2021 Review – Cotswold
As we prepare for the 2022 season, our Clubs take a look back at their 2021 successes! Cotswold Polocrosse Club, based in the South West, tell us all about their 2021:
Gosh, 2021 already feels like a lifetime ago, especially as our thoughts are already firmly focused on 2022. However, it’s been great to have a look back over the year that was.
Cotswold kicked off training early in 2021, although we weren’t planning on playing in the snow if truth be told! For those of you that know Longdole Polo arena on top of Birdlip Hill in Gloucestershire, you will know that you need to be prepared to experience every season and weather condition so we were ready for it…….almost!
As well as welcoming a few new, although well-known polocrosse faces (shout out to Simon Paynter and Olly Gardner) to the club we also welcomed back a couple of faces who haven’t been part of the polocrosse scene in recent years (welcome back Lewis Parr and Heather and Dan Kelly) – it’s been great to have them back on the pitch playing again and proves that a comeback can always be made!
At the younger age range of the club, Riley Duhig was superseded by Freddy Hale as our youngest member who enjoyed his first season of lead rein polocrosse on Shadow (kindly loaned by Riley after he moved onto the faster model of Sunshine). Both boys continue to show progress over the season as well as keeping us all entertained with various antics of some kind.
Our teams saw some highs and lows of playing, player and horse injuries scuppering well laid plans and hopes, but despite that, we saw wins in many divisions and several players picking up individual awards recognising their efforts and game play. And of course a big thank you to our friends and families who support us during the season with endless horse walking, washing down, feeding, driving and just being amazing club volunteers in general.
We had also been working hard to find a new grass venue for the club and were delighted that the Whitehead Family offered us the use of The Meadows. We spent the summer training there and whilst we couldn’t find a slot to host a club tournament there, we supported Iain Heaton and his Pony Club team with their Friends & Family event in September giving us a great opportunity to put the venue through its paces and with plenty of space for camping and penning, great pitches and a fab atmosphere.
Looking forward, we have new folk on the club committee and are thrilled that so many members put themselves forward for these roles, we also have our tournament back on the calendar and there are plans for some one day events in the pipeline – we are looking forward to a great season!
