By Fleur Bartels

Traditionally the Dutch polocrosse season starts each year in Otterlo and 2016 was no different. On April the 23rd and 24th (the same weekend as the Australian Polocrosse National Championships Finals were taking place in Albury) over 50 horses and 75 people travelled to “Groupsaccomodation Peppelenburg”, which is pretty much in the middle of Holland. Players didn’t only come from Holland, they also came from Germany and France and as far away as Finland. There were also two special guests; Martine & Richard Griffiths, who started polocrosse in Holland about 10 years ago and immigrated to Australia in 2007.

While the Nationals in Australia took place with over 500 horses and some thrilling finals, we had our own exciting games on three different levels. The new Dutch horses, which were bought in the UK last winter, were doing really well and it was good to see that the level of play improving with every game for all new players.

As is traditional in polocrosse, people were happy to lend both horses and players to visiting teams. Germany borrowed some players; in the German A team a Dutch player completed their team and in the German B team there was one French player. The Finnish team had five out of their six players on borrowed or rented horses, which they were unfamiliar with, but despite that they played very well as their two sections finished second and third in the B grade.

Overall, it was a good weekend for the Dutch teams as they won all three grades and also saw one of their teams finish second in the A grade, ahead of Germany and Nord du France. Finland picked up second and third in the B grade, sandwiched between two Dutch teams, while in the C grade it was the Nord Du France who were in second and third spot with another Dutch team in fourth spot.

Sophie Esnault’s Special won best playing horse, it was riddden by Stephane Molidor. Teemu Helve and Brisa won best horse and rider combination while best player was awarded to Anouk FerfJentink

The only other small difference to the Australian Nationals was the temperature, which was slightly colder than New South Wales. Though, in the end, the weather was not that bad as had been predicted; Saturday was chilly but sunny and dry and on Sunday we only had some hail!

Let’s hope next tournament we will have more normal polocrosse weather. There are 6 more Dutch tournaments to go for the 2016 season!

Full Results of Otterlo 2016

A-Grade:

  1. Dutch Grey team
  2. Dutch Red team
  3. Germany A
  4. Nord du France A1

B-Grade:

  1. Dutch Blue team
  2. Popox Blue (Finland)
  3. Popox White (Finland)
  4. Dutch Red team
  5. Dutch Grey team
  6. Nord du France B1
  7. Germany B

C-Grade:

  1. Dutch Black team
  2. Nord du France C1
  3. Nord du France C2
  4. Dutch Yellow team

 

Best Horse: Special – owner Sophie Esnault , played by Stephane Molidor

Best Combination: Teemu Helve & Brisa

Best Player: Anouk FerfJentink