Twenty two teams turned out for the biggest and final tournament on the NSW autumn calendar, which was played in glorious autumn sunshine. The Dudley Cup was the last tournament of the NSW polo season. The spring season kicks off in August (northern NSW moving to the Hawkesbury in September.

A-GRADE (Countess of Dudley Cup): Town and Country A (J.P. Bayard), B.P. Fahey, R.G. Ballard and A.M. Williams) beat Goulburn A (S.R.G. Bell, J.H.G. Bell, C.S. Wilson and A.D.J. Campbell) by 7-5.

Sir J.J. Garvan Cup: Not awarded in 2011

Lady de Chair Trophy for Champion Pony. Ponies were judged my former 5 goaler Mike McKechnie who found Champion Pony 'Muppet' amongst A.M. Williams' string. This is a grey mare by Bob's Boy out of 14.3 hands Zoe which was first polo pony ever owned by the winning player.

RW Farrell Trophy for Champion Novice Pony was awarded to A.M. Williams' 'Suzy Swift' a 5 year old mare which had been purchased by him for only $500.

Vychan Trophy for team of three ponies owned and played by a player 2 goals or less was awarded to J.P. Bayard's Goddess, Cheetah and Joburg.

Curtis Skene Trophy for Most Improved Player was awarded to Sinclair Bell from Goulburn Polo Club.

B-GRADE: Eden Park A (Hamish Kelly, David Haydon, Rob Ballard, John Francis) beat AYC Madsen Rowley (Luke Rowley, Marty Ingham, Rik McCarthy, Arthur Yencken) 7-3.

C-GRADE: Gundalong (Sam Hodson, David Haydon, Rik McCarthy, Richard Cannon) beat Town and Country White (Lisa Fahey, Simon Tait, Brodie Donovan, Danny Kerr) 6-2.

D-GRADE: Marshall (Elisha Marshall, Ben Brown, Cooch Lynch, Hugh Cochrane) beat Goulburn B (Chris Barber, Sinclair Bell, Henry Bell, Phillip Bell) 7-2.

E-GRADE: Town and Country Blue (Phil Greuter, John Hardee replaced by Fraser Potter after injury, Ed Matthies, Gillian McCall) beat Glenquarry (Norman Mackay, Scott Grummit, Ray Bruce, James Burkitt) 6-5.

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Polo Fans,

The weather is superb and the finals of The Countess of Dudley Cup are on – Goulburn vs Town & Country!

Please find attached the draw for Sunday. Players please note your duties and play will commence on time so we can all enjoy the Finals on the Windsor # 1 at 2.30

Remember to enter your cakes for the Annual Cake Bake Off. Entries close at 11 am. Judging will be at 1. Please join us and enjoy a complimentary cup of tea (& cake) at the club house and admire the works of art and then devour them.

Good Luck To All Teams,

The Windsor Polo Club
& NSWPolo Association

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Please find the Teams & Draw for All grades attached at the top. There are 3 teams competing for the 12 goal Countess of Dudley Cup tournament.

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The NSWPA and Windsor Polo Club invite you to The Countess of Dudley Cup.
Join us on Sunday 22nd May for all the thrilling polo finals action of the country classic - the best autumn polo in the Hawkesbury.

Gates Open at 10.00am. Presentation at approx. 4.00pm
Entry $15.00 per car.
(Complimentary entry to all NSWPA Members)

Join in the celebration by entering the AUTUMN CAKE BAKE OFF
Bring your entry to the Windsor Polo Clubhouse by 11am for judging.
BEST IN SHOW prizes awarded.
Afternoon tea to be served from 2.00pm...

Pack a picnic basket & blanket, fill your car up with friends and head to the polo - sit under the grand old trees or park your car on the viewing mound and settle in for a day of entertainment.
Food and Drinks Available from the Windsor Polo Clubhouse on event days.
Friends, Family and Guests Always Welcome
Directions at: www.wpc.org.au


PLAYER INFO:

DUDLEY CUP INFO FOR 2011, Bulletin to all NSWPA Clubs & Players – this could concern you, please read the following!

The following covers:

· Rules
· Registering with a 2nd club (if nec)
· Subsidy for country players
· Nominations closing date.

Countess of Dudley Cup 19, 21 & 22 May 2011 at Windsor Polo Club.
1. The below relates to teams competing for Countess of Dudley Cup (Watson Trophy and Garvan Cup).

Other divisions to be contested on weekend of 21 & 22 May will be advised nearer the date and exclusions relating to “doubling” will be announced by the organizing Club.
Ground Fee Subsidy for Country Players – NSWPA is pleased to offer this again, see end of email for details.

Rules of Tournament (2010 version):
COUNTESS OF DUDLEY CUP RULES, from 2010

Purpose of Tournament: New South Wales Polo Association Club Championships

The spirit of the Dudley Cup is that it is a tournament for genuine club teams. Players may not borrow players from other clubs or invite players from interstate or overseas for the sole purpose of winning the Dudley Cup. It is not the intention of the Association to accept made up or stacked teams.

Team Goal Limit
The Dudley Cup teams should have a maximum goal rating of 12 goals and all Clubs are invited to enter a team. From the teams entered a selection will be made based on goal ratings and which may be restricted to 8 teams. Played on handicap.

Player Goal Limit
Nil

Team & Player Eligibility
1) Club teams from registered NSW Polo Clubs
1a) A player must have played for the Club at THREE tournaments during the previous twelve months (ie since the 2010 Dudley Cup).
1b) A player must have been registered with the NSWPA by the Club for a period of at least two weeks prior to the tournament’s nomination closing date.
2) Registered Club teams from other Australian States must qualify under their base State’s registration and handicapping rules and must also be approved by the NSWPA.

Exemptions
Exemptions will only be given to a genuine club member who has not played enough games due to;
i) injury
ii) not having played polo in Australia (ie a genuine club member who has been overseas or who is having a short season).
iii) being a new player to the game of polo

Qualifying tournaments
i) A tournament must be listed on a State Polo Calendar or must be a tournament sanctioned by the NSWPA.
ii) Each of the three tournaments must be played at different clubs, ie three weekends at one club only equals one tournament
iii) NSWPA tournaments and tournaments held by Clubs, other than their annual tournaments will count provided the team play as a genuine club team with the other three players being registered members of the Club.
iv) If a team is entered in a tournament and that tournament is cancelled, it will count as a tournament

Draw
To be decided by the Tournament Committee

Ponies
No restrictions on the number or ownership. Ponies played by a competing team will not be allowed to play for any other team during the tournament except with the permission of the Tournament Committee.

Sponsorship
Annual decision by the NSWPA

Trophies
Countess of Dudley Cup Teams
Countess of Dudley Cup Winners of Tournament
L.T. Watson Memorial Trophy Played between Losers of Semi-Finals
Sir J.J. Garvan Cup Played between first day losers

Ponies
Lady de Chair Trophy Champion Pony
R.W. Farrell Trophy Champion Novice Pony
(A novice pony is a pony playing its first season of tournament polo, excluding inter-club tournaments. The season being 1st October to 30th September)

Vychan Trophy: Team of three ponies owned and played by a player rated two or less.

Curtis Skene Trophy: Most improved player (no limit on handicap of player) based on performance during the period Dudley Cup to Dudley Cup.

Steps necessary to register with a second club (must be completed by Tuesday 3rd May)

To register with a 2nd club you need to create a new account for yourself
1. Logon to ClubsOnline: https://www.clubsonline.com.au/registrationclubportal/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_main&OrgID=3970
2. Select New Registration
3. Select Club & choose 'Full member with another club' or 'Junior member with another club'
4. Follow through entering your details, payment by credit card if necessary etc.
5. Any queries, please contact Suzie.

Closing date for nominations is Monday 16 May. Therefore all players in club teams seeking to participate in the Dudley Cup must have been registered by that Club by Tuesday 3rd May.

NSWPA GROUND FEE SUBSIDY FOR COUNTRY PLAYERS
The NSWPA will reimburse NSW country players who compete in the Dudley Cup Tournament 2011 with a $150 ground fee subsidy. This will apply to the Dudley Cup division and across the supplementary 6, 2 & 0 goal divisions.

The definition of a NSW country player is as follows: A country player is a player who has resided for at least 75% of the preceding 12 months in rural NSW, at least 100 km from Windsor Polo Club. The NSWPA reserves its absolute discretion as to who qualifies for any ground fee subsidy. The subsidy may be claimed up to 30th June 2011.

Procedure for receiving the subsidy
Players pay Windsor Polo Club $25 per chukka
Players complete the claim form confirming they fulfil the definition of a ‘country player’ – as above, and return it to the NSWPA
Following the tournament, the NSWPA will send a cheque for $150 to each eligible player
The subsidy will operate across all grades.
The subsidy may be claimed up to 30th June 2011.

Claim Form: Please go to: http://www.australianpolo.com.au/nsw/getformsandpolicies.asp?f_Category=NSW&f_FPID=8 to download the Claim Form, or email nsw@australianpolo and request one.

Kind regards

Suzie Ruse
Secretary, NSW Polo Association

Tel: 02 9388 9593
Fax: 02 9388 9793
Email: nsw@australianpolo.com.au
Web: www.australianpolo.com.au
Address: PO Box 957, Bondi Junction NSW 1355
Mobile: 0424 243 369