TEAM CHEEKI CLAIM THE
LA MARTINA SOUTH BEACH WOMEN’S POLO CUP
By Alex Webbe
Women’s
teams flex their muscle on the first day of the La Martina Miami Beach Polo
World Cup
The
ninth annual La Martina Miami Beach Polo World Cup, the world’s most
prestigious Beach Polo competition, opened with a day of sweat and tears during
the La Martina South Beach Women’s Polo Cup V as eight women’s teams
fought hard to claim the prestigious title.
Cheeki, (Whitney Ross, Cristina Hosmer and Tiffany Busch) fell behind The James
Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team (Alicia Harden, Cecelia Cochran and Laura
Willson), 3-1, but scored five goals in the final chukker to capture the
coveted trophy. Cheeki made their way in to the finals on an opening 6-0 win
over The Raleigh Hotel team (Anja Jacobs, Valerie Biehl and Lynn O’Connor),
while The James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue trio defeated an aggressive Grey
Goose side (Chloe Carabasi, Pamela Flanagan and Zara Walsh), 13-1.
The James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team took an early lead in the two chukker
final getting a pair of goals from Laura Willson and a single score from Alicia
Harden. Cheeki was limited to a single penalty goal in the chukker by Tiffany
Busch.
Cheeky rallied in the final chukker, taking advantage of The James Royal Palm
Hotel/Jet Blue team’s fouls to score five goals — three on penalty conversions
by Tiffany Busch and single goals from Cristina Hosmer and Whitney Ross. The
James Royal Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team came up with a single final chukker goal
from Alicia Harden in the 6-4 loss.
Cheeki’s Tiffany Busch earned MVP honors for her efforts while The James Royal
Palm Hotel/Jet Blue team’s Laura Willson’s horse “Dash†was named Best Playing
Pony.
In Lower Bracket matches, the W South Beach Hotel, made up of Marina Wambold,
Slaney O’Hanlon and Courtney Asdourian, scorched the team of Small Luxury
Hotels of the Worldâ„¢ by a score of 9-0 in the finals. The W South Beach
Hotel polo team earned an impressive 8-3 opening round win over La Martina to
make in to the finals. SLH snuck past a talented E! Entertainment team 3-2.
Courtney Asdourian scored an impressive six of the team’s nine goals and was
named MVP. Maggi McNamara’s horse “Star†was honored as Best Playing Pony.