In a thrilling day of polo at The All England Polo Club, Hickstead, it was arena international debutant Matt Perry who set the stage alight and lead brothers Jack and Josh Hyde to victory in the Bryan Morrison Trophy over the USA, putting England back on top for the first time since 2023.
A 400-strong crowd watched as Matt Perry (8), Jack Hyde (8), and Josh Hyde (5) lined up opposite the USA’s arena legend Tommy Biddle Jr. (8), Felipe Viana (8), and newcomer Ian Schnoebelen (4). The teams were lead in by flag bearers from Power of Polo – who became an HPA affiliated association in 2025 – before the match kicked off straight away with two goals from Matt Perry in the first two minutes. Felipe Viana – in his first arena match since his last appearance here in 2023 – answered for the USA to really get the game underway, and it was a relentless pace from then on, with Matt running a blinder make it 4-2 before the experience of Tommy Biddle shone through as he slammed home a 2-point goal to equalise for the first time. He followed this with a backhand to put the USA in the lead 5-4 before Josh Hyde, making his England debut, put his team back in contention with a goal to bring it to 5-5 in the final 30 seconds of this action-packed opening chukka.
Matt Perry came flying out of the gate for the second chukka, and within the first minutes the score was 8-5 to the home side. This chukka continued in the same way as the first, and by half time England led by 10-6 with momentum firmly swinging their way. Goals continued to come thick and fast in the third chukka, ending 12-8 to England. In the final chukka of the game, the USA continued fighting hard but England drew further away, with the score at 16-9 with two minutes to go. Matt Perry scored a stunning goal running the full length of the arena, before another Penalty 1 gave the USA a final chance to make a comeback, but Tommy’s Biddle’s shot at the goal didn’t find its way home to leave the score at 17-10. Working all the way to the buzzer, the young Ian Schnoebelen scored the final goal of the match in the dying seconds to make it 17-11 and put the England team back on top on their home turf.
The MVP award could go to no one other than Matt Perry, with the Husk Best Playing Pony prize awarded to Bugsy, a 9-year-old throughbred mare played by Matt and owned by a delighted Mariano Darritchon.
The day opened with an exciting SUPA Intercollegiate match, where Great Britain pipped the USA to victory in the final chukka, closing out the scoreboard at 12-11 in a close contest. With two players on each team ‘half-seating’ – playing two chukkas each – it gave even more up-and-coming players the chance to shine. Captain Robbie Slatter (3), who made his Young England debut in June 2025, lead Bruno Bradshaw (2), Angus Smail (1), and Ava Greenland (1) against USA captain Will Mudra (4), Kelsey Bray (1), Luke Howe (1), and Nicole Bailey (1). Although the visitors were first to get on the board and made some strong ride-offs, the home team were able to catch up and then pull away to a 5-3 lead by half time. It was all tied up at 7-7 late in the third chukka, but Robbie Slatter put the pressure with three goals in quick succession to make it 10-7 going into the final chukka. A penalty sent home by Robbie Slatter left the score at 12-10 with 90 seconds on the clock, with just a 2-pointer between a change in fortunes. A Penalty 1 for the USA – an automatic goal with another attempt given in addition – with just seconds to go had everyone on the edge of their seats, with the score at 12-11 before Kelsey Bray lined up to take the penalty, but it was not to be as the ball sailed over the top of the goal and sealed the win for Great Britain.
The MVP was awarded deservedly to Kelsey Bray for the USA, while Angus Smail and his own retrained racehorse Shadow took home the coveted Best Playing Pony prize.