All Aspects of Youth Polo

La Martina Varsity Day

Oxford, winners of The La Martina Varsity Trophy Oxford has dominated the university test over the years

Harrow, winners of the schools match Both Harrow and Eton were evenly matched teams

Photography by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

Oxford retained the coveted La Martina Varsity Trophy on Saturday 5 June, defeating their historic rivals Cambridge in a competitive match under a blazing sun at Guards Polo Club.

Oxford has dominated this university test – which dates back to 1879 – in recent years; Cambridge last took the trophy back to East Anglia in 2014. Although this year was a much closer affair than some of the more recent contests, Oxford winning the game 8-3. The Varsity is always played open, which was not to Cambridge’s advantage due to the handicap difference, but Cambridge kept Oxford in their sights throughout the four chukkas.

Tamara Gibbons, an experienced Varsity player for Oxford, was named the La Martina Most Valuable Player, a prize she also received in this match in 2019. Cambridge’s Junaid Safdar headed home with the Best Playing Pony prize for Chasco Laguna – a seven-year-old mare who was bred by and is owned by Alfredo Bigatti; Alfredo brought the horse over to the UK this year. Laguna’s sire is Christian Grey and its dam was a Thoroughbred.

The Varsity Day, which has been sponsored by La Martina for the past five years, began with an equally competitive schools match featuring Harrow and Eton (received half goal on handicap). This was a fast-paced match and Harrow narrowly won this match, 5-4½, with Hector Rogberg delivering a particularly strong performance. Eton did not head home empty handed though, as Oliver Drewitt was named the Most Valuable Player while his team mate Beau Buchan received the La Martina Best Playing Pony prize for Sapo.

La Martina Varsity Day Teams:

Oxford (0): Jamie Baillie (-1), Cecily Day (0), Tamara Gibbons (0) & Thomas Gordon-Colebrook (1) Cambridge (-2): Éclair Chen (-1), Catherine Richards (-1), Junaid Safdar (0) & Tate Lavitt (0) Harrow (-5): Ulysses Hu (-1), Freddie Strange (-2), Marc Lindgren (-2) & Hector Rogberg (0) Eton (-6): Alick Sweeting (-2), Oliver Drewitt (-1), Beau Buchan (-1) & Fraser McDade (-2)/ Sacha Davie Thornill (-2)

HPC Junior Tournament

Advanced winners, Vintage Polo (Joe Bob Lequerica, Joanie Jackson & Clare Bogart) Intermediate winners, Tonkawa (Ripley Middleton, Tate Seward & Trent Florey) Walk/Trot winners, St. Regis Houston (Abby Agrons, Danny Fulkerson & Charlotte Cifuni) Leadline winners, Traveller’s Rest (Luisito Mancebo, Evelyn Wroe & August Orthwein)

The weekend 4 – 6 June saw Houston Polo Club’s 2021 HPC Junior Tournament conclude, with two to 19-year-olds showcasing their skills in four levels: Advanced, Intermediate, Walk/Trot and Leadline. Vintage Polo secured the Advanced title, with Dominga, played by Lance Stefanakis named Best Playing Pony; Tonkawa took the Intermediate win, with Trent Florey chosen as the Most Valuable Player and Rosita, played by Uma Villanueva, the Best Playing Pony; St. Regis Houston took home the Walk/Trot title with Danny Fulkerson the Most Valuable Player and Betty White, played by Bradie Kimbrough, named Best Playing Pony; in the Leadline section, Traveller’s Rest took the overall win.

WTR Horse Transport

Specialising in the safe transport of Polo Ponies from short UK journeys to European long journeys. Based in Berkshire.

18 tonne auto, 11 stall Tristar • Front and rear cctv of horses • Roof fans • On-board pumped water tanks • 3.5 tonne stallion box • Operators’ licence • DEFRA approved for international transport • Drivers CPC • Type 2 long journey animal welfare transport certifi ed • Level 2 City & Guilds long distance transport (driver) • Fully insured