PTAugust 2010 p44-47 Home MB YC GM JM
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Reports At home and abroad RCBPC
Far left (l-r): Juan Ambroggio (6), Ben Wilson (0), Patron Paul Obershneider (0), Diego Cavanagh (6) and Jack Richardson (3)
More is Moore
Left: Jack Richardson and Richard Le Poer ride off for the ball
Louisa Crofton reports from another busy season at the Berkshire, where Paul Oberschneider continued with winning ways
ntries for the 2010 Smatt’s International Eduardo Moore Tournament were up two from last year, as nine sides fought it out for the coveted 15-goal trophy last month. There were some closely fought group games but in the end it was Asprey, La Golondrina, Jada and Zacara that progressed to the semi-finals. Two exceptionally tight semi-finals saw narrow victories for La Golondrina and Jada, who beat Asprey London and Zacara respectively, each by a single score. Paul Oberschneider’s La Golondrina side went into the final on 4 July probably as marginal favourites, having scooped the 12-goal Tyro Cup earlier in the season and with Diego Cavanagh in fantastic goal-scoring form. And so it proved. Cavanagh’s understanding with his teammate, fellow six-goaler Juan Ambroggio, was too much for Jada and, combined with their confidence with the ball and sheer pony power, they were unstoppable, running out to a 6-2 lead after four chukkas. Jada’s Tomas Garcia del Rio
E
Below: Best Playing pony Dolly, belonging to Diego Cavanagh, with Ashley Smatt of Smatt’s rum
then did his best to close the gap but it was too late and La Golondrina eventually triumphed 7-5. The winners were rewarded with British Airways first class flights to Jamaica and a seven-night stay at the Jamaican Inn, which was much appreciated by the players and also by Anthony Smith Johnson, the Jamaican High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, who was amongst the 200 spectators. Tommy Garcia Del Rio won the coveted most valuable player award and Diego Cavanagh’s beautiful grey mare Dolly won best playing pony. Eduardo Moore finalists La Golondrina (15): Paul Oberschneider 0; Diego Cavanagh 6; Juan Ambroggio 6; Jack Richardson 3 Jada (15): Maurice Salem 0; Richard Le Poer 4; Ryan Pemble 5; Tomas Garcia del Rio 6
Germany
Polo Times finishes top of ten POLO CLUB Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany’s largest polo club, has been a hive of activity this summer, having hosted the country’s low- and medium-goal championships in early June. An all-German side from Niedersaechsischer Polo Club, representing Polo Times, triumphed in the low-goal tournament, finishing ahead of
the nine other entries in the largest competition of the season. Eight teams took part in the mediumgoal championship, with Medienkraftwerk Polo from Rhein Polo Club in Düsseldorf the favourites. They were the outstanding side throughout the competition, dominating all the games and controlling a tight final with Zollpack to win 9-7.
The winning Polo Times team in some lovely shirts
France
Young frog leaps at his chance to shine CHANTILLY POLO CLUB (pictured left) hosted the Polo Charity Cup in late June in aid of UNICEF’s projects to help educate under-privileged children. The final pitted In The Wings against Castel. In The Wings’ captain Andre Fabre, a respected thoroughbred trainer in France, combined well with on-loan high-goal professional Francisco Bensadon to bring them the victory, 44 August 2010 www.polotimes.co.uk
11-9. However, arguably the most notable performance of the day came from young French zero-goaler Thomas Chouchanian on the opposing team, a player increasingly held by many to be the hope of French polo in the future. The day was completed by a concert in the courtyard of the Ferme d’Apremont by the singer Ayo, French UNICEF patron, followed by a charity auction.