Reports UK National Women’s Tournament, Ascot Park Polo Club
Silverwood take Gold, even with the handbrake on Beaten 2-goal finalists in 2010 – Silverwood – got the top awards at this year’s two-day IWPA event on the last weekend in July, says Mia Randall-Coath, despite the enforced substitution of the team’s star player Marianela Castagnola after she broke her hand
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here was a pleasant synergy at the 2011 UK National Women’s championships, with 22 teams taking part in the 23rd year of the event, which remains the largest of its kind in the world. Ascot Park played host as usual, though the organisation was conducted by the International Women’s Polo Association (IWPA), chaired by Ascot Park’s very own Pippa Gillard, daughter of the club’s founder, Peter Grace. The IWPA aims to promote ladies polo internationally, now with representatives in 33 countries worldwide each seeking to increase the numbers of ladies playing and the amount of sponsorship and support for the female game. Nevertheless, even with 10 events at present and more in the planning, the ladies-only UK National Women’s Tournament is still the flagship event of the calendar. This year, Ascot Park and the IWPA decided its beneficiary would be The Haven, a charity providing breast cancer support centres and outreach services helping women through the physical and emotional side effects of breast cancer treatment. Players came from across the UK and from all levels of the game and, despite the best efforts
Most valuable player in the -2 goal
Photographs by Action Polo
Olivia Mallach of the characteristically wet then surprisingly hot British summer, play started early on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, 30 and 31 July. On three grounds, the first balls were thrown in respectively at 9.00 and 9.30am with play continuing throughout each day. The Stickhedz Polo Apparel 1 to 2 Goal 44
Polo Times, September 2011
PT p44-45 Ascot Ladies JM MB PJ.indd 2
Hayley Hyde-Andrews, winner of the La Tarde award in the 1 to 2 goal level for the most valuable contribution, with La Tarde Polo Club chairman, Juan Martin Sarli
Hazel Jackson, winner of the Chateau de Sours most valuable player award in the 1 to 2 goal level, with Mark Gillard of the sponsors
title was won by Silverwood, who beat Black Eagles 5½-3 in a fantastically exciting final, and who cleaned up all the individual awards as well. La Tarde Polo Club’s award for “the player who most contributed to the success of the team” went to Hayley Hyde-Andrews, the Chateau de Sours MVP award went to Hazel Jackson, and the team’s 15-year-old gelding BeeBop picked up the Roxtons’ best playing pony award. Silverwood lost last year’s final to Pink Power, 7½-7, so were delighted to finally get their hands on the spoils. La Tarde donated five individual awards across the tournament, giving each winner a five-night holiday to their polo club in Argentina. Wine-makers Chateau de Sours meanwhile donated bottles of wine to every individual player as well as impressive
magnums of champagne to the MVPs across all levels. The UberPolo -1 to 0 Goal level final was won in a tight match by Orangefields over Frogmore in another thrilling final, won narrowly 3½-3. The Chateau de Sours MVP was awarded to Orangefield’s Lucy Taylor, and fellow new leading sponsor La Tarde’s award was presented to her teammate Jo Stuart. The Cabello PE Pad best playing pony award went to Marianela Castagnola’s “Cat”, Biggest contribution in the 0-goal
Jo Stuart played by Hazel Jackson. Marianela played for Orangefields on the Saturday, and for www.polotimes.co.uk
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