Kelsey set to ride high
SCHOOLWORK and looking after a horse go hand in hand for Victorian under-24 women's polocrosse player Kelsey Rowland.
A year 11 student at Heywood District Secondary College near Portland, Rowland did a lot of extra schoolwork before the nationals but has brought work in three subjects which take two to three hours a day.
The 17-year-old has been playing polocrosse for 10 years and will debut at national level in the Barastoc Polocrosse Nationals next week at Morgan Park.
She won the best B-grade horse award with Kelshar Hogans Quickstep at the Victorian State Championships at Sale in March.
Two years ago at Ballarat, her team went down to NSW in the women's U24 final and she expects the defending titleholders to be tough again.
While many might think the Victorians have an advantage as their season is from January to March, Rowland believes horses get a bit sour towards season's end.
"We will have an advantage with match fitness," Rowland said.
"Our team is here to win, we haven't had as many training sessions as we planned as one team member, Kelly Allen, has been in South Africa."
After school, she plans to move to Melbourne to study horse tactile therapy.
The nationals start Monday.
