Yaguara battle back to win Wellington honours

Images: Images of Polo

Yaguara won a competitive Duke of Wellington Trophy final in late August with a 9–7 win over King Power. Martina Lowe’s team were behind, 5–4, at half-time but produced a strong second half to comfortably win this 12-goal final. Goals from the talented young player, Leon Donoso, who was later named the Most Valuable Player, and Chris Mackenzie in the third chukka gave Yaguara a crucial, one-goal lead going into the fourth and final chukka. Two further goals from Mackenzie and Andrea Vianini only confirmed Yaguara’s superiority, winning the match 9–7.

Beltran Di Paola had worked hard to keep King Power in contention throughout this match, delivering five of his team’s seven goals. However Yagura’s strong defensive play ensured King Power were unable to regain the advantage in the final minutes of the match.

Forest Aloe Vera, who had been played by

Vianini, was named the Polo Times Best Playing Pony prize. This duo received their prize from Seema Goyal, President of the Windsor and Maidenhead Chamber of Commerce.

Fifteen teams had entered the 2023 edition of the Duke of Wellington Trophy, played as part of the Hurlingham Polo Association’s 12-goal Victor Ludorum series, ensuring plenty of top-quality play for players and spectators alike. So the sub final was an equally competitive affair with Tchogan/Polo Performance pulling ahead in the second half to beat M Polo 10–7. u

The Teams

Yaguara: Martina Lowe (0); Leon Donoso (2); Andrea Vianini (4); Chris Mackenzie (6). King Power: Sam Wisby (1); Beltran di Paola (2); Marcos di Paola(6); Hugo Lewis (3).

Tchogan/Polo Performance: Heiko Voelker (0); Segundo Darritchon (3); Will Harper (4); Will Emerson (5).

M Polo: Maximilian Singhoff (0); Catalina Lavinia (2); Nicolas Roberts (4); Max Charlton (6).

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Ana Escobedo’s team, in their memorable green shirts, stood atop the podium in both the 18-goal Oxfordshire Cup, played at Les Lions, and the 15-goal here at Guards Polo Club. The latter tournament, the La Martina Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Centenary Trophy, saw Ojo Caliente defeat a competitive Limitless/Delaney Polo 8–5 in an impressive game across four chukkas.

Facundo Sola fired through the majority of Ojo Caliente’s goals, ensuring his team was 5–2 up at half-time. Some strong play from Limitless/Delaney Polo in the third stopped this goal rush and enabled Rashid El-Ashkar’s team to get back into contention. With the scoreboard reading 5–4 to Ojo Caliente going into the fourth and final chukka, there was all to play for. Sola was determined for victory to be Ana’s though and fired through a hat-trick to secure the win. This tournament has been sponsored by La Martina for more than a decade and so some good friends of the Argentine clothing brand presented the prizes. Darshan Mehta of Reliance presented Ana Escobedo with the trophy, while Natacha Laniece of Royal Salute awarded the Most Valuable Player prize to Rashid El-Ashkar. She also presented John Paul Clarkin with the La Martina Best Playing Pony prize for Impression, a 12-year-old,

Ellerston-bred mare.

Sixteen teams had entered the 2023 edition of the tournament, delivering plenty of strong, 15-goal sport in the opening weeks of the season. The sub-final, which was played earlier in the day did not disappoint either but was a more clear-cut affair for Bel Polo. They beat Tempest 10–4 at Coworth Park. Henry Lunn’s team dominated the first half and were 7–0 up at half-time. Tempest did get themselves back in the game in the second half, but it was too late to make any effective inroads into Bel Polo’s substantial lead. u

The Teams

Ojo Caliente: Ana Escobedo (0); Hazel Jackson (2); Facundo Sola (7); John Paul Clarkin (6). Limitless/Delaney Polo: Rashid El-Ashkar (0); Rufino Merlos (2); Juan Cruz Merlos (6); Agustin Merlos (7).

Bel Polo: Henry Lunn (0); Ed Banner Eve (5); Santos Merlos (5); Tommy Severn (5). Tempest: Gustav Rausing (1); Jose Araya (5); Rosendo Torreguitar (5); Ryan Pemble (4).

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