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T O W N S E N D C U P , I N T E R N A T I O N A L P O L O C L U B , W E L L I N G T O N , U S A , J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9
A C T I O N
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Dawnay) received two goals by handicap as
they faced the 23-goal US team of Biddle,
Pelon Escapite and Steve Krueger.
England received two goals by handicap
and quickly ran it up to 3-0 with Jonny Good
scoring the first goal of the match in the
opening minute of play. Pelon Escapite
responded with the first two-point goal of
the game, and Steve Krueger leveled the
score at 3-3 less than a minute later. Ed
Banner-Eve scored his first goal of the day
for a 4-2 English lead, but that was where
it ended. Back-to-back two-goalers from
Biddle ended the chukka with the United
States on top of a 7-4 score.
T H E T O W N S E N D C U P
The USA beat England to retain the cup
with a 15-10 win, reports Alex Webbe
American 9-goaler Tommy Biddle made
a strong case for reclaiming his 10-goal arena
rating, as he supplied nine of his team’s 15
goals as the United States recorded their
seventh Townsend International Challenge
Cup over England at the International Polo
Club in the eighth edition of the competition.
Created in 1923 and donated for
international play by New Yorker John R
Townsend, the Townsend International
Challenge Cup has been played eight times,
with the United States holding a one-sided
7-1 advantage.
This year a 21-goal English team (Ed
Banner-Eve,Jonny Good and Sebastian
Hard riding and booming shots from Biddle
set the tone for the balance of the game as
the United States rode on for the 15-10
victory. Justifiably, Biddle was named MVP
with Escapite’s Ruby earning Best Playing
Pony honours.
‘It’s always an honour to represent your
country,’ said Biddle. ‘We’re good friends with
the English guys, and love the competition,’
he added.
Biddle ended with a game-high 9-goals
(eight of them on two-pointers). Good led
the English attack, scoring twice from the
field, twice on penalty shots and adding
a two-pointer.
From left:
Dan Coleman,
Tommy Biddle Jr, Pelon Escapite,
Steve Krueger and Bob Puetz
