Victor & Victrix Ludorum Season Round Up

Both sides had strong and organised defence

It seems like only yesterday that this year’s Victor & Victrix Ludorum series began and now this issue of Polo Times includes the end of season results; congratulations to Black Bears, Emlor & Confido, Wascosa, Wildebeest, Timb-Ply Polo & Semper Anticus on winning their respective sections.

Sadly, with the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II, Guards Polo Club’s 2022 season was shortened as Windsor Great Park was closed following her death, which meant The Autumn Nations 12 Goal Final was cancelled.

Number of teams: 12 Winners: Four Quarters Orange Points: 60

Bamboleo/Madams Farm faced the only undefeated team of the tournament, Four Quarters Orange in the last 12 goal competition of the season at Cowdray Park Polo Club.

Both sides had strong and organised defence in the first half which meant that only four field goals were scored despite an additional seven shot attempts between the two teams on goal. The pace picked up in the second half with end-to-end play resulting in a high-scoring third chukka. Ignacio Negri extended Four Quarters Orange’s lead to three, but on the following throwin, Christian Staubach completed a nice run to goal with a shot on the nearside to bring Bamboleo/Madams Farm back within two. Taking advantage of each opportunity in the chukka, Four Quarters Orange turned to Merlos, who added two consecutive field goals to leave Bamboleo/Madams Farm with some work to do to make up the deficit as they trailed 6-3 with just one chukka remaining. An early foul sent Negri to the 30-yard line, where he converted his third penalty of the match, keeping the momentum with Four Quarters Orange. Sending a pass through traffic, Merlos found Evan Power in front of goal for his first goal of the contest which sealed the outcome, as Four Quarters Orange completed their undefeated run through the tournament, claiming the 9-4 victory to raise The Autumn Cup.

The Most Valuable Player prize was awarded to Santos Merlos and his pony, Zeus, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

Four Quarters Orange (12): Simon Arber (0), Evan Power (2), Ignacio Negri (6) & Santos Merlos (4) Bamboleo/Madams Farm (12): Christian Staubach (1), John Martin (3), James Beim (6) & Ben Crowe (2)

Four Quarters Orange, winners of The Autumn Cup

Number of teams: 12 Winners: Los Chinos Points: 60

Los Chinos began The Wichenford Bowl Final with a half goal handicap start which helped them get off to a flying start, scoring the first two goals of the match in the first chukka. Wascosa fought back though and worked well together to score four times by the end of the match. However, despite a great effort, after four chukkas were played, they were unable to match Los Chinos, who between goals and penalties ran out the winners 6½-4. Most Valuable Player was awarded to Nico Antinori, whilst Best Playing Pony went to Tom Beim’s Gamble, who was played in the first and fourth chukka.

Wascosa (8): Pierandrea Mueller (1), Phillip Mueller (0), Seb Dawnay (3) & Nacho Gonzalez (4) Los Chinos (7): Alison Clark (-1), Olivia Lamphee (0), Nico Antinori (4) & Tom Beim (4)

MVP, Nico Antinori

Photography by Tom Reynolds

Number of teams: Eight Winners: Mount Loftus/Winkfield Park Points: 60

Mount Loftus/Winkfield, winners of The Roehampton Cup This year eight teams competed for the Roehampton Cup. Being played for in its 120th year it is one of the oldest trophies in the country. With the preliminary matches being played at Black Bears, the tournament was hard-fought over two weeks. The eventual finalists, Mount Loftus and Para Ti travelled to Ham Polo Club to contest the Final.

Mount Loftus scored three unanswered goals in the first chukka, two penalties and a good field goal from Josh Clover, which had the opposition on the back foot from the outset.

Ed Morris-Lowe, the author of all his team’s goals, pulled a couple back in the second. However, Georgina Brittain kept up the pressure for Mount Loftus with a superb goal just on the stroke of half-time.

The third chukka was dominated by Brittain’s team, two goals each converted by Josh Clover and the rock-steady Jonny Good, who was consistently reliable in defence. Morris-Lowe and Phil Seller, who put in a commendable performance, worked hard to claw back two more goals, but at the final bell, it was Mount Loftus who laid claim to the Cup, running out victorious 8 goals to 5.

Photography by Shaun Brooks

The Best Playing Pony prize was awarded to Roxy, selected from Jonny Good’s exemplary string.

Para Ti (6): Zorawar Dhillon (0), Junaid Safdar (1), Phil Seller (2) & Edward Morris-Lowe (3) Mount Loftus/Winkfield (6): Georgina Brittain (0), Rob Wilson (0), Josh Clover (2) & Jonny Good (4)

The Roehampton Cup celebrated its 120th anniversary this year

Number of teams: Eight

Points: 30

Mount Loftus/Winkfield dominated the third chukka

The Final of The Kingscote Cup was played as the last Victor Ludorum fixture of the season at Cirencester Park Polo Club between AMOS and Wildebeest. The two teams both won their individual Semi-Finals by three goals putting them headto-head in the Final. As the rain cleared in time for the start of the game, it was AMOS which made a head start putting three goals on the scoreboard in the first chukka. Wildebeest swiftly caught up and the score was even at 7-7 by the start of the fourth chukka, putting pressure on AMOS who until this point had led. Ultimately, it was AMOS who overtook Wildebeest in the last few minutes of the final chukka, adding two more goals onto the scoreboard finishing on 9 goals to 7. Nico Fontanarrosa’s Doc Jazz was the Best Playing Pony and Mikey Henderson received the Most Valuable Player award.

AMOS (6): Olivia Lamphee (0), Max Sponor (1), Mikey Henderson (4) & Caspar West (1) Wildebeest (6): Charlie Peagram (1), Jamie Frankum (1), Nico Fontanarrosa (3) & Neil Cox (0)

1st – Park Place (150 points) 2nd – Great Oaks LL (120 Points) = 3rd – Dubai & Park Place Vaara (90 points)

1st – Black Bears (196 points) = 2nd – Four Quarters Orange, White Crane & Green Gates (90 points)

1st – Emlor (210 points) 2nd – Emlor Black (110 points) 3rd – Bardon (90 points)

1st – Confido (120 points) 2nd – Tafia Mafia (70)

1st – Wascosa (330 points) 2nd – Quel Domage (160 points) 3rd – Los Chinos (120 points)

1st – Wildebeest (210 points) 2nd – Mount Loftus/Winkfield Park (80 points)

1st – Timb-Ply Polo (135 points) 2nd – Awaiting ratification by HPA 3rd – Awaiting ratification by HPA

1st – Semper Anticus (330 points) 2nd – Maize Dulce (290 points) 3rd – Coombe Place (220 points)

Number of teams: Nine Winners: Semper Anticus Points: 60

AM Polo faced Semper Anticus, the talented team who had won the British Ladies Open Championship at Cowdray just a month earlier, in The Cle De Peau Beaute Guards Ladies Charity Polo Tournament Final on the last Saturday of August at Guards Polo Club.

The first two chukkas were tense, with Nina Clarkin for Semper Anticus and AM Polo’s Milly Hine trading both tough ride-offs and horse races down The Queen’s Ground. Semper Anticus were ahead 5-3½ at half-time but this game still looked as if it would go either way.

Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi’s team stepped up a gear in the latter stages of the match though. Nina successfully converted a 60-yard penalty to give Semper Anticus a bit of air on the score (6-4½). She then fired through a field goal from the subsequent throw in and followed that up with a brilliant pass to Chloe Horswell to give Semper Anticus a strong, 8-4½ lead going into the final chukka. AM Polo stayed focused though, with Olivia Merlos finding the flags in the first minute of the fourth chukka. A minute later though Lucy Coddrington found the flags for Semper Anticus. This gave Clarinda’s team a comfortable 9-5½ advantage and although there was plenty of fast play for the remaining four minutes, tight defending from both sides ensured no further goals.

Photography by ©www.imagesofpolo.com Semper Anticus, winners of The Cle De Peau Beaute Guards Ladies Charity Polo Tournament

Ciara Lynott, Brand Manager for Clé de Peau Beauté presented the prizes, including the Lord Patrick Beresford Trophy and Clarkin was chosen as the Most Valuable Player, while Morejon Pelicana whom Milly Hine has played in the first and fourth chukkas was the Best Playing Pony.

Aside from the polo, the main focus of the day was to raise funds for Ovacome – the UK’s national ovarian cancer support charity – for the other match results of the day turn to the Women’s Polo pages and for social pictures from the afternoon turn to the Sidelines pages.

Semper Anticus (17): Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi (1), Chloe Horswell (1), Lucy Coddington (5) & Nina Clarkin (10) AM Polo (16): HH Sheikha Alya Al Maktoum (2), Juana Lavinia (3), Olivia Merlos (4) & Milly Hine (7)