KILLARNEY Polocrosse Club has undergone a resurgence of riding members this year as it gets ready to mark its 60th anniversary.
Established in 1956, the club is one of the oldest in Queensland and has special celebrations planned for its 60th anniversary carnival which is being held at its home grounds on the weekend of 14 and 15 May.
Killarney Polocrosse has experienced a lot of membership growth since last year.
It has 32 members made up of either Life, Social or Playing members.
In a contrast to last year when the club had no riding members, 2016 has seen Killarney field at least two teams at each carnival and has had a club member represent Queensland at the Polocrosse Nationals.
Killarney Polocrosse Club has a long and colourful representative history including many junior and senior players who have played for Queensland at the top levels of polocrosse at seven national titles over the past 25 years.
At the recent Polocrosse Nationals held in Albury in April, new Killarney member Gail Donnelly did the club proud being selected to play for Queensland in the Mixed Masters team.
This weekend, polocrosse players from across Queensland and northern New South Wales are planning to take to the field to battle for club pride while helping Killarney celebrate its 60th milestone.
With a favourable weather forecast so far this week, it is expected that up to 400 visitors and their horses will arrive for the exciting event.
No strangers to the havoc weather can cause this equestrian sport, the club was hit hard during the last weekend of January 2013 when ex-tropical cyclone Oswald dumped a huge amount of water on Killarney, causing the Condamine River to rise and creating widespread flooding for the town.
Killarney Polocrosse Club’s pristine fields were wrecked and club infrastructure, including the clubhouse, toilets and fences, were damaged by the water.
The club rallied to restore the facilities to being better than ever.
In a rural town of approximately 800 people, this big influx of sports people and spectators is good for the local economy with visitors encouraged to spend money in the region.
That is just one of the reasons that Killarney Polocrosse Club, despite having no playing members in recent years, has continued with the tradition of their annual carnival.
It is testimony to the group of dedicated social members who have worked hard to keep one of the oldest polocrosse clubs in Queensland alive.
“Although we had no playing members in the past, the passion is still alive and the annual carnival is always on the calendar,” said Killarney Polocrosse Club Treasurer Kerri-Ann Lamb.
Mrs Lamb said during the height of club membership there were five competing teams from A Grade to Juniors and more than 60 members.
The club first purchased a land parcel of approximately seven acres in Killarney around 1960 for £700.
In 1985 the club expanded its grounds by purchasing another 12 acres.
Through its forward planning, Killarney was one of the first polocrosse clubs in Queensland to own its own ground.
Killarney Polocrosse Club has used its grounds to hold events such as the Queensland Club State Championships in 1997, 1999, and during the club’s 50th anniversary year in 2006.
The club also hosted an Australia versus New Zealand Test match around that time.
“We are very proud of our grounds and facilities which are top class, and also used by Gold Coast Polocrosse Club, and Killarney Pony Club, and numerous other local events,” said Mrs Lamb.
This unique sport originated in Australia in 1939 and is dubbed as the King of the One Horse Sports.
Australia is the largest polocrosse country in the World.
The Polocrosse Association of Australia boasts a membership of more than 4000 over 135 clubs.
“The Killarney Polocrosse Club would sincerely like to thank all of its past and present generous sponsors and kind local volunteers who have made the club so successful over the past 60 years,” Mrs Lamb said.
“The club today is grateful and humbled by all past involvement and contributions.
“Your actions have helped shape and mould the present into a future of which we can all be proud.
“You can be assured we will be pursuing a strong polocrosse future,” said Mrs Lamb.
