Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club

The Club’s Halloween Cup Final was played on Friday 5 November between Habtoor Polo and Hesketh Polo at Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. Despite taking an early lead, Hesketh Polo’s strong defence prevented Habtoor Polo from scoring in the second chukka and so the scores were tied, 2-2, at half-time. The third chukka saw frenetic activity on both sides, but it was Habtoor Polo who managed to slot two goals through the posts. Hesketh fought back in the fourth chukka, but it was not enough and Habtoor Polo took home the win, 7-5. Sandra Schneider was awarded the Most Valuable Player and Vendimia, played by Mohammed Al Habtoor as the Best Playing Pony.

To celebrate UAE’s 50th National Day, AHPRC hosted an 8-10 goal tournament at the end of November with four homegrown teams competing. The Final was played between Hesketh and Bin Drai, with Hesketh’s Tomy Iriate taking the initial lead, followed by another goal in the second chukka. Bin Drai managed to even the scores by half-time and by the third chukka had reversed the tables and begun to pull ahead to secure a 7-4 win. Mohammed Bin Drai was the Most Valuable Player and Garapata, played by Tomy Iriate, was the Best Playing Pony of the tournament.

Bin Drai Polo proved their dominance in The November 2021 AHPRC League at the Club, with an undefeated streak gaining them the title on Wednesday 17 November. Both Final teams had two league wins under their belts, but Bin Drai took an early win which they maintained throughout the match to take the title. Rashid Bin Drai was named Most Valuable Player and Pimienta, played by Habtoor Al Habtoor, was the Best Playing Pony.

On Friday 12 November, an exhibition match was played in honour of Expo 2020 Dubai at Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. Three teams, Terra, Alif and Opti, competed in a round-robin of matches; the first match was won by Terra, the second by Opti and the third by Terra. These results meant that Terra claimed the overall victory.

Habtoor Polo, winners of The Halloween Cup Final Mohammed Bin Drai in action for the exhibition match winning team, Terra Bin Drai, winners of The UAE National Day Cup

Bin Drai Polo, winners of The November 2021 AHPRC League

Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com Talacrest has confirmed its continued sponsorship of The Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup

Guards Polo Club

John Collins, founder and owner of Talacrest Classic Ferrari, has confirmed that his iconic brand will continue to sponsor Guards Polo Club’s late summer high goal fixture, The Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup, which will be played from 26 July – 14 August 2022. John said when confirming the sponsorship extension, “I was delighted to have the opportunity to support high-goal polo at Guards Polo Club. I really enjoyed the tournament and absolutely loved Finals day and so am only too happy to now expand my support of the Cup. August is a busy time for Talacrest – there are two big classic car shows in the USA at this time – but I am delighted that the Club has been able to work around my motorsport commitments to ensure that Talacrest can continue to have a major presence at this high-goal contest for the foreseeable future.”

Zahedia Chogan, winners of The Fall Plates Final

Photography by Candace Ferreira/ChukkerTV

Audi, winners of The John T. Oxley Memorial Tournament Casablanca, winners of The USPA North American Cup Grand Champions, winners of The Royal Poinciana Trophy

Grand Champions Polo Club

Sunday 31 October saw Zahedia Chogan (Sy Zahedi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips & Tommy Biddle) defeat La Indiana (Matthew Gonzalez, Marc Ganzi, Luis Escobar & Jeff Hall) 11-10 to secure The Fall Plates Final. Tommy Biddle, who has been inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame for 2022, was chosen as the Most Valuable Player.

Wednesday 10 November saw Audi (Sugar Erskine, Nic Roldan, Marc Ganzi & Brandon Phillips) win The John T. Oxley Memorial Tournament, with a 13-12 overtime win against Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Jeff Hall & Juan Bollini) at Santa Rita Polo Farm.

Sunday 14 November saw Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Kris Kampsen, Jeff Hall & Tommy Biddle) secure The USPA North American Cup with a 12-7 win against Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Santi Toccalino & Brandon Phillips/Pablo Spinacci). Biddle was named as Most Valuable Player, while Charlatton, owned and played by Jeff Hall, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

The day before, Saturday 13 November, Grand Champions (Juancito Bollini, Agustin Obregon, Sugar Erskine & Larry Austin) won the inaugural Royal Poinciana Trophy at Santa Rita Polo Farm with an overtime victory against World Polo League (Waqaas Al-Siddiq, Pablo Spinacci, Brandon Phillips & Santi Toccalino), 9-8. Larry Austin, who scored a game-high six goals, was named the Most Valuable Player.

Wednesday 24 November saw Seminole Casino Coconut Creek defeat Casablanca in an overtime win Final for The USPA National Twenty Goal and $50,000 prize money. Following their USPA North American Cup loss the week before, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek produced a 12-11 overtime win to lift the title. Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player and Daniela, owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm and played by Juan Bollini, was the Best Playing Pony.

Saturday 27 November was the annual Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial, in memory of Carlos Gracida, which saw Team Gracida (Gene Goldstein (1), Weston Gracida (1), Carlitos Gracida (4) & Sugar Erskine (6)) come together in the second half to claim a 5-3 win over WPL (Leo Mandelbaum (2), Santos Bollini (2), Brandon Phillips (4) & Juancito Bollini (4)). Carlitos Gracida, the late Carlos Gracida’s eldest son, was named Most Valuable Player and a grey stallion, owned by Ruben Gracida and played by Weston Gracida, was the Best Playing Pony.

The second match on Saturday 27 November saw GCPC/USA (Grant Ganzi (3), Jason Crowder (6), Nic Roldan (8) & Tommy Biddle (5)) maintain its winning streak in the 10th anniversary of The International Cup following a 10-5 win against Argentina (Pablo Spinacci (6), Tomas Dartiguelongue (5), Facha Valent (4) & Santi Toccalino (8)). Ganzi, the youngest member of the GCPC/USA lineup at 23-years-old, was chosen as the Most Valuable Player and Open Sindicato, owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm and played by Jason Crowder, was the Best Playing Pony.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, winners of The USPA National Twenty Goal Team Gracida, winners of The Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial Grant Ganzi in action during The International Cup

La Ensenada Polo Club

On Monday 1 November, Los Sauces and Why Not competed for The XV Mixed Cup La Ensenada. Eight teams, up to 20 goals, competed in this year’s competition, with the teams split into two leagues. Los Sauces defeated Why Not 5½-2 in the Final, with La Ensenada Buen Espacio (Open Especial x Dolfina Buena Vida), played by Hazel Jackson-Gaona, chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

The XV Mixed Cup La Ensenada Final Teams:

Why Not (20): Juana Lavinia (0), Hana Grill (5), Hazel Jackson (10) & Santaigo Wulff (5) Los Sauces (19): Paulina Vasquetto (0), Mia Bray (5), Milagros Sanchez (7) & Victorino Ruiz Jorba (7)

Photograph by Prensa Polo

Peter Barfoot recently received a CBE

Photograph by Barfoots

Cowdray Park Polo Club

Congratulations to Peter Barfoot – patron of the Maiz Dulce polo team and former Cowdray Park Polo Club Chairman, Peter recently received his CBE for Services to Sustainable Farming.

The Club has also announced the dates for the 2022 British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Park Gold Cup, with the Final scheduled for Sunday 17 July.

Photograph by Tae Ormerod

Canonbury, winner of The Poppy Sunday Trophy

Druids Lodge Polo Club

Congratulations to Canonbury, winners of the Club’s Poppy Sunday Trophy. The Club is preparing for their first fireside polo event of the season alongside the Finals of The El Rosario Trophy on Sunday 12 December.

Drew Ranch scored back-to-back goals to clinch the win

Houston Polo Club

Sunday 31 October saw Houston Polo Club celebrate Halloween with their Hallows Cup Final between Horsegate/Tonkawa and ML Bar Ranch. Both teams were evenly matched, which was reflected in the scores which tied throughout the match, in the end ML Bar Ranch’s Drew Luplow scored back-to-back goals in the dying seconds to secure his team’s win, 8-6.

Two Wishes Polo Club

Four teams competed in the 2021 Southwestern Circuit Sportsmanship Cup at Two Wishes Polo Cup. Polo InterActive and Oak Bend Farm faced each other in the Final, which saw Oak Bend Farm begin with a half goal handicap advantage and swiftly add a goal to this to take an early lead. Oak Bend farm’s offensive efforts were tempered by Polo InterActive’s defensive plays in the second half, but their early lead proved too much to overcome and Oak Bend Farm ran out the winners, 9½-1. Katniss, owned and played by Will Walton, was the Best Playing Pony and Marcus Murphy, playing in his first outdoor USPA tournament, was chosen as the Most Valuable Player.

2021 Southwestern Circuit Sportsmanship Cup winners, Oak Bend Farm

Hedonism, winners of The Richmond Trophy Copi, winners of The Arena Challenge Trophy

HPA National Club Championships 2-4 Goal finalists

Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club

The Club has kicked off their 2021/2022 arena season with their first two tournaments of the year; Hedonism defeated La Mariposa in the Final of The Richmond Trophy and Copi came out on top in the Arena Challenge Trophy.

After delays due to bad weather, the rescheduled HPA National Club Championships 2-4 Goal took place on Saturday 4 December in the glorious sunshine. Titan Polo ran out of the final, with Neogem/ Twford polo securing the Subsidiary Final win.