Kihikihi Polo Club is one of the oldest sports clubs in the Waipa region – “The home of Champions”. Superbly situated right at the centre of “Heartland” polo country, the club have always displayed genuine loyal community pride. They have a sincere desire to promote the community and a deep appreciation of established local support.
The current club sponsor, Bayleys have made an outstanding contribution to the success of the club and we wish to continue a long and steadfast relationship with them into the future.
The Kihikihi club are truly grateful that over the years, they have had such a dedicated following from local social club members, businesses and local community groups. The Waipa District Council have also been a generous support to the club and in return have reaped the benefits from visiting players and spectators to the region. The council realised that the clubs tiresome work in creating top class venues has paid off with everyone in the polo world extremely keen to play on the club grounds and in return, the council have shown a degree of encouragement for all the grounds in the Waipa region to be continued to be maintained to such a high standard.
Indeed, it was Gus Maunder, who was the chairman of the Kihikihi Town Board back in 1946, that suggested that the club members make the Kihikihi Domain their headquarters and requested they play under the name of Kihikihi Polo Club rather than Te Awamutu as previously known.
Sports clubs world wide are always eternally grateful for any support shown, whether it be through game attendance, social interaction or sponsorship. The real impact of sponsorship was not experienced by the club until the 1960’s when Hallenstein Bros. Ltd. supplied the club with a set of shirts.
Kihikihi polo now have many local businesses and some national businesses that have come on board in various capacities to show their support and love of the game. The club also puts out a fixtures calender which is distributed locally and completely sponsored by local business. We wish to express our continued gratitude.
Looking back over the clubs history of noted local support their have been a few documented accounts which may of be some interest. Two poems in particular both convey a sense of sincere and steadfast support shown to the club and the players over the years. in particular, the one dedicated to the “Polo Wives”, in my opinion sometimes forgotten as the silent heroes !!!
This article was published in the Te Awamutu Courier in 1968. A poem written by Bill Sanders, who owned the Sanders Chemist shop and who had a good relationship with the club in that era !
In a colum of our local rag,
Courier by name,
Appeared an article of note
about a well known game.
Polo the sport, Kihikihi the place,
so bring the family here.
Pack your lunch and bring the kids
Be all set to cheer.
Two cups there’ll be to fill that night,
many a bruise to show.
But man nor horse will have no fear
For pain will quickly go.
Cause Sanders have the remedies to set them on their way
And give them vigour, life and strength
To play another day.
The trucks are here with fresh ponies,
The Cameron Cup’s today.
The umpire’s ready on his horse,
all set to keep the score
As the two teams take the field
The crowd lets out a roar.
For they have come to see a hard fought match
They do not mind the bawls
They enjoy it so much more
When some poor b………….. falls !
The team called Kihikihi “A”
A well known name is found
It starts with a K and ends with a Y
It has a well known sound.
Of Tony, Brian and Edward too
All come from this same pot
But to show this ain’t a family team,
We have an Elliott.
In Kihikihi B and Kihikihi C
These Kay’s crop up again
‘Cause Ross, John, Bill, Archie and Brice
All have this same name.
But John, Rennie, Colin and Doug
All come from different studs
Help bolster up the strength
And count-act the duds !
As the day draws to a close,
And the cup’s been won.
We pass a vote of thanks to those
Who support us in our fun.
Our horses we must keep in trim
‘Till the very end,
And for the remedies we need
On Saunders we depend !
Polo Wives
This is accredited to a poem from the Parkhouse Midhurst 1956.
Polo Wives, Polo Wives
Their’s are dedicated lives,
Spent travelling far and wide,
They cheer or criticise their side.
Polo wives more nervous far
than any playing husband’s are,
Like sentinels with spear sticks in hand,
sit together in the stand.
“Look he’s missed it, oh the dill,
Why not clip it like Sinclair Hill.
That’s a cross I do declare
What – no whistle – tis not fair”.
A broken stick she quick must run,
“Not that you fool, a 51” !
Words may fly and tempers hot
When polo wives don’t care a lot.
The game is won, they all retire
For long post-morten’s at the bar.
I do not pity polo wives
Because they really love their lives.
A variation on this poem was reprinted from an Australian Club Carnival programme:
Polo Wives, Polo Wives,
Ours are truly dreadful lives.
We flog around from ground to ground
And try to keep the ponies sound.
We sit and shiver in the stand
Our precious stick in frozen hand.
If ponies cost a little less
I might have had a warmer dress.
Look he’s missed it, Oh dear me,
Now he’s hit the ponies knee.
As none of them can hit the ball
I wonder why were here at all.
A broken stick – I try to run
“Not that you fool, a 51” !
He says the umpire should be shot
I’d like to shoot the flippen lot !!
The game is lost, they mostly are.
The men have vanished to the bar.
Oh pity us poor polo wives,
We really lead most dreary lives !!
