Leeton Polocrosse Club inaugural president Charlie Fenton presents a life membership to former treasurer, secretary, president, player and umpire Barry Hehir, at the club’s 40-year reunion. Photo: Supplied.
Barry Hehir once played an astounding nine polocrosse matches in a single weekend on an assortment of borrowed horses.
The 73-year-old Leeton farmer admits he loved the adrenaline kick he got out of the fast-paced equestrian game played with racquet and ball.
“It gave me a pretty big thrill,” he said.
Such was his commitment and enthusiasm for the game, Mr Hehir used to play for Leeton and as a pool player for other clubs across the district, as well as offering his property as a venue for practice and chukka days.
He was the inaugural treasurer for the Leeton Polocrosse Club founded in 1986, and would go on to serve as its secretary/treasurer, president, as an umpire and player.
On Saturday 21 March, this noted local sportsman – polocrosse was one of 10 other sports he played at representative or championship level – was honoured with a life membership at a special reunion marking 40 years since the foundation of the club.
There were plenty of laughs and a few tears as former players swapped yarns and memories at the Commercial Hotel, Barellan surrounded by displays of memorabilia and the cutting of a reunion cake.
The inaugural committee was formed at the Leeton Hotel on 19 February, 1986, instigated by the new publican at the time Charlie Fenton who became the club president, along with newspaper editor Kim Woods as secretary, farmer Barry Hehir as treasurer, and local undertaker John Mead as the coach.
The first practice days were held on a local farm, drawing students from the Murrumbidgee Agricultural College and Yanco Agricultural College, before a move to the middle of Leeton racecourse.
In its first year, Leeton Polocrosse Club competed at carnivals at Tumbarumba, Tumut, Tarcutta, Quandialla, Holbrook, Wagga, Jugiong, Harden and Urana, while local games were held at the racecourse and later moved to the Barellan Showground.
Mr Hehir, who was instrumental in the discussions between Leeton Shire Council and the Leeton Jockey Club for polocrosse carnivals to be held at the racecourse, gave polocrosse clinics to students at Yanco, played in exhibition games at local shows, and was a member of the winning Leeton B Reserve grade team at the South West Slopes Club championships.
While he learnt to ride as a kid, Mr Hehir said he really only took up riding when the new publican proposed a polocrosse club.
And, apart from watching a couple of matches in 1985, he didn’t know a lot about the sport, he said.
Aussie rules football and cricket were much more his thing, along with swimming, water polo, rugby union, rugby league, snooker, and shooting.
By all accounts, Mr Hehir would go on to be a pretty handy player, although he said “we didn’t have the best horses”.
“It was one of our biggest problems – some of us had quarter horses or stockhorses and a few thoroughbreds that were good enough to play B and C grade but not the higher levels,” he said.
“Players had the ability but not the horses. At the time – and that was 30 years ago – one of my horses might have been worth $800 but others had horses that might have been worth $8000. I have no idea what they’d be worth now.”
Still, over its 10-year lifespan, Mr Hehir said longstanding friendships were formed at the club and he also “fell into” endurance riding becoming president of that local club as well.
Mr Hehir said Leeton Polocrosse Club’s demise in 1997 was due to members’ work and family commitments, financial constraints, insurance hikes and the introduction of the player grading system, limiting individuals from playing with their own team.
“Both Leeton and Griffith were at end of the line in the zone compounding travel difficulties, making it challenging for other clubs to travel to our carnivals,” he said. “We needed 16 to 20 teams to make carnivals viable.
“Our players were having to play with other clubs because of the grading system, and this virtually put the nail in the coffin. Our carnival was slated for the 1997 season, but we were forced to cancel and the club did not play from then on.”
Those gathered at the reunion agreed it had been a great run – playing together, camping and enjoying each other’s company – and something they will never forget.
For many of the past players it wasn’t the end of their association with horses.
Scott Bandy and Rob Bandy went into rodeo and challenge events, while Jim Breeze made his way into tent pegging and show jumping, and Julie Rourke took up endurance and campdrafting.
Publican Charlie Fenton made a move up to polo, Clare O’Donoghue and Paul Horan also went into campdrafting, Jeanie Batchelor found her speed in barrel racing, Liz Hammond took up carriage driving, and Robert Bourke took on clerk of the course duties at the races and trots.
Mr Hehir reckons the last time he threw his leg over a horse was about seven or eight years ago as clerk of the course at the Leeton trots.
This quietly spoken man of many talents said he was very surprised and humbled by the life membership award.
“It’s a pity we couldn’t have kept the club going,” he said ruefully.
