Warwick sisters help the Kiwis during cup fortnight
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POLOCROSSE: The Macdonald sisters are two of 64 volunteers looking after the horses at the Adina Polocrosse World Cup at IOR Morgan Park.
The horse volunteers are in eight groups of eight, each group has responsibility for 16 horses.
Two of the keenest horse volunteers are the Macdonald sisters, Shannen and Karlie, who live in Warwick.
They started their two-week volunteer role on Sunday afternoon and are with a pool of horses that has been allocated to New Zealand.
While they don't camp at the grounds, they are at Morgan Park at 6am each day for the first feed of the day and are still there at 5pm when the cup horses are given their final feed for the day.
Shannen said it was exciting to be part of the cup.
"I really like working with horses,” she said.
"I have one of the quietest horses to look after. All of them have their own personalities, some are quieter than others.”
The World Cup will even get better for the sisters on Monday when they will be behind the goalposts with the New Zealand team.
They will care for the horses between chukkas which could mean a short walk to keep the horses moving.
"It will be even more exciting during the cup games,” Shannen said.
The first game for the Kiwis will be at noon Monday when they played United Kingdom.
Profiles Macdonald Sisters
Age: Shannen, 24, Karlie, 22
Work: Both are disability support workers for BlueCare
Home: Warwick
Interests other than polocrosse: Both are keen on cooking and caring for their angora goats, Shannen's interests also include working with horses and woodwork. Karlie is keen on crochet.
Career highlights: Both prepare a show team and made the national finals for angora goats.
Years in polocrosse: Both are horse volunteers at the World Cup which means they start the day at 6am at Morgan Park and help out to dark. They are caring for the horses being ridden by New Zealand.
Before the weekend, they spend two days at the property of Merv Mangan learning all about what they will be required to do as volunteers.
Sporting hero: Both list Allora and retired Queensland Firebirds and Australian netball captain Laura Geitz.
