The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the 2015 British Open Championships at Cowdray Park Polo Club – Day 15
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
The Quarter Finals
12:00PM UAE 17 v 12 Salkeld – Trippetts
With Salkeld having beaten HB Polo and King Power in the penalty shoot on Thursday, it was the yellow shirted side who joined the white ones of UAE on the pitch at Trippetts for the first 2015 Jaeger-LeCoultre Quarter Final. Back in the Salkeld line up was Juan Gris Zavaleta playing alongside patron Nick Clarke, Luke Tomlinson and Joaquin Pittaluga. By four minutes into chukka one it was UAE (Jose Ramon Araya, Santiago Stirling, Lucas Monteverde and Pablo MacDonough) who had found all the goals, with play finally coming to an end at UAE 4 v 0 Salkeld.
With chukka two came goals aplenty for Salkeld, with this time UAE not finding the goal posts – and the game went into chukka three at 4 all. UAE were not set to be behind for long, with chukka three came much rapid running of white shirted players up and down the pitch, with some fantastic teamwork between Lucas Monteverde and Pablo MacDonough backed up by Jose Ramon Araya and Santi Stirling (which continued for the entire game) – it was team UAE who found all five goals, taking them into half time, UAE 9 v 4 Salkeld.
The second half commenced with a great bank hand from Lucas Monteverde to Pablo MacDonough who popped it through the post and put double figures on the scoreboard for his team. Despite a fantastic field goal by Juan Gris Zavaleta, Salkeld still headed into chukka five, four goals behind (11 v 7). As sixteen year old Jose Ramon Araya continued to demonstrate the great skill he has been showing throughout the 2015 English high goal season, his purple hat flashed up and down the pitch, only heading mid-match momentarily pitch-side to acquire a new stick from his Father (Pepe), having lost his in the middle of the ground.
In spite of double figures things were still not looking great for Salkeld heading into the final chukka at UAE 15 v 10 Salkeld, and following an awesome lofted neck shot from Pablo MacDonough and another UAE goal, it was UAE who rode of the pitch the winners of the first Jaeger-LeCoultre Quarter Final of 2015 at 17 v 12.
Play continued at Trippetts Farm with The Milland Polo Pub Challenge at 2pm with teams: The Rising Sun (Claire Milford Haven, Bauti Sorzana, Malcolm Borwick and Harry Wentworth Stanley) played against The Deers Hut (Virginia Hoare, Henry Brett, Jaime Huidobro and Harry Medina) in a charity match to raise funds for the James Wentworth-Stanley Memorial Fund.
3:00pm King Power Foxes 12 v 11 RH Polo – Lawns 1
The blue trucks and tents of King Power greeted spectators on arrival at Lawns 1 at Cowdray, with RH Polo ponies in their black and white trimmed rugs waiting for the off in the opposing pony lines. Whilst in the tents on either side of the ground, three brothers prepared to do battle on the pitch – the two elder ones – Gonzalito and Facundo in blue, and younger brother – Nico in grey. So it was to unfold as a Saturday afternoon game of Pieres Power – which so nearly took the game into a seventh chukka. With King Power’s other team (in a replay of the Cartier Queen’s Cup when they won the Subsidiary Final) already through to Tuesday’s 13th July’s Subsidiary Final for the Ashton Silver Cup against VSP Healthcare Sifani at 3pm, King Power Foxes (Top Srivaddhanaprabha, Hugo Lewis and Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres) had their sights well and truly set on a place in Wednesday’s Semis.
It was not however to prove an easy afternoon for them, as RH Polo (Ben Soleimani, Francisco Elizalde, Nico Pieres and Santiago Von Wernich) opened chukka two by equalising at 2 all, then took the lead by a goal (King Power Foxes 2 v 3 RH Polo). Rapidly turning to 3 all, it was so nearly RH Polo back in the lead going into chukka three, but for Nico Pieres ball bouncing off the goal post and out of goal from a penalty.
By half time King Power Foxes had gone into the lead by a goal at 6 v 5. Following several goals in chukka number four, including field goals by both patrons, and some rather loudly raised voices from both sides (on and off the pitch) as the players prepared for the final chukka it was King Power Foxes 11 v 8 RH Polo. A momentary pause in play occurred during penalty taking, as Ben Soleimani’s mare spun round behind the goal posts and unseated him, quickly caught by Tomas Pieres, they were reunited and the chukka continued with just one goal difference – King power Foxes 12 v 11 RH Polo.
From my spot, quite near to the King Power Foxes team tent, it seemed that every breath was being held (and quite certainly this was being reflected on the opposite side in the RH camp) as both teams battled to the end for the second Quarter Final place. With whistles and penalties and much ‘going on’ at the Midhurst end of the pitch, at the final bell a unanimous sigh of relief was breathed by all those wearing blue, as King Power Foxes held onto their one goal advantage – winning Quarter Final number two 12 v 11.
Upcoming matches:
Sunday 12th July – Quarter Finals
12:00PM Dubai v Zacara – Manor Farm 1
3:00PM El Remanso v Apes Hill – Lawns 2