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E V E N T N A M E L O C A T I O N D A T E
A C T I O N
ELIZABETH HEDLEY
T O W N S E N D C U P ,
R I Z O N A , U S , J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7
T O W N S E N D C U P
In a closely fought game of arena polo, the USA beat the UK 18 to 16
at Scottsdale this January, reports Jennifer Parks-Sturgeon
Attendees of the Barrett-Jackson Car
Auction at the WestWorld equidome in
Scottsdale, Arizona, also witnessed a hyper-
competitive game of high-goal arena polo.
The John R Townsend International
Challenge Cup has been played between the
USA and the UK biannually since 1928. This
year, the American team was represented
by tournament veteran Tommy Biddle Jr
(10), Shane Rice (7) and Steve Krueger (4).
Challenging them were Jonny Good (8), Max
Charlton (9) and Ed Banner-Eve (5).
The UK made it onto the board early in
the opening chukka, but Krueger quickly
answered. USA fought hard, ending the first
chukka with a 5–3 lead. Biddle began the
second chukka with a booming two-point
backshot to goal that brought the crowd of
1,500 to their feet and pushed the score to
7–3. Charlton retaliated, scoring three
consecutive goals in the first three minutes
and adding two more later in the chukka.
The USA continued to match them, however,
maintaining a 10–8 lead going into the half.
Krueger scored at the onset of the
second half. Charlton, hungry for the win,
made a decisive shot from the 40-yard line
to put an additional two goals on the board,
followed by another out of the line-up to tie
the game 11-all. A goal from Banner-Eve put
the UK in the lead by one, but an attempt to
clear the ball from in front of the UK goal by
Good resulted in a goal for the USA.
The game was tied 12-all going into the
final chukka and the British team quickly
pulled ahead by two. Biddle answered with
a two-pointer to tie it back up. Krueger and
Rice followed with four combined goals to
recapture the lead 18–14. Feeling the
pressure, Charlton scored a two-pointer with
two minutes left in regulation play. Biddle
lofted the ball into the rafters with less than
six seconds left; the ball was thrown in and
the UK had a breakaway. Charlton took
a strong shot to goal, but time ran out.
USA captured the Townsend Cup with
a final score of 18–16. MVP was awarded to
Steve Krueger, and BPP was presented to
Woody, owned by George Dill. Non-profit
USPA youth life-skills club Being the
Change organised the tournament.
MVP Steve Krueger
of USPA taking the ball
on the near side
