Polocrosse champion, East Lynne Plucker (on left)

Hunter horse association says cloning will be a game-changer

by http://www.abc.net.au

An Upper Hunter organisation says it is watching closely an attempt by one of its members to clone the first horse in Australia.

The West Australian based Marriot family is attempting to clone the Polocrosse champion ‘East Lynne Plucker’.

The Upper Hunter Stock Horse society says at the moment cloning is a very expensive alternative to sending animals overseas, but predicts it will change the face of the international trade.

American experts who have successfully cloned more than 250 horses world-wide have been enlisted to help with the process.

Director of the cloning consortium, Jeremy Marriott says by August/September they should have several embryos ready to implant into a number of mares.

“We’ve created live cultures of Plucker,” he said.

“We’re in the process now of collecting eggs.

“From there we’ll strip out the DNA out of the existing eggs, effectively leaving an egg shell and take the genetic DNA from the cell cultures we have in the Petri dish and put those into the eggs.

“Come the start of the breeding season we’ll have a number of embryos ready for implant.”

Mr Marriott says whilst P2, as it is being called, will be exactly the same as East Lynne Plucker, the nature of the horse will be determined by how it is reared.

“The horse will be bred with the same DNA, and will hit the ground exactly the same DNA as Plucker.

“The things that will change – his demeanour, his temperament and his ability – ultimately will be environmental factors, as to how he’s trained, how he’s broken in and obviously some other things around whether he was born on the left side of the hill in a thunder storm.”

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgHunter horse association says cloning will be a game-changer

Southern 50 Shootout – Extreme Horse Sports

Polocrosse Teams competing for $10,000 prize money.

Over 3 days.

Other Horse Events include Barrel Racing, Flag & Barrel Racing, Team Penning and a Shetland Derby.

southern 50 poster

souther 50 events

Team Grills the winner southern 50 and $10.000

southern 50 teams

Team Berrgadoon winner of the Southern 50

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgSouthern 50 Shootout

Horses running through the goal posts has been penalized in Australia, should it be added to the International rules.

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgRunning through the goal posts

New Zealand Four Nations tournament results

Play off for 3^rd and 4^th positions

Zambian Barbarians defeated Irish Cavaliers  24  -  20

Final

Australia def New Zealand  25  -  19

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgNew Zealand Four Nations tournament results

Tuesday, 5 March, 2013 – 19:16

Contributor:Fuseworks Media

New Zealand’s Polocrosse team, playing in the four-nation international tournament in Turangi later this month, has been named.

The eight-person mixed team will play what’s expected to be a tough match against favourites, Australia, in the first game on 28 March.

Selector coach, Errol Gloyn says Wanganui-based Paul Kinder and advisors from the NZ Polocrosse coaching panel helped him in the final selection process.

“NZ has excellent players with exceptional skill and it was very difficult to name the team,” he says.

“Australia says they’re sending over their best team for along time. They’re ranked ahead of us in the world, and we’re going to do our level best to beat them. But it will be tough,” he says.

“Ireland and Zambia are strong too and we’re expecting some robust encounters.

“There’s a lot of pressure on the home team and great expectations. We have to keep our heads and not let the occasion get the better of us.”

Training is going well and teams will compete at their very best in the NZ National championships in Auckland March 15 and 16.

International teams from Zambia, Australia and Ireland begin arriving on March 23. The Turangi-based Tuwharetoa Polocrosse club will host all teams and as well as a formal powhiri, teams will stay a night on local maraes.

New Zealand Polocrosse members have donated horses for all the tournament teams and the 16 horse teams will be drawn on 25 March. The tournament in on throughout Easter and the New Zealand junior teams will play feature games each day.

“It’s a fast-paced sport with great spectator appeal,” says Errol.

“The competition will be great, bring it on!” he says.

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgFour-Nation International Tournament

South Africa Polocrosse Quadrangle 2013

Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe,  United Kingdom

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgSouth Africa Polocrosse Quadrangle 2013

Job opening in Queensland 

“Mr Mervyn Mangan of Warwick Queensland Australia requires four people to ride horses during the polocrosse season. April to September 2013. Google map Bracker Road, and Tooth Street Warwick Queensland . Contact +61 7 4661 8556.

Merv is a level 2 polocrosse coach and an equine dentist.”

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgJob opening in Queensland

A New Zealand first in Turangi

Press Release: New Zealand Polocrosse

A four-day international Polocrosse tournament, the first event of this kind in New Zealand, will happen over Easter 2013 in Turangi.

Run by New Zealand Polocrosse and hosted by Tuwharetoa Polocrosse, the traditional powhiri and overnight stay at Hirangi marae adds a unique and authentic cultural element to this fast-paced equestrian event. The traditional Maori experience is the first that visiting team members and their support crews are unlikely to have ever experienced.

Teams from Zambia, Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand will travel to the central North Island town for the four-day tournament, and there’s much excitement from the organisers.

“The tournament will be great competition for the teams and a wonderful spectator event. As well as the formal games, we’re planning displays of mounted games by the international riders and a range of equestrian demonstrations,” says Tania Te Akau.

“The teams, supporters and horses are in town for more than a week,” says Tania. “They play a total of eight games with the New Zealand Development Junior teams playing in between each of the main games. “

“It’s a beautiful time of year in Turangi, the autumn colours are stunning and we hope to include the ‘Colours Festival’ with the Polocrosse tournament,” she says.

Taup? District Council Events Manager Nick Reader says the international Polocrosse tournament reflects the increasing diversity of events taking place in the Taup? region.

“The international nature of the event increases the profile and taking place at Easter gives visitors yet another good reason to take a holiday here,” he says.

For more information visit www.nzpolocrosse.co.nz/

Tournament games are from 28-31 March 2012. Tournament is run by New Zealand Polocrosse Inc. Powhiri is 24 March at Hirangi Marae, Turangi.

Polocrosse developed in Australia before WWII. Players use one horse only and the sport caters for all ages and levels of ability.

It’s a fast-paced sport played with a soft foam filled rubber ball, a racquet traditionally made of cane with a cane or plastic head and a special rope net used to pass and catch the ball.

Polocrosse is most common in the North Island but clubs range from Kaikohe to Ashhurst.

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgA New Zealand first in Turangi

Quadrangular, hosted by South Africa

Dear members

On behalf of our International Polocrosse President, Wessel Strauss, I’m pleased to advise you of the 2013 Quadrangular, hosted by South Africa, the IPC and Umpire meetings.

The quadrangular series will be held at Shongweni, approximately 30 kilometres from the picturesque east coast city of Durban, from 11th to 14th July 2013 (horse draw will take place on 6th July 2013).

International Umpire meeting will be held on 9th July 2013

IPC meeting will be held on 10th July 2013

Can each of you ensure your delegates and your chief umpires are made aware of these meetings and to diarise the dates.

Agenda items for both meetings can be sent to me prior to 31st December 2012 (closing date). We endeavour to have the agenda out to you all early to ensure countries have sufficient time for item discussion prior to the meetings.

If you are able to advise your attendance at these meetings as soon as possible to ensure we have sufficient and appropriate accommodation pre booked for your arrival.

I will continue to send reminders of these dates to each of you over the next few months.

Kind regards

Jo

Jo-Ann Langford

Secretary / Treasurer

International Polocrosse Council

PO Box 128 Wickepin WA 6370

polocrosse@westnet.com.au

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgQuadrangular, hosted by South Africa

Four Nations Quad Series

Four Nations 2013 (Quad Series) is confirmed for Easter 2013.

Countries competing are -

• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Zambia Barbarians
• New Zealand

Dates of the competition are -

Competition starting on Thursday 28th March with the finals being held on Sunday 31st March 2013. (Countries will be arriving prior to Sunday 24th March)

Location -

Tuwharetoa Polocrosse Club will be hosting the event at the Turangi Park, Turangi, New Zealand.

Website –

For further information please visit the Polocrosse Four Nations 2013 website, which will be updated regularly in the lead up to the Four Nations event,

www.polocrossefournations2013.com

New Zealand Polocrosse would like to thank all countries that initially expressed interest in attending this event. We hope that you will all be able to visit our country at a later date.

New Zealand Polocrosse would also like to take this opportunity to wish South Africa, and the other countries competing, well for their Quadrangular Series, also being held in 2013.

Thanks to Polocrosse-international.orgFour Nations Quad Series