Championship 2021 Savile Cup

Reports2021 Savile Cup Reports Lightning-Fast

Savile Cup Final Mystery Creek clean up

Martin Waddy Reports

The Final of the 2021 Savile Cup at picturesque Omihi was a hard-fought, fast, controlled match, played to the sound of encroaching thunder and lightning cracking on the distant Canterbury Hills.

The match was tightly held at 5-5 until the final chukka, when Mystery Creek notched up a gear. The highlight goal was from seven goaler JP Clarkin, who galloped the full length of the boards at racehorse pace, controlling the ball with precision. As the storm drew closer, the final two penalty goals went to Mystery Creek, taking the score to 8-5.

Christchurch Teal were unable to hold the score even, despite the fine play of Number 1 Pete Dormer scoring two goals, Edward Elworthy Jones (winner of The Prince of Wales Cup for Most Promising Player) and the hard-hitting Glenn Sheriff (Captain) and Glen Armstrong at the back.

Mystery Creek was strengthened by the partnership between JP Clarkin and Kit Brooks, whose years of experience playing together meant they could read each other’s play blindfolded, well supported by young talented player Zac Keyte and Garth Fraser playing number two.

NZ Polo Secretary Emma Dormer gallantly awarded cups and prizes in the teeming rain supported by President Allan Browne and Past President Richard Hunt, until the final rainbow signalled the end of the tournament.

The Savile Cup Handicap winners, Auckland 9, played Christchurch Green 6 in a hotly contested game, with Christchurch unable to match the partnership of cousins, Thomas Hunt and Simon Keyte.

FINAL 7 MAR

24 teams attended the tournament, 12 from the North Island, all billeted around local clubs. It was the first time The Savile Cup was played in the South Island since 1995, thanks to the extraordinary effort by Pete and Emma Dormer in creating a high quality two-field finals venue on their farm. Some run up games were played at Amuri and Port Hills clubs.

The weather was exceptional, the organization superb, the asado delicious, and the hospitality immense, right down to free coffees for players and music to entertain the grooms, and the generously sponsored free bottled water. North Islanders were treated to jetboating and fishing, a wine tour and a cocktail party at the Dormers.

The last South Island Savile Cup was held at Wigram in 1995 on the old air force base now converted into housing, and before that, in the early 1900s, at Hagley Park.

All thanks to the hardworking management team and to all volunteers for a fantastic week of polo.

Where: Omihi, South Island

BPP

Savile Cup Champion Pony (Allan Bros Cup): Maltesa, ridden by JP Clarkin

BPP

Glenn Sherriff, winner of The McKelvie Trophy for the Savile Champion String of Ponies for Honey Badger, Idea and Lilly

Savile Cup Final Teams:

Christchurch Teal

Pete Dormer Edward Elworthy Jones Glen Armstrong Glenn Sheriff

Mystery Creek

Zac Keyte Garth Fraser Kit Brooks JP Clarkin

Results

There was a plethora of polo played on the day, with three other Finals played alongside three Subsidiary (Handicap) Finals, plus player and pony awards aplenty: Mackenzie Salver Final: Poverty Bay beat Hawkes Bay, 6½-5 Riddiford Levin Cup Final: Wanstead beat Christchurch Blue, 4-3 Handicap Riddiford Levin Final (Klaus Cup): Hawkes Bay beat Port Hills, 4-3½ Wilson Cup Final: Blenheim beat Port Hills, 6-4 Wilson Cup Handicap Final (Stead Trophy): Hawkes Bay beat Auckland, 6-3 Savile Cup Final: Mystery Creek beat Christchurch Teal, 8-5 Savile Handicap Final (Handicap Cup): Auckland beat Christchurch Green, 9-6 Fair Play Awards: Pete Dormer (Savile Cup), Wiri Kururangi (Wilson Cup), Philip Thompson (Riddiford Levin) & Scott McNeil (Mackenzie Salver) Groom Award: Jess McNicol & Trudy Pennington Auckland Cup – Player of the Tournament: JP Clarkin Prince of Wales Cup – Most Promising Player: Edward Elworthy Jones Wood Trophy for -2 Goal Most Promising Player: Max Dormer Sholto Matthews Cup Best Call: Ben Turner & Brett Harris Mackenzie Salver BPP: Herbert Coates’ Lucci Riddiford & Levin Champion Pony (Dick Black Trophy): Lucas Simcox’s Roo Wilson Cup Champion String of Ponies (Baden Jordan Trophy): Jonny Coddington Savile Cup High Goal Champion String of Ponies (McKelvie Trophy): Glenn Sheriff’s Honey Badger, Idea & Lilly Savile Cup Champion Pony (Allan Bros Cup): JP Clarkin’s Maltesa

“A hard-fought, fast, controlled match, played to the sound of encroaching thunder and lightning”

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