The Arundel Equine Hospital Polo Cup 4th – 11th February 2012
Providing state of the art technology and professional care for horses and ponies of all breeds and sporting endeavours, The Arundel Equine Hospital is the only RCVS accredited hospital for equines in Sussex… and their ruthlessly competitive annual arena polo tournament celebrated it’s sixth edition at Hickstead’s All England Polo Club on 4th – 11th February.
Last season, AEPC home side Norton Rose were declared the eventual victors in the 6-8 Goal Arundel Cup, having sawn off challengers Watersfield, a visiting team from Druids Lodge Polo Club who proved stiff opposition! This year the famed vets fixture featured an admirable eight teams, three up on the previous year, and was played at both a 0-4 and 5-8 goal level with the first day of action on Saturday 4th February.
The attitude of acute complacency that winter had haphazardly forgotten to pay visit to Hickstead’s polo club so far this season was very rudely shattered by a flurry of overnight snow, putting pay to the finals matches the following day and necessitating their rescheduling to Saturday 11th February.
Whilst Valentine’s Day may have been drawing near, there was to be no love lost in Hickstead’s polo arena in the sub final of the 0-4 Goal with the evident emotion and controversial moments predestined when the score lines remain as tight as they were almost all the way to the final whistle. In the closing critical heights of the game however, it belonged to Matthew Mitchell’s Circadian who engraved their name in to the Arundel silverware, with Duncan Hotston the top scorer for the team.
Freshwater clinched overall victory 15-13 going head to head with Team Hickstead in the 5-8 Goal final, despite lady luck deceiving the side in the opening seconds of the game with AEPC’s Polo Manager Sarah Wiseman taking a tumble and suffering an excruciating hip injury. Whilst it was Team Hickstead that from the early outset established ownership of the game scoring an astonishing eight goals in the first chukka, Freshwater, with Daniel Acosta stepping up to substitute for a very sore Sarah, combined so determinedly to claw back the game and by the end of the second chukka came into half time with a narrow one goal lead.
AEPC bachelors Harry Hickmet, Brad Shackleton and Ben Sim comprised The Black Knights, who entered the fray for the 0-4 Goal title with Katie Jenkins’ KSJ Consulting. Young Harry Hickmet, who received the AEPC’s ‘Star of the Future’ award at the end of last season, displayed tremendous promise and maintained his encouraging form throughout. Whilst the KSJ players fought harder with every chukka to close the lead, it was the Black Knights that were in touch from the first ball thrown in and out in front from beginning to end stole the spoils 13-9.
All the teams were well supported by the shivering spectators who cheered them all the way to the whistle from the sidelines, and with the Arundel fixture synonymous with a tipple or two guests indulging in a glass or several of warm Winter Pimms were able to keep the shivers at bay… the perfect compliment to the day’s play!