President's Report: NSWPA AGM, 29th October 2014
30 OCT 2014
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Joe Curran, President, NSW Polo Association presented the following report at the AGM held on 29th October 2014:
Firstly welcome to the 2014 NSW Polo Association AGM. Thank you all for you taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this meeting. This is a unique opportunity for us all to get together and review the past year and most importantly to plan and strategise for the future of polo.
I would like to reflect for a moment for members of the polo community who we lost this year. Ken Austin’s first wife Elizabeth passed away in June. Jane Ashton, wife of Bob, passed away in August. Also in August, former NSWPA Director James Simson lost his battle with cancer. James was a contributor to polo both in the north and on the NSWPA Board for 3 years.
I have very much enjoyed my first year as President of the Board. I underestimated the work involved as President, however I am pleased to be able to give back a little to polo for all the enjoyment polo has given to me over many years. I was lucky enough to inherit the role from Ian McDuie, who had the Board’s affairs in excellent order, including a new constitution, a healthy financial position and strategic plan.
In terms of finances, I wish to offer a huge amount of thanks to the Association’s Treasurer Sam Ballas. He has been able to deliver a profit of approx. $4000 for the past financial year. We ended June 2014 with cash on hand of $264,000 and net assets of $317,000. Sam has been the Association Treasurer for eight years and I can assure you he is a 10 goal treasurer.
I would like to thank our Vice President Stephen Philip who has been a very solid back-up and his legal background is greatly valued on the Board. Further I would like to thank for Steve’s work in discipline, never an easy role.
In terms of our Executive Secretary, Suzie could be running BHP but she loves the polo and we are very lucky to have someone so enthusiastic who has a grasp of many of the polo issues and can manage the various characters in our sport. In the last financial year Suzie single handedly procured two State grants for the NSWPA totalling $20,000. Thank you and congratulations Suzie.
We have a very functional and enthusiastic Board. I am pleased that we had a number of new and younger directors who joined the Board last year.
Thank you Sam Hopkinson for all your work with the Morton, Dudley and Jaime Mackay 16 goal Memorial tournaments.
Thank you Adam Tolhurst for your management of the Hector King and your support with polo in the Hawkesbury Basin.
Thank you Simon Walker for the great vision you had in rejuvenating the Dudley Cup; it is now back to the premier tournament in NSW, if not Australia. Thank you also for your work as a representative on the APF.
Thank you Rob Davies for your work with the northern Clubs and for the assistance you provided to Eugene in the formation of the draft 2015 Calendar.
Thank you Andrew Williams for your role in coaching, umpiring and player development.
In terms of the longer standing Directors, thank you Beau Blundell for your endless enthusiasm with player development and coaching. New players and juniors are the future of our wonderful sport.
Thank you Eugene Marais for your work with the 2014 Calendar. It has been arguably one of the best on record. Thank you also for all the time and energy you have put into the 2015 draft Calendar and we are looking forward to discussing this Calendar later in the meeting.
Thank you Ian McDuie for the way you left the affairs of the Board at the commencement of my presidency and for your continuing support through my first year. Also thank you Ian for your work with the APF and your commentary prowess which has been heard from the RAS to Scone to Windsor (both Australia and Windsor England for the Coronation Cup), to most of the country clubs and all the way to Beijing.
Thank you Dick Rodgers for all your work with insurance, risk management and discipline.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the importance of having every person properly signed up before they venture out to play practices or tournaments. If a player is involved in an accident without being registered the damage could be collateral and compromise the host club, the Association and the national body.
In terms of safety, polo is an inherently dangerous sport. In the last 12 months my friend Carlos Gracida was killed playing polo and Lance Shepherd has been incapacitated. With regard to safety, we all need to be proactive not reactive. I ask you all if you see something at polo that is dangerous or looks dangerous, say something, do something.
I am pleased to report that the APF has finalised the new policy regarding drugs and alcohol. It is available for everyone to see on the APF website and I put every player on notice that there will be some random testing during 2015.
I would like to congratulate the Scone Polo Club for their efforts with their annual junior polo school. It has been running for 20 years and has had a profound impact on many players from all around Australia. I am pleased that the Association was able to provide some funding this year and we hope to help again next year.
Thank you Ben Osborne who organised and ran the northern Junior Polo School in July. I heard it was very well supported and very well run.
I am thrilled that the Schwarzenbach family through the Garangula Polo Club have offered to host a junior polo school during the 2015 Easter school holidays. Details will be forthcoming on the website. Thank you Guy and Simon.
I would like to thank the various sub-committees of the Board, principally the Handicap Committee for their efforts through the year. Handicapping is never easy and I would like to thank the Handicap committee for all their time observing polo throughout the State. The 2014 Committee is chaired by Dick Doolin with James Archibald, Angus Campbell, Mike McKechnie, Jim Gilmore, Adam Meally and Andrew Williams.
A special thanks to the Dudley Cup Committee of Simon Walker, Sam Hopkinson and Rob Archibald. Thank you for all your efforts in running this fabulous tournament and congratulations to Ellerston who won the Dudley Cup in 2014.
I would like to express particular thanks to Julie McIntosh, Mike McKechnie and all the Windsor Polo Club committee for all their efforts with the Test Match this year. The Windsor No 1 field is a now a world class polo venue and the Test day was a huge success; apart from South America being a little too strong for Australia.
In closing the NSWPA Board are here to represent all the Clubs and all its members. We have directors from all over the State and we seek open lines of communication about all matters relating to polo. We look forward to a fruitful and productive AGM today and following the meeting we welcome any input, feedback or concerns for the 2015 season.
Joe Curran
President, NSW Polo Association
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Dear NSW Polo Association Players, Directors, Handicappers, Club Office Bearers, Life & Kyeemagh members,
The NSW Polo Association warmly invites you to this year’s Annual General Meeting.
The NSW Polo Association Constitution is attached.
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. Directors may not vote.
• Wednesday 29th October starting at 10.00am followed by sandwich lunch
• Venue: Ken Brown Rooms, Sports House, Building 6A Figtree Drive, Sydney Olympic Park
• Parking available behind the building by ticket.
Voting at the AGM: Only Club Delegates or a Proxy can vote. I attach a Club Delegate/Proxy form in case this applies to you / your club.
NSWPA Directors & President Nominations: there are no known vacancies for Directors this year as all were elected one year ago however Nominations may be received for the position of President. Nomination Forms must be returned to the office 14 days prior to the meeting, ie by COB Tuesday 14th October.