Aviators Claim the A Grade at Ashfields

While most of the attention was focused on the international test matches this weekend at Ashfields there was also a normal tournament being held and important league points to be won. However, some players obviously felt it was a good weekend to have some fun as Joel Sics put together his own dream team to win the A grade. Pulling together players from Pennine and Kent, Joel created the Aviators (possibly a subtle dig at team names such as Highlanders and Crusaders) and kitted them out appropriately with polo shorts reading “Beautiful People” on the back and massive aviator sunglasses covering their eyes (though they did take these off to actually play). They duly played some beautiful polocrosse to win the division with the Welsh Dragons, who welcomed Simon Shearing and Lizzie Wright-Roberts back to their team, coming second.

With the international matches on, most of the B graders were pulled up into the A grade and so the next division to be played was the C grade. Here, Pennine managed to overcome Vale Impi but only after a very hard fought final which went to golden goal. Vale Impi, however, could get some consolation out of the fact that they picked up Best Number 1 for Tom Bowden-Eyre and Best Number 3 for Karen Smith. Tom Bowden-Eyre also won Best Up & Coming Player for the weekend.

In the D grade it was Solent who emerged victorious, earning themselves valuable league points as they fight to reclaim the top spot of the size league from White Horse. Arden claimed second place as they fight to stay at the top of the main league. In the E grade it was Celyni’s day as they picked up the top spot, with Vale Impi behind them in second place. Again, Vale Impi lost on golden goal and again Vale Impi’s individual players did well, with Best Number 1 and Best Number 2 for Henry Christiansen and Lydia Rampin respectively.

In the Juniors it was Pennine’s weekend as they picked up both first and second and Best Number 1 and Best Number 2 for Katy Wise and Chloe Jowett. This finished off a good weekend for Pennine as they have got back within 4 points of Arden at the top of the main league and look in a much stronger position to defend their league title form last year.

This week there have also been updated membership figures included into the league and, in the light of this, it is Solent who surge back to the top of the size league and Pennine go into second place. White Horse, the previous leaders, fall back to third as they have had a large increase in recorded membership since the start of the season.

Full Results

Best Up & Coming Player – Tom Bowden-Eyre (Vale Impi)
Most Mentioned Player – Jenny Hall (Pennine)
Best Horse & Rider combination – Annie Mitchell (Aviators, normally Pennine)