POLO in the arena at Polo Wicklow last weekend was a challenge for two beginners’ teams, chasing after their first tournament win in the Novice Challenge County Cup, while veteran squads followed in their own match for the annual Novice Cup.

Wicklow’s Donal Colohan, Katie Dunne, Hannah Cottrell and Keelan Glennane were led through four alternate chukkas for the venerable trophy, recently re-purposed for this unique beginners challenge by professional player Felipe Kelly, who has lined out for Slovakia.

James Connolly, who has lined out for Horseware Ireland among others, led Cork’s Holly Woods, Colm Walsh, Jack Sreenan and Aideen Kennedy through their paces to a close finish just behind Wicklow after four chukkas. For both of the teams, the Novice Challenge was their first tournament, following weekly instruction at Polo Wicklow since last September. It wasn’t until the second chukka, however, that the former beginners hit their stride following a rocky start in what seemed an endless first chukka.

“We got our pointers and listened more after the first chukka,” said Donal Colohan of the skill level demonstrated by Wicklow after the first chukka in their first tournament.

“We couldn’t have done it without Filipe Kelly and we came out with a bit more knowledge.” The beginners continually bogged down over the ball in the first six and a half minutes of the tournament, and the forward momentum well and truly stopped until professional support rescued the match and play moved on.

Goals were matched at 1-1 in the first chukka, advancing to 2-1 to Wicklow in the second, but it was in the third chukka with the score at four to Wicklow and three to Cork that the game turned in Wicklow’s favour.

In taking their cue from Kelly, Wicklow locked out Cork on a score of 4-3 until the final bell.

“I don’t think we can call them beginners after this weekend,” Siobhan Herbst, Wicklow polo manager and instructor, said of the two teams. “I am very proud of Wicklow and they did great.”

Felipe Kelly lined out in the annual Novice Cup for Polo Wicklow along with Donal Colohan, Michael Herbst and Louise Rigazzoni. The team worked their way through four chukkas to a second place finish just behind Colm Kelleher, Katie Dunne and alternates Keelan Glennane, Ailbhe Fell and Peter Fell of the first place K-Os.

In third place was visiting polo player David Potts, who lined out for Canada with Robert Patton and Luis Rivas while fourth place went to Colm Walsh, Brian Thoma and James Connolly with alternate Aideen Kennedy.