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Women’s Polo
Photography by Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club
Ladies Challenge Cup
Hesketh Polo Team, winners of the 2020 Ladies Challenge Cup
The competition was fierce
For the second year in a row, Hesketh Polo Team took home the Ladies Challenge Cup at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club. The event was held in association with Pink Caravan in order to help raise awareness about breast cancer. Four teams competed against each other in two matches; the first match saw Pink Soldiers take a 7½-5 win against the Pink Warriors while in the second match the scores were much closer with Hesketh Polo narrowly securing a 2½-2 win against AM Polo. AM Polo’s Petra Spanko was selected as Most Valuable Player and Sublime, ridden by Kim Roche, was the Best Playing Pony. 2020 Ladies Challenge Cup Teams: Pink Warriors: Daniel Herbert, Habtoor Al Habtoor, Mohammed Al Habtoor & Guillermo Cuitinho Pink Soldiers: Khalid Al Omran, Noor Abu Khadra, Raja Abuljebain & Aiti Garros AM Polo: HH Sheikha Alya Al Maktoum, Petra Spanko, Sandra Schneider & Pablo Urquiza Hesketh Polo: Lee Simmons, Lauren Dickson, Kim Roche & Tomas Palacios Bacque
Sublime, ridden by Kim Roche, the Best Playing Pony
Texas Women’s Open
Photography by Kaylee Wroe
On Sunday 15 November, Polo Gear Coffee Company faced Iconica in the 2020 Texas Women’s Open Final at Houston Polo Club. Iconica had the edge before the first throw in, with four-time U.S. Open Polo Championship winner Kristy Outhier coaching the team and also leading with a half goal handicap advantage. Iconica were the first to add their names to the scoreboard with great teamwork resulting in a score of 2½-1 in their favour at the end of
Texas Open Final winners, Iconica
the first half. Hope Arellano continued the offensive for Iconica in the third chukka with another goal, with nothing in reply from Polo Gear Coffee Company. Teammate Maureen Brennan commented, “No matter what was happening on the field, we maintained a very man-based strategy; On offense Kylie [Sheehan] and Hope [Arellano] worked very well together in the back and I alternated between shielding for them and being very dedicated to staying with one of their backs”. The fourth chukka saw Iconica focus on maintaining their lead, which was threatened by a last-minute goal from Dawn Jones for Polo Gear Coffee Company, but it was not enough and Iconica took the title with a final score of 3½-2. Jones was named Most Valuable Player and her pony Picasita, played by Tiffany Busch in the second chukka received the Best Playing Professional award and Law Man’s Dancer was named both Best Playing Pony Amateur and the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Best Playing Pony Bronze trophy.
For Women’s polo dates for your diary, turn to our What’s On pages
Tiffany Busch on BPP Professional, Picasita
The Texas Open Final Teams: Iconica (19): Madison Outhier (2), Maureen Brennan (5), Hope Arellano (7) & Kylie Sheehan (5) Polo Gear Coffee Company (20): Dawn Jones (6), Danielle Lussi (2), Tiffany Busch (6) & Clarissa Echezarreta (6) Polo Times, December 2020 / January 2021
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