Polo Chukkas

1.  Instructional

2.  Instructional Chukkas

2.1  2010-05-26 (01)

• Me, Debbie, Ed vs Sasha, Amani, Sarah?, Charlie

Notes

• New boots
• Join the train
• Mark opposing player when not in possession
• Couple of clean hits
• One good closed forehand pass
• Could have run on to a pass from Ed

Rules

• Penalty 4/6 defenders blocking the goals or 30 yards from the hit
• Can run on to LOB if far enough ahead

Problems

• Poor riding
• Not getting the pony working
• Spent entire time kicking the pony on
• Pony eventually ignored me
• Overcommitting for a shot - head over, not whole body

2.2  2010-06-17 (02)

• Me, Erica (Twm's wife), Charlie vs Ed, Amani, Debbie, Debbie+1

Notes

• Two goals
  • Right-angled neck shot, just squeezed over the line
• Improved significantly after joining the train

Rules

• Undefended 30
• Defended 60 - Block the goal with O/S of pony

Problems

• Poor riding
• Almost unmounted
• Not joining the train

2.3  2010-06-23 (03)

• Me, Louisa, Debbie, Charlie vs Caryn, Lucas, ?, Ed (?)

Notes

• Initially on Conchquita(??) who kicked out
• Swapped with Charlie on to Max (tall, sensitive)

Problems

• Not getting close enough in support
• Thrown from Max at half-time
  • Bruised posterior right hip, scraped right forearm
• Not getting comfortable or low enough to strike
• Too fast when out front, too slow to catch up
• Not neck reining properly
• Poor rideoffs

2.4  2010-06-30 (04)

• Me, Louisa, Amani, Ed vs Sasha, Lucas, Claire?, Charlie

Notes

• Pony "Faustina"
• Didn't score

Rules

• Neutral throw-in towards the boards

Problems

• Very slow

2.5  2010-07-07 (05)

• Me, Louisa, Claire2?, Ed vs Annelie, Erica, Charlie

Notes

• Pony "Ella"
• Poor riding

Rules

• Penalty 2, undefended 30

Problems

• Too slow
• Unable to get a flowing canter
• Pony ignoring me
• Lost my temper

2.6  2010-07-14 (06)

• Me, Sasha, Georgina, Annelie vs Geroidh, Debbie, Izzey, Louisa
• Position no.1

Notes

• New pony
  • Needs to be ridden neat and tight
• Decent neck shot goal, one tap in
• Strong (but squeezed) backhands

Rules & Strategy

• Spot hit, 30 yard line
• No.1 - mark the hitter in set pieces, ride him out of the game.
• Playing the ball ahead too far, allowing opposition in front to take possession

Problems

• No flowing canter
• Turning on wrong lead
• Stopping to turn
• Riding much too loose
• Squeezing backhands is poor technique

2.7  2010-07-21 (07)

• Me, Amani, Girl?, ?, + Josh vs Annelie, Sasha, Debbie, Louisa + Charlie
• Pony "Faustina"
• Position no.4
• Consolation goal at the end
• Amani broke her finger

Rules & Strategy

• No. 4 - hit ins, mark no.1, effective backhands, open and tail

Problems

• No flowing canter
  • Better later on when remembering to turn on the lead
• Reins still not relaxed
• Legs aids too coarse

2.8  2010-08-04 (08)

• Last instructional chukka
• "Fat black"
• Wet pitch
• Fell off when pony lost forelegs while turning up
• Position no.4

Rules & Strategy

• No. 4 - face away from throw in, in case it goes through the melee
• No. 4 - keep opposing No.1 out of the game

Problems

• Almost scored an own goal
• New boots still cutting

3.  Summer 2010

3.1  2010-08-07 (01)

• Two chukkas
• First much better than second

Strategy

• Should have cut Arun off at the goal rather than chasing him

3.2  2010-08-12 (02)

• Two chukkas
• "Fat Black" and "Flossy"
• Some good play with good ride-offs

Strategy

• Missed cut shot at a goal, could have laid it back or turned on it

Problems

• Turning up too slowly
• Flossy feeling quite slow

3.3  2010-08-21 (03)

• Two chukkas
• Played No.1
• "Seany" and "Max"
• First chukka better than second
• Couple of decent shots
• Didn't really win the rideoffs
• Bottled a break when challenged by Jacqui
• Turned to mark opponents near side - Wrong side!

3.4  2010-08-28 (04) (TODO)

• Four chukkas

3.5  2010-09-09 (05) (TODO)

• Two chukkas
• With Mum, Dad and Liane

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4.  Winter 2010/2011

4.1  2010-11-07 (06)

• Two chukkas

4.2  2010-11-20 (07)

• Four chukkas

4.3  2010-12-11 (08)

• Two chukkas

4.4  2011-01-08 (09)

• Four chukkas
• Edwee, Jacqui, Joss

4.5  2011-01-16 (10)

• Four chukkas
  • Joss, Edwee, Twm

4.6  2011-01-19 (11)

• Three chukkas (two, plus a two-on-two)

4.7  2011-01-26 (12)

• Two chukkas
  • Me, ?? Minchin (uni), Jamie, Jeremy, Dr Rob (za), Imran (uni), Natalie

4.8  2011-01-30 (13)

• Pony Luciana
• Two chukkas
  • Different bridle and reins
  • With Jamie, Alex, Katy, Liam, Sophie, Will (alumnus)
  • 3-on-3
  • 2-on-2: Me, Alex vs Liam, Jamie
• Insecure seat - kept throwing stirrups
• Two kicked in goals

4.9  2011-03-20 (14)

• Pony Apple
  • Tendency to turn up on off-side backhands
• Two chukkas
• On grass on the back field
• 52" mallet worked well
• Near side was weak
• Good first chukka, couple of goals, decent backhands
• Second chukka much worse, bumpy ground, didn't get much play

4.10  2011-03-23 (15)

• Pony Flo
• Majdhay, Jacqui, Natalie, Eden, Charlotte
• Two chukkas on grass
• 52" mallet
• Decent first chukka with a couple of goals
• Weaker second chukka

Problems

• overrunning the ball
• getting caught out in front of the opponent with the ball
• Taps not helping much for alongside hooks

4.11  2011-04-03 (16)

• Four chukkas on the back field
• Joss, Jacqui, Emily, Erica, Jeremy, Twm, Ed, Jane F
• Faster game with Jem, Twm & Ed

4.12  2011-04-10 (17)

• Two chukkas on the back field
• Jacqui, Joss, Richard, Erica, Lucy (uni), Dr Jane

4.13  2011-04-23 (18)

• Two chukkas on grass
• Ed, Majdhay, Joss, Emily, Twm, Ed, Jane
• First chukka, slow at first, but good goal to end it
• Second chukka many ride-offs against Jane

5.  Summer 2011

5.1  2011-05-08 (19)

• Two chukkas
• Position no.1 in both, converting passes from Twm
• Lots of goals converted
• Twm, Jane, Joss, Sam (uni), Emily, Charlotte (uni), ?? small guy (uni)
• Pony "Faustina"
• Pony "Lechuza"
  • Sam marking closer in this one

Problems

• Losing ride-offs

5.2  2011-05-11 (20)

• Two "sorta instructional" chukkas
• Playing No. 4
• Me, Suna, TDS, Eden vs Thal, Wilfred, Melissa (?)
• Pony "Ella" for both
• Hit above the right eye

Problems

• Lots of simple shots missed!
• Trapped ahead of the ball a lot

5.3  Chukkas 21

5.4  Chukkas 22

5.5  Chukkas 23

5.6  Chukkas 24

5.7  Chukkas 25

5.8  Chukkas 26

5.9  2011-07-02 (27)

• Four Chukkas Match
• Sasha, Me, Josh, Anthony vs Amani, Sophie B, Sophie/TDS, Twm

Chukka 1

• Pony "Cientodos"
• First touch: Could have won the throw-in with more commitment, Twm pushed through
• First play switched to stick-side of Sophie, first goal by Josh. 1-0
• Fumbled first shot backing up Josh. Antonies tailed backhand ricocheted off Twm who scores. 1-1
• Josh wins throw-in, I backup Sasha successfully, then step over the ball, turnover to Twm, could have picked up the pass to Amani, ran over the line instead (how?!), turnover to Anthony, goal 2-1.
• Josh wins throw-in to Anthony stolen by Twm. I was too slow to read Twm's backhand
• Cleared the ball to the sidelines to end the chukka

Chukka 2

• Pony "Seani"
• Throw-in won by red, pass by Josh, hooked by Twm, shouldn't have hit a full swing
• Goal to Josh. 3-1
• Anthony wins throw-in, stolen by Twm, goal. 3-2
• Josh wins throw-in, foul by Sophie B, free hit by Anthony. Ridden off by TDS across the line, turn-over, wide by green.
• Hit in by Anthony to Josh, long ball to me off the boards, I missed underneath. Should have checked up.
• Picked up pass from Josh. Good near-side pass to Anthony's off-side
• Pick-up and goal by Josh. 4-2
• Throw-in won by Josh, long pass to me. Hit the first towards the goal, missed the tap-in off a bouncing ball, Anthony followed up, goal 5-2. End of chukka

Chukka 3

• Red wins throw-in, Twm turns the ball in front of me. Could have taken it.
• Slow to mark opponent. (As Anthony reminded me). Shepherded a ball wide of the goal
• Ride-off against Sophie but couldn't take it . Very slow to turn up.
• Waiting for a long-ball but too far from the pass. Held off Sophie, Sasha scores. 6-2
• Defending, trying to turn it, air shot under the bouncing ball

Chukka 4

• Starts at 00:11:25 in file
• Josh wins the throw-in
• Sasha hits it wide
• Picked up a dead ball, hit it twice, airshot under bouncing ball, cleared by Twm
• Seani got a ball to the side of the head from TDS
• Hit in by Anthony flies past my head, rode off Twm against the boards
• Rode-off Sophie B out of possession
• Hit in by Anthony, calls me off the ball then misses
• Twm steals (fouls?) the ball from Josh while I wait for a pass
• Goal by Twm, 6-3

Notes

• Lacking confidence (psychologically defeated before the game began)
• A bit slow to read the play