HALLOWEEN open day at Polo Wicklow began with the East Wicklow Harriers leaving the farmyard in a wonderful colourful stream of hounds and horses to follow a scent laid across local fields.

Visitors were introduced to a cross section of the ponies patiently waiting in their stables before getting ready to play in the main match pitching Dublin against Wicklow. Among the ponies on show were the black stallion Michael Jackson as well as Danny Boy, the stray coloured pony who arrived three years earlier and has now played his first chukka. These two youngsters are just getting used to stable life, with the experienced ponies all out on the day.

CAPTAINED

Siobhan Herbst captained the Wicklow team along with Caroline Keeling and medical students Dan McManus and Senan O’Connell versus Dublin’s Paul and Elaine Monaghan and Lucho Racca. A slow start for Wicklow whilst Dublin chalked up five quick goals, a shuffle of tactics for the second chukka and Wicklow evened up the score line. After four increasingly fast chukkas, entertainingly commentated on by Micky Herbst, Saturday’s victory went to Dublin by eight goals to six.

Fancy dress, foot polo, Argentinean food, the return of the hunt and then the rugby final on the big screen rounded off a fantastic day.

Newsam baby joy

MANY congratulations to delighted parents Emma and Jim Newsam after Emma (nee Ponsonby) gave birth to a baby boy last Thursday. Little Jamie Douglas Newsam is home and both mother and baby are happily doing well.

Ryan appointment

BALLYPATRICK Stables have been joined by talented young rider Darragh Ryan. Tipperary international show jumper Greg Broderick said: “We are delighted to welcome Darragh Ryan to our team at Ballypatrick. Darragh has had much success in ponies and on the young rider circuit and he wil undoubtedly be a great asset to Ballypatrick Stables.”