Ricky Cooper – flying the flag for Wales at America’s largest polo event
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
It’s all going on in Scottsdale USA this weekend as an anticipated 12,000 people gather for what has become one of the biggest polo eventsLive in the USA. Now in its fourth year, ‘Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower’ (25th – 26th October at Westworld) brings together not only four legged and four wheeled horsepower on and off the pitch, but alongside the spectator sport of polo, there are art and dog shows, and stretching from west to east across the field, 100 models will take to Cullum Homes Catwalk – the longest in the world – for a fashion show presented by Phoenix Fashion Week and the Arizona Porsche Concours d’Elegance.
Taking to the pitch in the headline activity of polo will be several players who’ve swapped the lawns of England for one of Arizona’s signature eventsLive. Ricky Cooper, Captain of Clogau Wales Polo team explained to me how the men whose shirts are emblazoned with the red dragon on a green and white field ended up on the pitches of Scottsdale playing in America’s largest polo event: ‘I had been coming to Scottsdale on a regular basis when I attended the Championships in 2012 and the likes of Tommy Biddle and Nic Roldan played the event. I loved the festival ambiance of the event – polo mixed with a car show, a Heineken party, Arabian Horse Exhibition and a fashion show. This elaborate mix inspired me to approach the event organiser, Jason Rose and position the unique story of the Wales Polo Team and our partnerships with Clogau and PlayerLayer.’ He feels the reason for the event’s success is that: ‘People can expect a truly international, extremely well managed event with magic at every stage of the weekend, due to the remarkable team at Rose, Moser and Allyn – a PR company with a great knowledge of Arizona, who utilize all aspects of media to the maximum.’
Playing alongside Ricky Cooper as Bentley Scottsdale Clogau Wales Polo Team will be Roddy Matthews, Pete Webb and Richard Blake-Thomas. They return in 2014 as defending champions having beaten Jeff Hall and the US Military team in 2013 by the narrow margin of 9-8. This year they will be facing the world’s best female team for 2014 – Molina Fine Jewelers Woman’s All-Star Team, with Sunny Hale of USA being joined by England’s Sarah Wiseman, Paula Martinez of Argentina and Caroline Anier of France. Also playing on the opening day of the event are the Sophisticated Living Gay Polo League Team (Chip McKenney, Jean Marc Herrouin, Dwight Tran and Gordon Ross) against Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia Arizona Polo Club Team (Diego Florez, Bill Clark, Dan Urness, Natalie Grancharov and Andres Carmacho). Rounding off the polo will be the Heineken After Party.
Post Champagne Sunday Brunch, polo will commence at 12.30pm with Sears Vacations USPA Board of Governor’s Cup Team (Avery Chapman, Joe Meyer, Jorge Estrada and Ray Meyer) facing Heineken USPA Board of Governor’s Cup Team (Chip Campbell, Chuck Weaver, Dan Coleman and George Dill). The final polo match of the weekend takes place at 2.30pm when the top ranked female and male players in the USA, Sunny Hale and Juilo Arellano, play alongside top college player Patrick Uretz, when Barrett-Jackson All-Star Team (Juilo Arellano, Sarah Wiseman, Paolo Martinez and Diego Florez meet Bentley Scottsdale All-Star Team (Patrick Uretz, Pete Webb, Sunny Hale and Roddy Matthews).
So if you find yourself in Arizona this weekend (or feel in need of an October break in the USA in 2015) and you’re a polo fan, head to Scottsdale, for as Ricky explains, ‘The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championship is a festival with something for everyone all centred around the sport we love. A unique platform for the promotion of polo.’
Just remember to pack your welsh flag along with your whites.