and Wilson took the ball the length of the field to make it 4-3 hotly chased by Brett using Gavin Reynold”s pony.
There was a lot of bunching as ball was contested but a magnificent goal by Watson high over the heads of players in front, quickly followed by a goal from Clarkin put NZ ahead by 5-4 until Brett equalised with some class play to even up at end of chukka.

In the second half, it became a real contest when it was goal for goal with NZ firing the first goal from tactics by Clarkin leading off with the ball then running forward and Forsyth coming from behind to take it and hit a long shot up to Clarkin which the crowd saw a few times during the game to try and out-fox the opposition. That chukka ended with England leading 8-7.

It was not to be, for NZ kept England scoreless although Brett was unlucky not to add to his tally when he hit a bouncing ball mid-air back to his goal and just going outside. It was fast and furious polo, see-sawing up and down the field.

England had a determined look about them when they came out for the final chukka but NZ were the first to score, increasing their lead to 11-8 when Clarkin raced through the players from half way to slot a goal but Brett immediately took advantage and did the same. It became a real tussle of physical power and strength to get the ball back. Clarkin saved a certain English goal from Brett with a strong backhand. However Brett was rewarded with a penalty which he made certain of, once more keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats with the score at 11-10.

NZ were not to be denied with the last word going to Forsyth who finished off a run by Wilson who tapped it down the field and Forsyth neatly tucked a ball from a 45 degree angle to win it for the crowd and their team.

Henry Brett said later that it was a good game to play in but the ground was slippery which meant the game was not as fast and flowing as it should have been but he loved coming back to Kihikihi where he played a season in 1999 and the Kay family and their horses.

“Kihikihi is like a second home to me”, he said. Brett has been in four countries this past week and is looking forward to being here for 10 days and playing in the NZ Open next week with Andrew Parrott from Kihikihi as one of his team members.

The president of NZ Polo Assn, John Sherratt spoke of a “fantastic game of polo which was nail-biting to the finish” and thanked both sides for making themselves available . He also thanked non-playing players for making their ponies available to the English and the Novatis sponsor for their continuing support to NZ polo.

Cody Forsyth’s father, Clyde, said it was a good game but a bit slippery and thought that Brett was the man of the match because “he is so quick and dangerous when on the ball”. He also thought that Watson played extremely well and would have a big future in NZ teams.

A first time polo spectator from Pio Pio, Rob Buchan said he had watched some of the America’s Cup in Auckland recently and found it quite boring.
“I was quite amazed at the skill of the players and the combination of man and horse in the game”, he said He watched how the horses pinned their ears forward and how they followed the ball which confirmed to him that they enjoyed the game as much as the players.
Other people from Sydney and from Katikati who had never seen it before said it took their breath away at the speed of the game and how the players held double reins, and hit the ball at full gallop and “stayed on”.

Scorers for NZ were Forsyth (3), Clarkin (4), Wilson (4) Watson (1). England Lucas (4), Brett (3) Webb (3)