Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Your Club News from Home and Abroad Club Focus Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club

Photography by Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club

El Basha Polo, winners of The AHPRC March League The Club hosted their first End of Season Polo Awards

On Friday 2 April, El Basha Polo secured The AHPRC March League title, following a 7-5 win against Tratok-Hesketh with El Basha’s Juanji Diaz Alberdi was named Most Valuable Player. The Subsidiary Final saw Baylandi defeat IFZA Mahra 5-2. The next instalment of the 2021 AHPRC League will continue from 23 – 30 April and is the last tournament of the Club’s season.

AHPRC March League Final Teams:

El Basha (6): Hani Jabshe (-1), Santos Iriarte (1), Justo Cuitiño (3) & Juanji Diaz Alberdi (3) Tratok Hesketh (6): Lauren Dickson (-1), Raja Abuljebain (0), Tomas Palacios Bacque (3) & Tomas Iriarte (4)

The club hosted their first End of Season Polo Awards at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Hotel, to celebrate the Club’s season which comprised of 14 tournaments from October 2020 to April 2021. The results from the awards were: Young Best Polo Player: Allegra Kelly Rookie of the Season: Mohammed Khalid Best Polo Player (Low Goal): Raja Abuljebain Polo Player of the Season: Mohammed Al Habtoor Most Outstanding GCC Player: Khalid Al Omran Polo Special Recognition Award: Hesketh Polo Most Outstanding Contribution to the World of Polo: International Free Zone Authority

Progress Award for Most Improved Polo Academy Student:

Khalaf Al Habtoor Rising Star: Rayyan Al Ajaji Most Outstanding High Goal Teams: Ghantoot Polo Most Outstanding High Goal Paton: Habtoor Al Habtoor Female Polo Player of the Season: Sheika Alia Al Maktoum Best Polo Organisation: UAE Polo Best Team of the Season: Habtoor Polo

Kings Polo Club

On Saturday 3 April, The Port Ghalib Polo Cup Final was played at Kings Polo Club, Egypt. Four teams, up to 12 goals competed in the tournament, with the Final played between Port Ghalib and Kings Polo. Kings Polo took an early three goal lead and their strong defence throughout saw them secure the title with a 7-6 win. Meanwhile, Piramide defeated OS Polo, 6-5 in the Subsidiary Final.

On Saturday 10 April, Pyramide defeated Mangroovy in The Kings Easter Cup at Kings Polo Club, Egypt, with a final score of 5-3. Francisco Bensadon was chosen as Most Valuable Player and Dominguera, played by Edu Menéndez was the Best Playing Pony.

Kings Polo Club The Port Ghalib Polo Cup Final Teams:

Kings Polo (11): Mohanad El Afandy (0), Mohamed El Sewedy (1), Guillermo Terrera (9) & Marwan El Afandy (1) Port Ghalib (12): Hussam El Khorafi (0), Segundo Condesse (3), Silvestre Fanelli (4) & Marcelo Pascual (5)

The Kings Easter Cup Final Teams:

Piramide (12): Ibrahim Awadalla (0), Mohanad El Afandy (0), Franciso Bensadon (7) & Eduardo Menéndez (5) Mangroovy (12): Segundo Condesse (3), Silvestre Fanelli (4), Fernando Miño (5) & Robert Szücs (0)

Garangula Polo Club

Darriwill, winners of The Mulhall Memorial Trophy On Sunday 4 April, Darriwill (Ned Hine, Louis Hine, Ruki Baillieu & Monty McGregor) secured the 14 goal Mulhall Memorial Trophy with an 8½-5 win against AZ Polo at Garangula Polo Club.

Leadenham Polo Club

After a year in lockdown, Leadenham Polo Club are ready to party with their Prohibition Summer Ball on Saturday 3 July. Early Bird tickets (booked before 31 May) are £80. To book your ticket, email events@leadenhampoloclub.com

Port Mayaca Polo Club

Photograph by ©Laura Linfoot Townsend Gardenvale/Horseware, winners of the 2021 Regional President’s Cup

Photograph by Port Mayaca Polo Club Old Hickory Bourbon, winners of The Monty Waterbury 18 Goal

The Final of The Regional President’s Cup was played on Monday 29 March at Port Mayaca Polo Club between Gardenvale/Horseware and the undefeated Skaneateles. Gardenvale/ Horseware faced an added challenge of a heavily altered line-up, with Juanse Olivera being joined by three substitutes – despite this, the amended team managed to gel and served Skaneateles their first loss of the tournament, with a 10-9 victory for Gardenvale/Horseware. Nachi Viana, who scored five of Gardenvale/Horseware’s goals including the winning shot, was chosen as Most Valuable Player and 27, owned and played by Olivera, was named Best Playing Pony.

On Sunday 18 April, Old Hickory Bourbon (Cody Ellis, Santino Magrini, Matias Magrini & Stevie Orthwein) and Postage Stamp Farm (Annabelle Gundlach, Facundo Obregon, Matias Gonzalez & Mariano Aguerre) faced each other for their second 18 goal Final of the season for The Monty Waterbury 18 Goal at Port Mayaca Polo Club. Old Hickory Bourbon narrowly secured the win with a score of 8-7, with Santino Magrini named Most Valuable Player and Facundo Obregon’s Sapphire the Best Playing Pony.

Regional President’s Cup Final Teams:

Gardenvale/Horseware: Juanse Olivera, Shane Finemore, Ignacio ‘Nachi’ Viana & Juan Bautista Crotto Skaneateles: Marty Cregg, Valentino Echezarreta, Constancio ‘Costi’ Caset & Joao Pedro Souza Aranha

Sarasota Polo Club

Going into The National Outdoor Commander-in-Chief Cup Final, Tito’s Handmade Vodka were the only undefeated team and they managed to continue their winning streak, with six converted penalties securing them a 13-9 win against Hillcroft on Sunday 28 March. Alan Martinez was named Most Valuable Player, having scored ten goals for Tito’s Handmade Vodka, while Phoenix, owned and played by Martinez, was the Best Playing Pony.

National Outdoor Commander-in-Chief Cup Final Teams:

Tito’s Handmade Vodka: Maddie Grant, James Uihlein, Alan Martinez & Joe Wayne Barry Hillcroft: Vaughn Miller Jr., Herndon Radcliff, Mason Wroe & James Miller

Photograph by Julio Aguilar

Grand Champions Polo Club

Newport (Gene Goldstein, Milo Dorignac, Michel Dorignac & Nick Manifold) defeated Ellipse (Jack Whitman, Toly Ulloa, Robi Bilbao & Louis Devaleix) 17-13 in The Top Pony 12 Goal title on Sunday 4 April. Michel Dorignac was named Most Valuable Player and Purdon Guri Canina, played by Michel Dorignac and owned by Sebastian Merlos, was chosen as Best Playing Pony.

Tuesday 13 April saw Smithfield Farms (Craig Callen, Bauti Crotto, Julio Ezcurra, and John Klopp) defeat Rafool Polo (Raymond Rafool, Nico Harriot, Henry Porter, and Gussie Busch) 8-7 in The Madelon Bourdieu Memorial 6 Goal Final; Bauti Crotta was named the Most Valuable Player of the match with six goals under his belt, while La Suerte took the Best Playing Pony award.

The following day, Wednesday 14 April, saw Woodmere Polo defeat White Birch 1110 in the Limited Edition 8 Goal Final; Santos Merlos was named Most Valuable Player and Guri Amalia was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

Newport, winners of The Top Pony 12 Goal

Smithfield Farms, winners of The Madelon Bourdieu Memorial 6 Goal Final Santos Merlos & Chris Brandt in action in The Limited Edition 8 Goal

Thoresby Park Polo Club

The weekend of 24 – 25 April, saw opening chukkas for the members of the newly opened Thoresby Park Polo Club. Located close to the A1, the Club attracts members from Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire and is situated on the glorious Thoresby estate between the towns of Newark and Worksop. Over the opening weekend, professional umpire Henry Browne ran a rules and tactics classroom session each morning to refresh everyone before 23 members participated in chukkas. Lessons and instructional chukkas started on Monday 3 May, please contact Amy (info@ thoresbyparkpoloclub.co.uk) to book in or for more information.