At the end of the 48th New Zealand Polo Open high goal final held at Auckland Polo Club on Sunday, February 16th, team Brinks (Steve van den Brink, Henry Batchelor, Nick Keyte, and JP Clarkin) was awarded the Standing Rock Fair Play Award for demonstrating exceptional conduct, sportsmanship, and horsemanship throughout the competition.
Emerging as runners-up in the thrilling final match played in front of a crowd of over 4,000 spectators, Brinks was chosen by the umpires Andrew Williams and Sam Kirkpatrick as the recipient of the Standing Rock Fair Play Award. The team was recognized for their exemplary sportsmanship, respect for umpires, positive attitude, and discipline upheld throughout the tournament.
Ahead of the games commencing, a representative from every high goal team attended a briefing about the award, which explained the criteria the umpires would be evaluating during each game. The criteria comprised:
- Sportsmanship: Respecting opponents and fair play.
- Respect for Umpires: Adherence to umpire decisions without dissent, and maintaining professionalism in all interactions.
- Discipline: Displaying punctuality, appropriate conduct, and commitment to pony welfare on and off the field.
The two professional umpires evaluated and scored teams after every match, with Auckland Polo Club overseeing the scoring and calculations to ensure the process was fair and transparent.
Having exhibited the highest standards of sportsmanship, horsemanship, integrity, conduct, and camaraderie on and off the field, the prestigious trophy was presented to Brinks by the umpires Andrew Williams and Sam Kirkpatrick, along with Auckland Polo Club President Tony van den Brink during the final ceremony.
Andrew Williams commented on the positive impact of the award on polo: “As umpires, we often record and penalize negative actions on the field, such as yellow or red cards, but this award gives us a way to highlight and reward positive behaviors. Giving players points for sportsmanship, horsemanship, and conduct, and even something as simple as a green flag for each game, will shift the focus to encourage and celebrate the good moments, fostering a more positive and supportive atmosphere on the field. Making participation better for all.”
Steve van den Brink, patron of team Brinks, also expressed his enthusiasm for winning the award: “It is such an honor to win the inaugural Standing Rock Fair Play Award in New Zealand. A fantastic concept to be introducing to this sport we all have so much passion for. Rewarding compassion and respect to teams can only encourage better sportsmanship and camaraderie amongst the players.”
With its New Zealand debut this year, the Standing Rock Fair Play Award is growing internationally by partnering with polo clubs around the world. The award will be presented annually at the NZ Open finals ceremony for the next 10 years, with the names of the winners inscribed on the trophy each year.
This historic collaboration between Auckland Polo Club and the Standing Rock Polo Team, led by Swiss patron Philipp Müller, showcases a shared commitment to promoting the highest values of sportsmanship, respect, and equine welfare in polo, inspiring players and teams to set new standards of excellence and integrity in the sport.