The Silverware is Polished and Ready for the 2012 Barastoc Polocrosse Nationals!

The sign that caused great excitement amongst the WA Team after their long journey!

The silverware is polished and ready!

WA Team vehicles during the long trip across the Nullarbor

Not long now until the Barastoc Polocrosse National Championships, being held at Morgan Park, Warwick, on 23-29 April kick off! The silverware is polished and ready for seven days of the best polocrosse ever witnessed in Australia. 

Warwick Polocrosse Club Inc President, Les Fraser, is really happy with all the organisation leading up to this huge event, saying, "everything is excellent! The bulk of the teams are here, with the last teams from New South Wales and Queensland rolling in now.  Everyone will be ready for the Civic reception being held on Sunday night, followed by the official opening at 9.00am on Monday morning. Right after that the first game will start, followed by what promises to be an action packed week of polocrosse here at Morgan Park!"

About 1,500 riders, strappers and officials and up to 700 horses, from all over Australia will be camping at Morgan Park for the event.

Jane Cooper, from the Western Australian Ladies Team, told www.abc.net.au that she travelled across the Nullarbor with her family for the Nationals.

There were 99 WA horses that made the trip and they're all fit and well after the massive journey.

"There have been no horse injuries which is a huge thing. To get them here safely is the first major hurdle that we have, as far as getting to nationals," Jane said.

"Then we have to pick them back up again so they're ready to play at their best once we start the competition."

The Western Australian Women's Under 24 Team, which Horsezone is sponsoring, are all in Warwick and ready for the challenge!

Following is an update from the team on their journey and arrival...

"The excitement is building as all the Western Australian players and officials have arrived at Morgan Park for the 2012 Polocrosse Nationals. The under 24 Women’s team flew, drove or trucked their way across Australia. Thankfully all horses seemed to have arrived safely and are in good order. Some of the old campaigners knew exactly what was going on. Tia Hall’s “Houdini”, having been to at least three Nationals, put on a great bucking display to announce his arrival and fitness. “Smiley”  (we've lost count of his Nationals), has totally given up all pretence of a walk, if he ever had one, and is almost begging his owner Sandy Corbett to unleash him onto the polocrosse field."

"The horse facilities are very good with almost all of the horses having covered yards. 25mm's of rain fell on Monday which meant that the hired caravan of coach Pearl Marriott, scenically parked near the creek, was in ankle deep mud and water. Thankfully, a fellow WA member towed it out and parked it on higher ground near the rest of her family. Pearl’s illustrious polocrosse playing family include a grandson playing in the under 12’s for Victoria, two daughters and a son-in-law playing in senior teams for WA, a son and daughter-in-law playing in senior teams for Victoria and a husband coaching the WA Masters Men. If only it were possible to bottle the polocrosse knowledge around that campfire!"

"The Under 24 Women’s team has an ideal draw with a game on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with the final on Sunday. That fifth game is what we are here for!"

Horsezone wishes best of luck to the WA Under 24  Women's Team and all the players at the Barastoc Polocrosse National Championships!

Quick Link

• Read more about the WA Under 24 Women's Team's journey to Warwick 2012!
• Visit the Warwick Polocrosse Club website
• View the WA Under 24 Women's Team photo gallery