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Aspen Valley Polo Club

Photography by Aspen Valley Polo Club Casablanca in action in the United States Arena Polo Championship Final

McClure River Ranch, winners of the Mount Sopris Cup

Seminole Casino, winners of The Basalt Handicap

Aspen Valley Polo Club have been enjoying many Finals over the past few weeks, with an impressive number of top players in the team line-ups.

Seminole Casino defeated La Elina by a score of 6-4 and White Claw by 6-3 to triumph in the Basalt Handicap Final, with Lauren Sherry receiving the Most Valuable Player prize and Nic Roldan the Most Valuable Pro Player prize, while the Best Playing Pony was Irenita Creyenete owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm and played by Pablo MacDonough.

In The Aspen Cup Final, The Island House took the title with a round-robin score of 2 against Tonkawa’s -3 and La Indiana’s 1, Pablo MacDonough was named Most Valuable Player and Karma, owned by Santa Rita Polo farm and played by Juan Martin Nero, was the Best Playing Pony.

Casablanca defeated McClure River Ranch 12-10 in the Final of the United States Arena Polo Championship after establishing an early lead in the first chukka. Nic Roldan took home both the Most Valuable Player prize as well as the Best playing Pony title for his grey mare, Molly.

On Sunday 15 August McClure River Ranch defeated Los Amigos by a score of 8-5 to win the Mount Sopris Cup. The Final began on a sombre note, with a moment of silence to honour the memory of Preston Foster, son of Paul and Alejandra Foster, who died in a tragic accident the week before. Both Polo Times and the Aspen Valley Polo Club offer heartfelt condolences to the Foster family. It was a fast and furious game on Field One from the off, with close scoring throughout, so at half-time McClure River Ranch were slightly up at 4-2. In the second half, the pace did not give up, but Los Amigos began to falter and ultimately it was the might of Alejandro Novillo Astrada who scored the winning goal to clinch victory for McClure River Ranch 8-5. Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player, and Aspen bred by Pablo Spinacci and owned and played by Marc Ganzi, was named as the Best Playing Pony.

In a seemingly never-ending list of high goal powerhouses, the Just for the Fun of It Subsidiary Final, Casablanca took on Tonkawa. Despite goals by Tonkawa’s Horacio Heguy and Pablo McDonough in the sixth it was a case of too little too late and Casablanca secured a close 6-5 victory.

Beaufort Polo Club

On Sunday 26 July, the Bat Cup Finals day featured two fast and furious matches to conclude the 10 goal tournament. In the Final, Shibumi opened the scoring and despite the best efforts of Specsavers, they took a 5-3 win to claim the title. In the Final, Tafia Mafia aimed to make up for their earlier loss against Tomlinson Equine. Tomlinson Equine took an early 2-0 lead, but Tafia Mafia overtook them in the second half; both teams equalised at 5-5 but in the end, Tafia Mafia secured the winning goal.

On Saturday 1 August, Smiths Polo faced Los Chinos in The Richard Underwood Cup Final on the No1 Ground; a penalty for Los Chinos allowed Tom Beim to take an early 1-0 lead but Seb Chialvo scored an impressive number of goals for Smiths Polo, who ultimately took the win with 7 goals to 3. The Subsidiary Final saw Shibumi defeat Beaufort 5½-2.

On Sunday 16 August, Sirius and Shibumi faced each other on Beaufort Polo Club’s No2 Ground for The Novices Cup Final, which saw Shibumi win 6-2 after some competitive displays of polo. Kencot Cavaliers secured a 9-5½ win in the Subsidiary Final against Otterhouse.

Photography by JRidley Art & Photography

Rutland Polo Club

After being authorised by the HPA to move to Level 5, the Club held their first club match on Sunday 16 August playing for The Escalina Trophy. Due to local fixture clashes, the Club have moved their Collie Cup and Preston Lodge Bowl to 5 – 6 September (previously scheduled for 12 – 13 September). Entry to both are available on the Rutland Polo Club website. Or call on: 07470 198645.

Polo Club Saint-Tropez

On Sunday 1 August, Battistoni narrowly defeated Amanara Polo Team 7½-7 in the Open de Gassin Final at Polo Club SaintTropez. Additionally, in the 15 goal, Polo de la Magdeleine secured a 9½-6 win against F Polo.

Club de Polo Ampurdan

Cowdray Park Polo Club

The Club had a busy July; over 3 – 4 July, the second phase of the Catalan League was played at the Club, over 18 – 19 July the IV Flower Cup was played with AldoUnión (Álvaro Calzada, Amadeo Ferrajoli, Guillermo Permanyer & Leonel Robaldi) securing the title, while over 25 – 26 July The IV Sant Jordi Cup was won by Eqqua P.T. (Pedro Espona, Pierre Fourmestraux, Federico Español and Darío Campos). Quel Domage, winners of The Budgett Everett Trophy Congratulations to Quel Domage, winners of The Budgett Everett Trophy at Kirtlington Park Polo Club over the weekend 8 –9 August, with David Ashby’s mare Vasca Lucia awarded Best Playing Pony prize and Grant Collett named Most Valuable Player. This year, Lord and Lady Cowdray, with the full support of the Club committee, decided that the money reserved to buy tournament prizes should be donated to the Midhurst Food Bank, Jonathan Russell of Cowdray Estate commented, “The town of Midhurst and Cowdray polo are inextricably linked and we felt strongly that if we could do anything to help, we should. We are delighted to have been able to get back to playing the sport we love, but at the same time can’t ignore the fact that many on our doorstep are facing real struggles.” Since the lockdown began Midhurst Food Bank has seen a 30 percent increase in demand for service and the Club hopes that the donation will give the Food Bank some real support.

Over 22 – 23 August, the Club held The Heyshott Cup and 1921 Cup Finals. Six teams entered the 1921 Cup, with the Final between Cuatro Estrellas and Gallager; the match was fast paced and went into extra time, which saw Harry Muddle secure the golden goal to take a 5-4 win for Cuatro Estrellas. In The Heyshott Cup Final Innovent defeated Ice Craft 7-6,

Photograph by Claudia Quintana Photos from The IV Sant Jordi

Kirtlington Park Polo Club

Photograph by Oxford Polo despite the windy conditions.

Moor Farm Polo Club

Cecily Higham (Loggerhead Polo) with the impressive 120-year-old trophy

Photograph by Stephen Wall Bone Matters’ Anne Whaley hooks Loggerhead’s Cecily Higham

Five teams, divided into two groups, competed for the 4th of July Cup at Moor Farm Polo Club on 22 – 23 August. The tournament was sponsored by Rickenbacker’s CEO John Hall and his wife, Sarah, both of whom captained their own team.

Group one was hotly contested between The Escapees, who had travelled from Wales, Ric Chicks, and the eventual winners, Bone Matters. Group two saw battle between Ric Rockits and victors Loggerhead Polo, setting up the Final between Bone Matters and Loggerhead the following day.

In the Final, Loggerhead, seeing how well Bone Matters moved around the field, concentrated on effectively shutting them down with brilliant marking, particularly from captain and Most Valuable Player Katie McDonald on her Best Playing Pony Vibora. In the last two chukkas, Loggerhead showed their tenacity and took the game out of the hands of Bone Matters, giving a final score of 5-2½.

Rickenbacker 4th of July Cup Final Teams:

Loggerhead Polo (-3): Katie McDonald (0), Steve Wall (-1), Cecily Higham (-1) & Jason Stoneham (-1) Bone Matters (-4): Tracy Hunt-Noakes (-2), Anne Whaley (0), Jenny Henderson (0) & Elaine Sanderson (-2)

Sowiniec Polo Club On Saturday 1 August, The Sowiniec Polo Cup came to an end at Sowiniec Polo Club, in Poland. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the tournament and home team Sowiniec claimed the title following an 8-5 win against Los Nocheros. Berlin Polo School came third, Rixförde/Stone Investment fourth, Ivy Polo Team fifth and Berlinosos Polo Team sixth. Los Nocheros’ Camila Rossi was the Most Valuable Player and Sowiniec’s Mega Preciosa was the Best Playing Pony.

Photograph by Jo Wall

White Waltham Polo Club

Photography by White Waltham Polo Club Help for Heroes Challenge Cup finalists

Over the weekend of 25 – 26 July, after a competitive match against Telemark, Nicola Davison’s Madeva polo team of Georgina Brittain, Bilal Shaykh and James Spring won The Aiglon Alumini Trophy. At White Waltham Polo Club, the members are happy to be playing fun polo matches behind closed doors with all their friends, with socially distanced presentations.

On Saturday 22 August, the Final between Telemark and Help for Heroes played for the Help for Heroes Challenge Cup which is played every year at White Waltham Polo Club, (usually the same weekend as Trooping Tafia Mafia, winners of The Chairman’s Cup On Saturday 8 August Tafia Mafia secured a 4-3 win against Los Chinos to take home The Chairman’s Cup. The following day, Coxwell and Cotswold Airport went head-to-head in The Doug Brown Cup Final at Aston Down; Cotswold Airport dominated the first half but Coxwell made a comeback after half-time and went into the lead with four minutes left of play. However, Cotswold Airport’s Max Hutchinson scored a final goal to secure a 5½-5 win for Cotswold Airport. Cotswold Airport’s Suzannah Harvey, unfortunately suffered a nasty dislocation to her elbow at the same time as this winning goal, which required some hospital attention, so she is sadly missing from the pictures of the win. In the Subsidiary Final, Noon Giraffe defeated CPPC Polo Team 7-4 to take home The Edmund Gruber Cup.

the Colour). All the prizes where bought by White Waltham Polo Club from the Help the Heroes shop, including the H4H team shirts. The score was even all the way through until the last 60 seconds, when two goals were scored in succession by Telemark.

On Sunday 23 August, Maple Leafs and Cedar Polo faced each other in The Canada Bear Trophy Final, which is usually played on Canada Day (1 July). It was a really close match with invincible marking from both teams bringing the final score of 5½ to 6, the trophy was presented to the captain of Cedar Polo Team, Bilal Shaykh. Cotswold Airport, winners of The Doug Brown Cup Smith Polo, winners of The Gouldsmith Bowl On Sunday 16 August, Smiths Polo defeated Lodge Security 6-5 in The Gouldsmith Bowl Final to take home the impressive trophy.

Cirencester Park Polo Club

Cedar Polo, winners of The Canada Bear Trophy

Telemark, winners of The Aiglon Alumini Trophy

The Help for Heroes Challenge Cup Final Teams:

Telemark: Tele Kyriacou, Georgina Brittain, Bilal Shaykh & Tariq Dag Khan Help for Heroes: Sarah Grant, Alex Hayman-Joyce, Dan Von Barloewen & Dominic Cunningham

The Canada Bear Trophy Final Teams:

Maple Leafs: Sarah Grant, Howard Flood, Dominic Cunningham & Tariq Dag Khan Cedar Polo: Tele Kyriacou, Alex HaymanJoyce, Bilal Shaykh & James Nicholson

Polo Club du Domaine de

Photography by CPPC

Chantilly

Photograph by Justine Jacquemot Hecla, winners of the Trophée du Coquetier d’Or On Sunday 26 July, Hecla took home the Trophée du Coquetier d’Or with a 7-5 win against La Victoire. The first three chukkas saw both teams very evenly matched, with just one goal between them going into the fourth chukka; but Hecla managed to pull away to take the title. The Best Playing Pony was eight-year-old Machitos Montserrat (Machitos Opera / Open Cabernet), played by Martin Aguerre.

Trophée du Coquetier d’Or Final Teams:

Hecla: Fredericka Dodge Tellier, Stanislas Clavel, Jérôme Anier & Sylvestre Fanelli La Victoire: Tommy Rinderknecht, Eléna Venot, Pearl Venot & Martin Aguerre

Rugby Polo Club Myopia Polo Club

La Casa Loco, winners of The Why Not Cup

Over the first weekend of August, Rugby Polo Club held two tournament Finals; in The Town’s Trophy, Onley Equine Vets took first place with Danny Woodward the Most Valuable Player and Cheeky, an eight-yearold ROR owned by Jeremy Pidgeon, the Best Playing Pony. In the La Casa Loco Cup, NFI Polo Team took first place with James va Oppen the Most Valuable Player and Pepper, a five-year-old ROR owned by Philip Baker, the Best Playing Pony.

On Sunday 9 August, La Casa Loco secured The Why Not Cup at Rugby Polo Club, with NFI in second place and Rugby Polo Club in third place. Westcroft Park Polo Club The Surrey Hills Summer Cup finalists

Congratulations to Team Speculation, winners of The Surrey Hills Summer Cup, following a 5-4½ win against Team Property Makers.

Onley Equine Vets, winners of The Town’s Trophy

NFI Polo Team, winners of the La Casa Loco Cup

Del Rancho/Black Oak, winners of The Chairman’s Cup On Monday 3 August, Del Rancho/Black Oak (Nachi Viana, Manuel Mazzocchi, Johann Colloredo-Mansfeld & David Strouss) defeated Folly Fields 12-11 in The Chairman’s Cup Final at Myopia Polo Club, Massachusetts. Nachi Viana, who scored eight goals, was the Most Valuable Player, commenting “The goals I contributed were made possible by an effort from the whole team, I was just lucky enough to score them”. Meanwhile, Viana’s 15-year-old Uruguayan mare Pichicata was named

Photograph by Jaqueline Miller

Best Playing Pony.

Guards Polo Club

Porto Ronco, winners of The Crawford Cup

Photograph by ©www.imagesofpolo.com

On Saturday 22 August, Porto Ronco defeated Cuervos Negros 7-5 in The Crawford Cup Final, while Tashan beat Tchogan 7-5 in the Subsidiary Final.

This year, Guards Polo Club has teamed up with Smart Works Reading to create an online auction to raise much needed funds for the charity, which helps to get vulnerable women back into work. Raffle prize bundles are £10 plus lots of auction lots, as part of their annual Guards Ladies Polo Charity tournament.

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