Your Club News from Home and Abroad

Ayala Polo Club

The Spanish open was played over 12-14 goal & 6-8 goal leagues

The second edition of The Spanish Open was played between Thursday June 16 and Sunday June 26 at the Los Pinos and Ayala Central venues and is the fifth tournament of the Sotogrande Polo Season 2022. Real Club de Pineda were the champions of the 12-14 goal, lifting the trophy following a very narrow half goal in against John Smith/Ayala. Open Sharp, played by Gregorio Gelosi, was the Best Playing Pony, Álvaro Álvarez received the Fair Play Award and Patricio Neves was the Most Valuable Player.

The 6-8 goal Final was won by Los Schatzies with Cobra, played by Darío Musso and owned by Cristián Bernal was the Best Playing Pony, Saserach Thomongkhon received the Fair Play award and Ignacio Garrahan was the Most Valuable Player.

After three competitive round robin games, Los Amigos (Paul Foster, Marc Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres and Tomacho Pieres) won the coveted trophy for the first time in team history after defeating Casablanca (Alejandra Foster, Grant Ganzi, Torito Ruiz and Nic Roldan), 6-2 in the third and final match. Marc Ganzi, who scored four goals, was named Most Valuable Player.

Over 30 June – 10 July, The Enrique Zobel Founder Memorial Cup and The Manuel Prado and Colón de Carvajal Memorial Cup were played in Sotogrande, Spain, which are the last two tournaments before The Sotogrande International Polo Tournament 2022.

On Saturday 9 July, Rhone Hill defeated La Maroma, 9-7, in The Manuel Prado and Colón de Carvajal Memorial Cup, which secured the fourth title of the season for the Heffron family. The following day, Sunday 10 July, La Maroma avenged the previous day’s loss by narrowly winning The Enrique Zobel Founder Memorial Cup 11-10½.

The Spanish Open Final Teams:

John Smith / Ayala (14): Gabriel Aguirre (0), Maximiliano Malacalza (3), Benjamín Panelo (6) & Gregorio Gelosi (5) Real Club de Pineda (12): Álvaro Álvarez (1), Pedro Beca (2), Patricio Neves (5) &Tomás Rueda (4) Los Schatzies (8): Jella Herzer (0), Maximiliano Ladino (0), Martín Iturraspe (5) & Ignacio Garrahan (3) Hanuman (8): Saserach Thomongkhon (-1), Chonnarlite Thomongkhon (-1), Nicolás Pieroni (4) & Darío Musso (5)

The Manuel Prado and Colón de Carvajal Memorial Cup Final Teams:

Rhone Hill (8): Segundo Fernandez Llorente (4), Patrick Heffron (0), Gonzalo López Vargas (4) & Charles Heffron (0) La Maroma (8): Celestino Rivera (3), Alejandro Traverso (5), Fernando Baldocchi (0) & Marco Baldocchi (0)

The Enrique Zobel Founder Memorial Cup Final Teams:

La Maroma Polo (14): Marco Baldocchi (0), Segundo Fernandez Llorente (4), Martin Iturraspe (5) & Alejandro Traverso (5) Ayala (13): Gabriel Aguirre (0), Jesus Cobino (2), Benjamin Panelo (6) & Gregorio Gelosi (5)

Los Amigos, winners of The Independence Cup Rhone Hill, winners of The Manuel Prado and Colón de Carvajal Memorial Cup La Maroma, winners of The Enrique Zobel Founder Memorial Cup

Shrewsbury Polo Club

Over the Jubilee weekend, 4 – 5 June, Shrewsbury Polo Club made the most of the extra Bank Holiday and hosted their second tournament of the year, The Eunice Scroggie Jubilee Platinum Plate, in memory of one of their player’s grandmother, who encouraged her to get into polo but sadly passed away before she got the chance to see her play. Three teams battled it out in a round robin fashion over the two days, with Saturday’s halfway stage being celebrated with a very regal afternoon tea!

Rain halted play on Sunday which meant the tournament had to be concluded on the Monday. After a few player substitutions due to visiting players having to go home, the tournament finally finished with a win to A Couple of Couples (Jess Hinaman/Glynn Henderson (0), Jenny Henderson (0), Tracey Hunt-Noakes (-1) & Elizabeth Hunt-Noakes (-2)) and Bonematters coming in a close second.

Photograph by My Fair Lady Photography

Newport Polo

Photograph by Stephen Almeida Photography

Action from The Newport Pro-Am The Newport Pro-Am on Saturday 18 June featured an intense battle of professionals and international players from Portugal, South Africa, Argentina, and the US in one of the most exciting matches of the season, competing for the historic International Cup trophy. The Globe Trotter’s took on the America’s, for a thrilling come-back from behind 11-9 win in the last chukka.

Cowdray Park Polo Club

Cowdray Park Polo Club has announced Boeing Business Jets as their Official Business Jet Partner in a special three year partnership. Andrew Swaffield, Chairman of Cowdray Park Polo Club, commented, “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Boeing Business Jets. Their dedication to excellence and unparalleled service makes us a perfect match. Our brands have a rich history, and our customers share the very highest expectations. I look forward to a successful relationship.”

Cowdray Park Polo Club has announced a three year partnership with Boeing Business Jets

Photograph by Longdole Polo Club

Longdole Polo Club Four teams entered The Zimbabwean Spur over the weekend 2 – 3 July. The Finals were played on Sunday 3 July, with the first match of the day between AWOL and Kencot Cavalier, with Kencot Cavaliers taking the lead after the first chukka and maintaining a strong presence until the last chukka when a couple of penalties scored by AWOL brought them back into the game, with AWOL winning by just half a goal. The second match of the day was the Subsidiary Final which saw Virgo Stone defeat Harry Tucker’s team, 7½-6 in a well-played game. With Patrick Mavros sponsoring the event, there were some lovely prizes up for grabs and local Zimbabwean, Steph Aitchison, presented the prizes.

The Zimbabwean Spur finalists

The Zimbabwean Spur Final Teams:

AWOL (4): Alex Boucher (1), Tomas Rossi (0), Amy Nizolek (0) & Ollie Jones (3) Kencot Cavaliers (3): Steve Corker (0), Will Mawby (0), John Whitehead (0) & Sebastian Chialvo (3)

Guards Polo Club

Sunday 10 July The Phoenician Cup Final saw Bel Polo/ Segavas defeat Polo Performance, 9-5, with Tchogan securing the Subsidiary Final. Tommy Severn was named Most Valuable Player and Manuel Plaza’s Roger, a sevenyear-old, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

Guards Polo Club’s Chairman Brian Stein presented the prizes, including bottles of Lebanese wine which had been generously donated by the family of the late Eddie Arida, the founder of this tournament. Eddie was a life-playing member of the Club for more than 50 years and sponsored this 12goal tournament for almost four decades.

The Phoenician Cup Final Teams:

Bel Polo / Segavas (12): Ebe Sievwright (1), Alec Banner Eve (2), Ed Banner Eve (5) & Tommy Severn (4) Polo Performance (12): Jonathan Hare (0), Alexander Nix (1), Federico Boudou (5) & Manuel Plaza (6)

White Waltham Polo Club

Maple Leaf Polo Team, winners of The Canada Bear Trophy

Over the weekend 2 – 3 July, the Club celebrated Canada Day. Maple Leafs Polo Team played Cedar Polo Team in the Final on Sunday 3 July with Cedar in the lead after the second chukka, however with a two goal lead by the fourth chukka the Maple Leaf Polo Team won and held The Canada Bear Trophy aloft in the prize presentation. You can spot a pair of Canadian Mounties Boots were also in the photo alongside the Maple Leaf Polo Team of Lt.Col. Howard Flood, Alex Hayman-Joyce, Tariq Dag-Khan and Dominic Cunningham and little Savannah Cunningham and Nala the Labrador.

Delicious maple syrup cream biscuits were served with maple syrup popcorn and fudge. On Sunday, typical Canadian street food from the La Poutaine food truck arrived to feed everyone alongside gourmet burgers and pancakes with maple syrup. Moosehead Beer sponsored the whole tournament, T-shirts and caps where handed out to all the grooms and players.

Over the weekend 9 – 10 July, players competed for the Don Carlos de La Serna Memorial Trophy at Carlitos White Waltham Polo Club. Alex Hayman-Joyce’s Grand Cru Polo Team and Sarah Grants’ Mountgerald Polo Team competed in the Final on Sunday. In the first two chukkas, Mountgerald were in the lead by two goals, however Grand Cru continued to score goals through the third and fourth chukka, producing a final winning score of 7-5. Along with Alex, the Grand Cru team of Nicola Davidson and Nicola BonitoOlivia are now off to the Caribbean for two weeks and then onto Italy for a further month; and Patrick Bawlf after this match is off to play at Vancouver Polo Club for two months. All were very pleased with their win. The Club ponies will be having two weeks holiday under the shade of the trees in their large fields until it cools down again.

On Saturday 23 July, Members and grooms all enjoyed a day at Guards Polo Club where the International and lots more youth polo from fluffies to university matches were also played. The Household Cavalry Musical Ride and the International match made the day – Tommy Beresford’s game was amazing! On Sunday morning, The ‘Challenger’ Challenge match between Madeva and Cedar Polo Team was played. Cedar kept a small lead all the way through, with Madeva scoring two great goals but could just not catch Cedar; the final score was 4-2 to Cedar Polo Team of Tom Sime, Sarah Grant, Dominic Cunningham, Bilal Shaykh.

The winning Grand Cru team with umpire, Alexandra Hayman-Joyce

Photography by WWPC

Cedar Polo Team, winners of The ‘Challenger’ Challenge match

Beaufort Polo Club

On Saturday 9 July R&R Polo secured The Novices Cup with a 6-5 win against Old Forge. The tournament spanned the end of June and beginning of July and saw six teams compete in the 2 goal competition.

The Novices Cup Final Teams:

R&R Polo (2): Charlotte Pykett (-1), Amy Nizolek (0), Ollie Jones (3) & Paul Rushton (0) Old Forge (2): Benjamin Budd (-2), Ricardo Massu (0), Henry Smith (2) & Marcus Speed (2)

Photograph by Beaufort Polo Club

Your Club News from Home and Abroad Club Focus Cirencester Park Polo Club

R&R Polo, winners of The Doug Brown Trophy Semper Anticus, winners of The Humphrey Guinness Plate

Seven teams entered The Meadow Cup, with Clarinda’s Semper Anticus narrowly defeating R&R/Otterhouse 4-3 in the last few seconds with a penalty by Jonny Coddington in the Final on Sunday 26 June. The Cup was presented by Zahra Lucas, whose father, the late Major Christopher Hanbury, had originally donated it to the Club.

The Subsidiary Final saw La Golandrina take a last-minute 7-6 win against Maitland.

On Sunday 10 July, R&R secured The Doug Brown Trophy with a close 5½-4 win against Noon Giraffe in the Final.

On Sunday 17 July, Semper Anticus defeated Irongate, 6-4, in The Humphrey Guinness Plate Final, while Smith Polo took the Subsidiary Final title with an 8-3 win against Noon Giraffe.

On Sunday 24 July, OKL Equestrian won the 0-4 goal Ponting Pot Final with a narrow score of 5-4 against Noon Giraffe, while Syreford secured the win in the Subsidiary Final.

The Doug Brown Trophy Final Teams:

R&R Polo (5): Tilda Woodd (0), Monte Swain-Grainger (1), Oliver Jones (3) & Oli Fanshawe (1) Noon Giraffe (6): Siobhan Fagan (0), Chris Fagan (0), Charlie Walton (4), Henry Smith (2)

The Humphrey Guinness Plate Final Teams: Semper Anticus (10):

Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi (0), Jonny Coddington (3), Zac Beim (3) & Tom Beim (4) Irongate (10): Archie Heseltine (0), Amelia Scott Hopkins (1), Tomy Ruiz Guinazu (5) & Kelvin Johnson (4)

The Ponting Pot Final Teams:

Noon Giraffe (4): Theo Fagan (-1), Siobhan Fagan (0), Charlie Walton (4) & Ed Morris (1) OKL Equestrian (4): Huan Yan (-1), Olivia Lamphee (0), Tom Beim (4) & Caspar West (1)

The Meadow Cup Final Teams:

Semper Anticus (6): Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi (0), Ed Morris (1), Jack Aldridge (2) & Jonny Coddington (3) R&R/Otterhouse (6): Lucy Keen (0), Rosanna Turk (1), Kristina Karailieva (1) & Lucho Aguirre (4)

Photography by Tom Reynolds

OKL Equestrian, winners of The Ponting Pot Semper Anticus, winners of The Meadow Cup Final

Silver Leys Polo Club

Sunday 17 July was dedicated to all things equestrian for the Live Financial Festival of the Horse. With a broad range of trade stands, catering and displays from Western riding and Barrel Racing, to Polo, the MET Mounted Police and the celebration of retirement for one of the Club’s very own school ponies, Mariposa. Of course, not forgetting the car vs horse race with GT Champion, Johnny Mowlem, in his Mazda Sportscar, going head to head with Chris Milton, riding Secret, with 50/50 votes on who would come out on top, the Silver Leys team were delighted to cheer pitchside as Chris and Secret ran to victory. The -2 goal section was won by Knightmares (Charlotte Sweeney, Phil Seller, Mellissa Jenni & Hannah Woodward) and the 2 goal was won by La Dolce Vita (Marco Vignali, Chloe Butlin / Josh Lunn, Dean Lines & Phil Seller). Tom Leyland’s team Truth, was named Most Valuable Player and Daniella from HK Polo was chosen as the Best Playing Pony of the Festival.

Aspen Valley Polo Club

McClure River Ranch, winners of The Craig Sakin Memorial Brookshire, winners of The ChukkerTV Cup

Photograph by Nick Tininenko

Playing summer polo for the first time at Aspen Valley Polo Club, Brookshire (Scott Wood, Jason Crowder, Nic Roldan & Juan Bollini) held off Los Amigos (Paul Foster, Vinny Sangaline, Gonzalito Pieres & Nacho Figueras), 11-7, to win The ChukkerTV Cup. Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player and also took the Tom Ford Award for the Best Goal of the Day commenting, “We had fun, it was a fun game, open and not a lot of fouls. The field played great and my horses played well. I was happy with that. I think we had a fun and really good team.”

McClure River Ranch won The Craig Sakin Memorial on Sunday 17 July at Aspen Valley polo Club with a nail-biting 9-8 victory which came down to the final two minutes. Pancho Bensadon, making his Club summer debut, was chosen as the Most Valuable Player.

The Craig Sakin Memorial Final Teams:

McClure River Ranch: Marc Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Pancho Bensadon & Stewart Armstrong Santa Rita: Melissa Ganzi, Vinny Sangaline, Alejandro Novillo Astrada & Juan Bollini

Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly

The Engel & Völkers French Open, under the umbrella of the French Polo Federation, brings together fourteen top-level teams over three weeks from 2 – 18 September at Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly. This year sees 14 teams, up to 16 goals, compete in the tournament, which is one of the highlights of the European season. La Magdeleine, Alex Garese´s team will try to retain the title, while local team Sainte Mesme who last won the trophy in 2018 will also be making their return.

The Engel & Völkers French Open Teams:

Amanara (15): Nicky Sen (0), Lorenzo Chavanne (2), Santiago Chavanne (7) & Santiago Laborde (6) Berlin Polo (15): Nico Wollenberg (0), Morirz Gädeke (3), Manuel Elizalde (6) & Casear Manuel Crespo (6) Brittany Polo Club (16): Jean-François Decaux (1), Benjamin Urquiza (6), Diego Cavanagh (8) & Roberto Iturrioz (1) Kazak (16): Sébastien Aguettant (0), Segundo Amadori (4), Patrick Paillol (5) & Jero Del Carril (7) La Berta (16): Juan-Cruz Araya (3), Marcos Araya (6), Min Podesta (7) & Bruno Bensoussan (0) La Fija Sandbox (16): Arthur Madrid (0), Juan-Manuel Garcia Grossi (4), Simón Prado (5) & Flaco Garcia Grossi (7) La Magdeleine (16): Alexandre Garesse (0), Santiago Tahier (1), Tito Ruiz Guinazu (7) & Facundo Fernández Llorente (8) Los Dragones (16): Sam Sztarkman (2), Jota Chavanne (5), Bautista Bayugar (8) & Alex Sztarkman (1) Marquard Media (16): Guy Gibrat (4), Ignacio Kennedy (5), Martin Aguerre (7) & Tommy Rinderknecht (0) Mungo (16): Patrick Eisenchteter (1), Juan Cruz Greguioli (4), Tete Storni (5) & Pierre-Henri N’goumou (6) Rexaline (16): Jean-Claude Le Grand (0), Julien Reynes (4), Louis Jarrige (4) & Guillermo Terrera (8) Sainte Mesme (16): Pelayo Berazadi (5), Enjamin Panelo (6), Robert Strom (5) & TBC Schockemöhle (16): Daniel Deistler (0), Patrick Maleitzke (5), Clément Delfosse (5) & Valentin Novillo Astrada (6) Tedelou (16): Isabelle Larenaudie (0), Ramiro Zavaleta (4), Juan Gris Zavaleta (7) & Simon Zavaleta (5)