TURANGI

Nationality:  New Zealand Maori
Date of Birth: 22 May 1993

PERSONAL STATEMENT

My name is Kendal Te Akau. I am 15 years of age and will turn 16 on 22 May 2009.

I live with my mum, my brother Ethan and my sister Taylor. My mum has worked hard for a long time so that us kids can afford to ride horses, we try hard to make her proud. All us kids play Polocrosse although my brother Ethan had last season off because he broke his back and his legs.  Mum’s partner Walter has recently moved here to live with us, and he helps lots too.

I started playing Polocrosse last season and I play for the Tuwharetoa Development Squad.

My extended whanau of Tuwharetoa Polocrosse are wonderful and I’m lucky to have their support.

This is my second season of Polocrosse and I love the game very much.  I would like to go on the scholarship because I know it would be a good experience for me and I also know it will help me a lot with my racket skills and also my horse riding skills. I would like to see how they do things in Australia, and learn things that I can bring home to help others with.  Three other people in my club have been on the scholarship and when they come home they had improved a lot and were sharing the tips they learnt in Australia with us all to help us!  I have been riding horses for a few years now, in Pony Club, Horse Sports and Rodeo.

I am privileged to be a part of the Tuwharetoa Polocrosse Squad as they have all helped me to improve my Polocrosse.  I love to play sports of all kinds and have been a Taupo Netball Representative for 3 years, I have represented our school in Basketball, Cross Country, Show jumping, Gymkhanas and mounted games.  I was 2nd NZ Junior Barrel Racer  in the 2007 season.

I have a trophy for Best Overall rugby player.  I have represented my school at the North Island Skiing Champs and Snowboarding Champs for the past three years.  I attained 6th in North Island last season.

My Achievements:

• King country junior team 2008 & 2009
• Member King Country – winning NZ Junior Championships 2009
• Best number one in the Rockwood division 2008
• Tuwharetoa sports awards Team recipient
• Winner Turangi Tongariro Sports Awards – Team of the Year
• Tuwharetoa Polocrosse Award – Best Combination Horse & Rider 2008
• Taupo and districts at Zone mounted games
• Represented Taupo and districts at Bay of Plenty gymkhana champs
• 2007 Second in New Zealand Rodeo Junior barrel racing
• Member of Turangi Gambler (inter-tribal) Horse Sports Team for past three years representing our area
• Winning Gambler team 2008
• Taupo netball representative for the past 3 years
• Member of school equestrian zone mounted games winning team in Opotiki 2007
• Second season playing Polocrosse
• Represented Tongariro school in the north island snow boarding champs 2007/2008 – 6th in North Island 2008
• North island skiing champs 2007 also representing Tongariro school