Following the AGM, please find listed The Board of Directors of the NSW Polo Association
Executive
Ian McDuie - President
Eugene Marais - First Vice President (Website & Communications)
Joe Curran - Second Vice President (Discipline)
Sam Ballas - Treasurer

Life Directors
Sinclair Hill
David Macintyre

Elected Directors
Wallace Ashton (Calendar, Tournaments & Player Registration)
Beau Blundell (Player Development & Coaching, north)
Richard Doolin (Calendar, Umpire Accreditation)
Lachie Graham (Player Development & Coaching, south)
Jenny Herz (Governance & Strategic Plan)
Adam Meally (Player Development & Coaching, Hawkesbury; Women's Polo)
Adam Marshall (Marketing)
Julie McIntosh (Marketing & Branding)
Stephen Philip (Risk Management)
Richard Rodgers (Insurance)
James Simson (Tournament & Player Registration)

The Handicap Committee for 2012:
Andrew Williams - Chairman
James Archibald
Dick Doolin
Angus Campbell
Robert Doolin
Jim Gilmore
Adam Meally


President’s Report 2011

Welcome.
I would like to welcome you all here for the 2011 AGM. It has been an eventful year in which we have seen numbers grow a little and more tournaments run in NSW than ever before, with many weekends where there were upwards of 10 teams competing in each of the 3 zones.

Inevitably, with this competition for dates, teams and players, the organisation of the calendar has been even more challenging than usual and I would like to thank the directors from each zone who have put in so much hard work to try and accommodate the needs of all our clubs and players, both amateur and professional, and all the people who have assisted in this complex task.

At least, although perhaps not quite finalised, we will have a good draft calendar for the AGM.

Finances.
Financially it has been a good year with a nice profit and a healthy balance of funds. However, this is partly due to no issues such as disciplinary matters requiring a lot of administrative time and I would like to thank Suzie Ruse for her efficiency and contribution to keeping our overheads down.

Sam Ballas, our treasurer, has done a very good job ensuring that our funds are preserved and carefully considering and advising on matters of expenditure and the presentation of budgets. So while we are mindful that having funds available doesn't mean we have to undertake extra expenditure we are able to consider expenditure far more objectively, and have been able to continue with and expand our very successful coaching program – bringing in over 30 new people to try their hand and assisting those already playing to improve their skills.

This result has been achieved despite the fact that in the last 4 years the loss of a minimum of $68,000 revenue to NSWPA from the decision by the RAS to remove management of the Easter Show Polo away from NSWPA, after the disastrous result of the Indian Test, and we have also returned $15,000 in sponsorship to Windsor Polo Club to assist them with ground preparation for the Easter International.

Membership and Promotion.
A number of initiatives have contributed to an overall rise of membership, not least of which is the Clubsonline registration process that catches every player and ensures that everyone playing is not only a paid-up registered player but is covered by our insurance. Our combined member numbers across all categories are now around 360 (exc interstate players) having risen from 285 in 2006 (inc interstate players).

Based on the healthy balance sheet and on the research and advice of our marketing director, Julie McIntosh, we decided to take space at the first Equitana Equestrian Fair to be held in NSW in November and to allocate funds for this. As this initiative is aimed at increasing the awarenes of polo amongst all equestrians, we also successfully approached APC to contribute 25% of the costs.

We had NSWPA stands at the International and the Dudley Cup and were able to distribute and sell some branded merchandise and to add to our mailing list.

As part of the Strategic Plan workshops, a sponsorship program has been developed which in 2012 will be aimed at raising a moderate amount of money to assist with our coaching and promotion costs.


Progress.
During the year we have introduced a number of new initiatives to help with the administration and development of the game.

• Use of a tender process to award NSWPA tournaments, based on some simple management principles.
• Introduction of new club chukka membership, an affordable membership option for players wanting just to play chukkas at their home club.
• Expansion of the State coaching program with 10 clinics held in all 3 zones.
• Increased communication to community, with over 20 ‘Player Bulletins’ sent.
• Provision of a facility for members to advertise to the community in newsletters and on the website for a nominal fee.
• Participation in Equitana 2011 Equestrian Industry Fair with a display stand and an outdoor wooden horse.
• Completion of 4 year Strategic Plan and application for recognition and funding from NSW Sport & Recreation. This application has been accepted and is now with the Minister for approval.
• Identification of the role of national, state and club committees in the administration and operation of the sport.
• Developed Board governance and processes, including conflicts of interest.
• The introduction of a State 4 goal championships to include more low goal and amateur players in an association tournament.
• Communication with APC and other States on the improvement to the website and social media opportunities.

Australian Polo Council.
Much has been discussed about the relationship with the Australian Polo Council and the transparency of the allocation of funds raised from players in each State. Until 8 years ago, the States paid no affiliation fees to APC as the role of APC did not require much administration beyond handicapping and rules.

However we live, regrettably, in a much changed society where social responsibility and accountability are no longer simply expected but regulated and the duty of care for all administrators has become a feature of governance and the potential for litigation has grown exponentially.

Consequently it is necessary to have clear policies on a number of matters and to have those policies considered and approved by recognised outside bodies in order to provide the protection for clubs, officials and individuals involved. In the case of sporting bodies the relevant authorities are the National and State Sports bodies. The APC has successfuly gained such recognition for polo at the national level from Australian Sports Commission and we are in the throes of gaining it for NSW through NSW Dept of Sport and Recreation. This is not a duplication as they are different bodies which provide separate forms of recognition and funding.

At the August Board meeting we received a presentation by an expert on risk management on the implications for insurance and accountability and he made it clear that having a policy was all well and good but that, as administrators, we are responsible for seeing that all participants, clubs and employees are not only aware of the risk management policy but are responsibly applying the practices detailed in the policy.

So while some people seem to think that seeking recognition by Sports bodies is driven by the hope that we might receive some of the funding they make available each year, the principle reason for such recognition is that the policies that we have developed to administer the sport have been approved as adequate for the purposes of our duty of care in the administration of the sport. Any funding provided is usually to assist sporting bodies to ensure that these policies and procedures are implemented and filtered right down through the sport.
My point is that we, in all conscience, as representatives of the Members (the clubs) need to be recognised by the appropriate bodies and if we are successful in attracting any funding then that is a bonus. Our application to NSW Sport and Recreation, completed after two very successful workshops to develop our Strategic Plan, was submitted in September and has been accepted by them and is now with the Minister for approval and consideration for funding.
Our relationship with the APC is now much more open than in the past 7 or 8 years. Since Sam Ballas and I have been the delegates we have made the budgets, minutes and financial reports available to the Board in meeting papers and where there have been queries these have been referred to the APC secretary and in all cases adequate answers have been provided. So claims by some that the business of the APC is not transparent are without substance.

With regard to the structure of the APC, which was radically changed by the APC Board when our delegates were Mr Leon Reardon and Mr Wallace Ashton, I have declared at Board level that I am not a supporter of the corporate executive committee approach, but respect the fact that this structure was created by elected persons representing each of the Affiliate State Associations and until that situation changes we have to work within the existing rules and guidelines.

However, at the last APC Board meeting in June, after recommendations from the sponsorship committee of which I am a member, the current structure of the APC was discussed and it was agreed for the delegates to take back the State Associations for comment, the concept of one National body with Zones and Clubs. This would eliminate much of the duplication of tasks involved in the present structure and give clubs a much more direct and representative say in the conduct of the sport. The concept will be discussed by the new Board and our reaction taken to the APC Board meeting on 18th November.

Let me assure you that there are no conspiracy theories or sinister groups plotting to abscond with NSWPA funds. Jenny Herz has given many dozens of hours of her time and the considerable benefit of her experience to lead the workshops, the summarisation and the development of the Strategic Plan, thereby not only saving us thousands of dollars by not having to engage an outside facilitator, but also bringing the perspective of a person with an involvement in the sport.

What we have achieved is a concise plan that gives simple direction for the Association over the next four years and perhaps most importantly has identified where this Association believes the roles of the various organisations and the stakeholders should sit and opened discussions with APC for agreement on these roles.

I would like to thank Jenny for all the work and effort she has put into this, which includes a number of meetings with relevant people from NSW Sport and Recreation and their advisers.

Governance and Responsibility.
While we are a very small community in a sports sense, there are lots of people within the community who are concerned about the structure and progress of the sport and with varying opinions. Where there is a wide variety of opinion there will inevitably be differences of opinion. One would hope that these differences can be discussed and argued in a mature way without the debate descending to personal attacks and abuse. Unfortunately that latter form of behaviour has been introduced to the debate by one Board member in a widely circulated series of emails and this presents a very bad face to the polo community when we are making excellent progress regarding on-field and off-field behaviour. It may also give the impression that this is a divided and disfunctional Board when in fact the opposite is the case. That same member declined to attend the workshop meetings in favour of more pressing social committments but yet sees fit to criticise the plan and individuals involved with producing it.

It is all very well to criticise - it is much better to criticise constructively and to be mindful of the facts, so that accusations and protestations are supported by the truth and that good ideas can be discussed objectively and dispassionately.

I trust that in the coming year individual, ill-informed viewpoints will take less of the centre stage and real development can continue with mature discussion and co-operation and respect for other peoples opinions as well as one's own.

Representative Performance.
Being a World Cup Year, there have been a series of International matches played at 14 goal level by a squad chosen by the APC selectors. This has included several NSW players, with the team that was successful in defeating first New Zealand at the Easter International and then qualifying in Malaysia for the finals containing two NSW players, Matt Grimes from Ellerston and Alec White from Scone.

For the finals in Argentina the ride-on side was all NSW players, with the above two and also Dirk Gould, now based in the Hunter Valley at Murrurundi, and Will White from Scone. This team was the first Australian team to win a match in a World Cup final series on foreign soil, let alone two. This perfromance provides many opportunities to promote the sport and to build our profile with potential sponsors.

Australian sides also travelled to the International Snow Polo matches in China and to a 2 Test series in South Africa in the winter.

The 20 goal team that went to South Africa consisted of NSW born players Andrew Williams and Rob Ballard along with NSW-based players Matt Grimes and Kelvin Johnson with Queenslander Will Gilmore as fifth man who played in the first Test.

The team won both matches in front of sell-out crowds.

NSW also had under 21 year old players involved in the Colts Matches in NZ and at Windsor, with generous help from the Ellerston club in providing training facilities for them.

Discipline.
Fortunately it has been a relatively quiet year with no major hearings being required and hopefully this reflects a more responsible attitude amongst players. Our director for Discipline, Joe Curran, has reported on some incidents that were dealt with at Club level and reports have been placed on file for future reference.

Challenges.
While I feel that this has been a reasonably successful year, most particulary in the amount of polo that has been played within the State and most clubs growing their membership, and while we have a firm plan in place to move ahead, there are still a number of issues requiring attention.

1. Website. The upgrade of our website is taking longer than expected, partly because of the combination of Clubsonline and existing service providers making it difficult to develop a co-ordinated approach across the states. Vice-president Eugene Marais has put a lot of work into this and the new system will be up and running in 2012. Thank you to Suzie for keeping our current site up-to-date and relevant. I know she is looking forward to a new more modern site that will make her job considerably easier and provide quicker communication with members and clubs.

2. Umpiring. The umpire accreditation roll-out is proving more difficult than anticipated. Being a big country with long distances between polo playing areas it is not easy for one person to cover all of the ground but it is evident that agreement on the interpretation of new rules and the distribution to players of these is essential. As the biggest State in club and player numbers and with the greatest geographic spread, the task is a major one for NSW.

We are looking at next year providing funding so that some of the coaching dates can be switched across to umpire training and that dates will be placed on the calendar so that players can plan in advance to attend.

3. Constitution. With many of the matters raised in the Strategic Plan workshops and in relation to APC, it is evident that our Memorandum and Articles of Association are sorely in need of an update. This will be one of the tasks of the new Board in 2012 and, depending on any model for a new structure coming out of APC, we will need to look at what sort of structure will best serve the members' interest and where it might fit with the Zone concept.

4. Sponsorship. On the matter of sponsorship, while there is a considerable amount of sponsorship money going to polo every year, on a quick count amounting to several hundred thousand dollars, a good deal of this ends up in the hands of private entrepreneurs without, other than some payments to players, much of it filtering through to the polo community. Most opportunites for attracting sponsorship that does benefit the polo community are related to tournaments/events or representative teams and these are not areas where NSWPA is, or I believe should be, involved, it being best left to the clubs or the APC.

With regard to APC support of national teams this has been minimal in the past, mostly invitations accepted from other nations that cover travel costs for our teams and that was the case this year for China and South Africa. In fact with the China team APC was paid by the Chinese for organising the team. With the World Cup side the APC sponsorship committee, of which I am a member, has a sponsorship plan to be put in place next year to undertake an annual fund-raising initiative that will quarantine the money raised in a separate account dedicated solely to national teams funding, and particularly to the 4 yearly World Cup competition because that has the most interest for sponsors and is the best vehicle for promoting up and coming players. In any case the real expenditure only occurs every 4 years so the costs should be looked at as amortized cost over that time.

On a State level, many sports administration bodies are able to raise relatively small amounts of sponsorship from businesses that see a benefit from ongoing direct contact with members as a specialist market. Assurance of an organised management is provided by recognition from Sport and Recreation. Now that we have that recognition we are able to approach a selected list of potential sponsors for annual support of the Association with a modest budget aimed to cover much of our coaching and promotion costs.

Association tournaments.
Careful thought needs to be given to as to how best to stage our Association tournaments. Entries in 2011, despite good weather for the Dudley Cup and the Hector King, were poor in comparison to most other years and although suggestions were asked for from clubs for the AGM, there has not been much response. As I said earlier the amount of polo being played and the need to meet the requirements of different professional and amateur interests makes the allocation of club dates complicated enough without fitting in Association tournaments. These were established to provide competition between different clubs and differant areas and to augment the social aspects of the game. Whether that concept is relevant today is an interesting consideration.

There has been some suggestion that the Association tournaments should rotate between the Zones and that the date and venue should be the decision of members in the allocated zone, with the proviso that teams from outside the zone must always be catered for.

The thoughts of members on this concept would be a start as it is difficult for the Board to make decisions on such matters when the conduct of tournaments relies so heavily on the effort of host clubs and their objectives.

Summary.
I would like to conclude by thanking every one of the Members of the Board as well as those already mentioned. We have a good mix of skills and experiences and ages and while a relatively large Board presents its own challenges, the contribution of everyone this year has been spirited and well-considered even if sometimes I have had difficulty in one person's case with the manner in which those opinions have been expressed.


Ian McDuie
President, NSW Polo Association
26th October 2011

_______________________________________

Dear Directors, Handicappers, Club Presidents & Secretaries, Players

The NSW Polo Association warmly invites you to this year’s Annual General Meeting. Each club is entitled to send one voting delegate or give a proxy to another delegate to vote on their club's behalf. All other members are welcome to attend and participate.

• Friday 28th October
• Starting at 10am followed by sandwich lunch
• Ken Brown Rooms, (carpark level) Sports House, 6A Figtree Drive, Sydney Olympic Park.
• Parking is available: turn left down the driveway beside the building, take a ticket at the boom gate & get it stamped before you leave.

Voting at the AGM: Only “A” members, ie Club Delegates or a Proxy can vote for Directors/Office Bearers. Please note, to be valid, Proxy Forms must be received to NSWPA 48 hours in advance of the meeting, ie by 10am Wednesday 26th October for this AGM. I attach a Club Delegate/Proxy form in case this applies to you / your club. I will also post one to each club president & secretary.

NSWPA Directors / Office Bearers: If you know of anyone who would like to nominate as a Director/Office Bearer, please find attached a Director Nomination Form and Office Bearer Nomination Form. Completed forms must be returned to the office by fax, post or in person 14 clear days prior to the meeting, ie Thursday 13th October 2011.

I look forward to seeing you there.

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