York Cup and Kim Small Shield: Photos and wrap-up

"It's gone very well despite the chaos that COVID brought," carnival convenor Graeme McKenzie said.

The evolving situation in and around Sydney threw up a few challenges, not the least having to rework the draw at the last minute after deciding to exclude the participating teams from the Greater Sydney region.

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It meant from 43 teams originally they ended up with 30, after cobbling together an extra team (the Ninjas) to balance out the draw, and lost their only first time attendees - Illawarra, but in hindsight "turned out to be a really good call".

With the unfolding developments McKenzie said it was "a very different environment" to previous carnivals. But after being cancelled last year, everyone was just really happy it was back on.

"It was so well received by the teams that were able to come," he said.

"They were thrilled they got the opportunity to play."

And the quality of some of the hockey over the three days was fantastic.

The York Cup A Division was particularly closely contested, coming down to the final match between Canberra and the Frogs.

"Had the Frogs won they would have been the winners and a draw or a win was enough for Canberra to win," McKenzie said.

The game ended in a 0-all draw to see Canberra finish a point ahead of the locals.

By McKenzie's reckoning it's been over 10 years since a Tamworth side has won.

Newcastle were then third, and could have if Canberra had won that last game leapfrogged the Frogs and finished second.

The Ninjas and Gloucester were joint winners in B Division with Manning Valley (1) runners-up.

In the Kim Small Shield Newcastle (1) were "very dominant" in A Division.

Bathurst were similarly convincing in winning B Division ahead of Port Macquarie/Hastings.

Newcastle's Hamish Baxter was adjudged the player of the tournament for the boys and Christine Fernance (also Newcastle) the girls while the New England Royals girls were awarded the Barb York Memorial award.

Asked to step up to A Division at the last minute McKenzie said they embodied the spirit of the carnival.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the coaches game on the Sunday night. It was introduced this year to fill a bit of space they had in the draw without the additional teams, but was so well received it might become a permanent part of program, he said.

The lesser teams and the third field, which they haven't had for previous editions, also allowed them to work in a half-time into the games, which is something he said the coaches have been asking for "for years".

Enjoying a well-earned refreshment when he spoke with The Leader, McKenzie expressed his thanks to the Tamworth hockey community for all the work they put in both before and over the carnival.

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