| Atmosphere
and fun more important than results as Holland play Norway
Report by Fleur
Bartels
Playing
polocrosse in incredible scenery and an amazing atmosphere
The “test matches” between Norway and Holland
took place last weekend in Rauland, Norway. The Dutch and
Norwegian players stayed at the riding centre in Rauland,
which is located in a beautiful scenery in the south of
Norway. The riding centre also provided the horses for the
Dutch players. The Norwegians rode on their own horses.
There were three test matches during the weekend; two on
Saturday and one on Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon the
Norwegian and Dutch players were mixed together by the Dutch
coach Desmond Phelan and some fun chukkas where played.
Norwegian team:
Section 1: Amund Brede Svendsen on Goldsohn, Christian Henni
on Velvet, Aimee Reichelt Johansen on Goliat
Section 2: Andrea Riise on Tinka, Christina
Riise on Coriander, Susanne Neset on Odin
Dutch team:
Section 1:Marieke Smallegange on Calimero, Having Steenhuis
on Molly’s Choice and Mijndert Heineke on Frøymin
Section 2:Maarten Luitse on Hector, Thomas Bakker on Erwin
and Fleur Bartels on Aslan
Dutch reserve player; Bennie Meijerhof (who played a few
chukka’s in both sections on Hector or Frøymin)
Results:
Saturday morning
Norwegian section 1 –
Dutch section 1
Norwegian section 2 – Dutch section 2
Hooand won 11-2
Saturday afternoon
Norwegian section 1 –
Dutch section 2
Norwegian section 2 – Dutch section 1
Holland won 14-6
Sunday morning
Norwegian section 1 –
Dutch section 2
Norwegian section 2 – Dutch section 1
Holland won 9-3
Best nr. 1 – Thomas Bakker (Dutch)
Best nr. 2 – Andrea Riise (Norway)
Best nr. 3 – Amund Brede Svendsen (Norway)
Best horse – Velvet (owner Katinka Henni, Norway)
Umpire Saturday: Anne Petterøe
Umpire Sunday: Desmond Phelan
Table: Lykke Bech Daugaard, Johan Fredrik Svendsen
Goal judges: Arild Neset / Paula Beers
To be honest the results are
irrelevant. More important was that the atmosphere, for
that is what polocrosse is all about, was there; fun with
each other, fun with the horses, learning from each other
and good laughs were had on the field and after the chukka’s.
For the Dutch players and their support team it was like
a holiday; staying in a comfortable chalet in a beautiful
scenery and there was even a sauna on Saturday evening!
It was very impressive to
see the energy of the Norwegians to keep polocrosse going,
as it is very hard for the Norwegians to play polocrosse;
keeping a horse and find a flat field is not easy in Norway.
But Lykke, Amund and all the other Norwegian players keep
on going and that is excellent, because as yet there are
still only a reasonably small number of countries and people
playing polocrosse in Europe
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