Australian Polo Fever: The Ellerston Autumn 8-Goal Tournament

A competitive lineup of nine teams qualified for this intense week-long tournament, showcasing nonstop action across 18 consecutive matches. This feature takes you through the key clashes from the knockout stages.

Participating Teams 

ZONE-A 

Top Performing Teams in the League Stages: 

Mingela (Finalist)

Vallex (Finalist)

Ellerston Grey 

Goondiwindi 

Subsidiary Semi-Final: Larapinta vs Sladmore Bannaby Angus

Date: 15 March 

To earn a ticket to the subsidiary final, Larapinta had to face the mighty Sladmore Bannaby Angus. The initial chukkers kept the audience interested, but the match’s outcome was almost decided by the end of the third round. Larapinta continued their lead in the concluding round as well and finished the game by scoring a couple of goals, bringing their total to eight points. 

Winner: Larapinta ( 8-4 )

Semi-Final 1: Mingela vs Goondiwindi 

Date: 15 March 

The first semi-final game pitted Mingela against Goondiwindi. The initial rounds were pointless, displaying the silence before the storm. Towards the latter end of the game, both teams picked up pace and scored goals, and in this battle of scoring, Mingela came up on top, scoring just over half a dozen goals to qualify for the finals of the Ellerston Autumn 8 Goal tournament.

Winner: Mingela ( 7-6 )

Semi-Final 2: Vallex vs Ellerston Grey 

The second finalist was the outcome of a game between Vallex and Ellerston Grey. Both teams performed evenly and were applauded rightfully for their vigour. However, Vallex held their nerves beautifully towards the end and did not crack under pressure, becoming the second finalist of the tournament. 

Winner: Vallex ( 5-4 )

Subsidiary Final: Larapinta vs Garangula K.O. Angus

Date: 16 March 

The day for the two finals of this highly coveted tournament arrived. The first subsidiary final showcased talents from the Larapinta and Garangula K.O. Angus teams. By the end of the third round, the game was on equal scores, i.e., five points each. Larapinta flew away with the game in the last round, scoring an astounding four goals to which the opponents had no reply. Larapinta was declared the winner of this subsidiary final.

Winner: Larapinta ( 9-5 )

Final: Mingela vs Vallex 

Date: 16 March 

It was time for the much-awaited finals of the event to take place between two of the most consistent teams: Mingela and Vallex. The match started at a relatively slower pace, but Mingela managed to stay a single point ahead by the end of the first half. In the second half, Mingela pulled up their socks and almost engraved their names onto the trophy by enlarging the lead to four points by the end of the third round. The last chukker could not bring out anything special from the side of Vallex, and Mingela became the title-holder of the Ellerston Autumn 8 Goal tournament.

Winners: Mingela ( 7-4 )