The 2020 Minnesota Polocrosse “Cheese Curd Challenge” was a huge success with beautiful weather, awesome play and just plain all around midwestern fun!
Our tournament was host to the 2020/2021 “Youth Development Team” so we were host to the team’s coach from New Hampshire Sally Batton as well as all eight of the team members. Sally, the kids and their families came on Wednesday to start practicing on Thursday. In addition several of us also came early to take lessons from the legendary Paul Johnson.
The weekend was kicked off with Friday night D grade games which allowed us to end play early on Sunday right before the rain started. On Saturday morning, the majority of play started and we were also able to welcome vendor Alexis Hart, with her store “Little Hart Equine and Tack”, Polocrosse sponsor Triple Crown and concession provider Sara Rank and her non-profit “Limitless Riders.”
Over the weekend, our club also hosted a couple of fund-raisers for the YDP team which included a “Calcutta” for the A Grade team with the best overall statistics, a silent auction and a T-Shirt sales. The Calcutta in particular brought a lot of excitement to the weekend with a total of almost $1,300 raised in total and $650 to the Calcutta winner Braxton Hamlin. (Luck of the draw that he was on the winning A Grade team and also was the person who won the drawing too.)
A special thanks to Terry Hawkins and her husband Andy for allowing us to have our tournament at their beautiful farm. And thank you to everyone who traveled to our tournament.
Best U18 stats – Ada Dekkers
Calcutta winner – Braxton Hamlin
D Grade
1st – E-Lemonaders – Ely Wickander, Jaime Wickander, Alec Winney
2nd – Madams of Mayhem – Madison Butler, Liz Strohbeen, Amber Lynch
3rd – Need for Speed – Kendall Johnson, Cody Johnson, Eli Dekkers
4th – Tank Top Richards – Paul Doelz, Steve McKeown, Anthony ‘Beans’ Lukas
5th – Not Fast, Just Fearless – Katrina Gamer, Jennifer Carpenter, Eunice Doelz
Best #1 – Alec Winney
Best #2 – Cody Johnson
Best #3 – Madison Butler
Best Horse – Sophie, ridden by Alec Winney
C Grade
1st – YDP Minnesota – Ella ‘Bean’ Hatcher, Carolyn Gusick, Ada Dekkers
2nd – Gold Diggers – Kristy Gusick, Kristi Johnson, Terry Hawkins
3rd – Queen Bees – Becky Dekkers, Kiri Freeman, Tina Hutcherson
4th – YDP White – Alexandra Broadhurst, Ashby Hatcher, Madeleine Dekkers
Best #1 – Ada Dekkers
Best #2 – Becky Dekkers
Best #3 – Alexandra Broadhurst
Best Horse – Yahtzee, ridden by Ada Dekkers
B Grade
1st – Snowmass – Thea Cross, David Firmin, Cameron Firmin
2nd – YDP – Carolyn Gusick, Madeleine Dekkers, Scott Carpenter
3rd – Straight Cash Money – Ahna Mayo, Rob Brooks, James Hanske
4th – Podunk Hopscotch Mafia – Matt Dekkers, G5 Bigsby, Andrew Winney
Best #1 – Carolyn Gusick
Best #2 – Cameron Firmin
Best #3 – David Firmin
Best Horse – Playmate – ridden by Ahna Mayo
A Grade
1st – Nice Snatch – Braxton Hamlin, Brya Gillespie, Garrett Hamlin
2nd – Baby Got Tack – Megan Swift, Karl Balogh, Emma Strider
3rd – Untouchables – Houston Hutcherson, Holt Hutcherson, Dawson Brooks(2)
4th – Tequila Mockingbirds – Bri Acosta, Al True, Julie Mouton
Best #1 – Braxton Hamlin
Best #2 – Megan Swift
Best #3 – Dawson Brooks(2)
Best Horse – Moonshine – ridden by Emma Strider