The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup – Day 1

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the 2015 British Open Championships at Cowdray Park Polo Club – Day 1

 

 

By Victoria Elsbury-Legg

 

3pm UAE 14 v 6 RH Polo playing for the Carlos Gracida Memorial Trophy, L1

 

Sun shone brightly for the opening day of play in the 2015 Jaeger Le-Coultre Gold Cup at Cowdray, with UAE and RH Polo taking to the pitch.   High goal players from all the teams gathered pitch-side to watch Pablo MacDonough opening the scoring putting the first goal up for the white shirted players thirty seconds into the game.  A quick equaliser by Nico Pieres did not remain on the scoreboard for long as MacDonough was on fire for the opening chukka demonstrating some great open polo and field goals with a final score at the bell of UAE 4 v 1 RH Polo.  Chukka two started with a missed penalty by MacDonough, then two goals scored with RH Polo only managing to find the goal posts in the final seconds the teams went into chukka three UAE 7 v 2 RH Polo.  Finding their form somewhat in the next chukka RH Polo scored two goals to UAE’s one, but going into half time there was still much for the team in black to do – with the scoreboard reading UAE 8 v 4 RH Polo.

 

In the second half UAE continued to lead (frequently by double the goals as in the rest of the game) with many murmurings amongst the spectators about the incredibly skill and horsemanship demonstrated by the young zero goal player – Jose Ramon Araya at number 1.   With a final score of UAE 14 v 6 RH Polo, it was the team in white who were sipping champagne post-match from the Carlos Gracida Memorial Trophy.  Best Playing Pony was Pablo McDonough’s Electo played in the fourth chukka. 

 

5pm Zacara 15 v 16 Salkeld, L2

 

English sunshine over the Lawns of Cowdray meant ice cream was the order of the day post first match presentation and before play commenced in the second match of the day, and as I joined ten goalers and umpires in the queue all talk was now about game two where Lyndon Lea’s Zacara original team line up were playing together once again (Juan Martin Nero now recovered from his injury sustained early on in the Cartier Queen’s Cup) facing Nick Clarke’s Salkeld – in what most, it would be fair to say, seemed to think would be quite an easy match for Zacara. 

 

In true high goal style however this match quite unpredictably turned into some of the most exciting six chukkas of polo – opening with two great field goals (and some bouncing on his mallet head) by young English seventeen goaler Jack Hyde things all seemed set to go Zacara’s way, but it would seem that penalties against Zacara were going to be the order of the day – with the scores at the end of chukka one reading Zacara 2 v 3 Salkeld.   Whatever words were said between the Salkeld side at the end of chukka one, there was no doubting it brought them together to demonstrate some great team play, which when added to the penalties Zacara continued to give away meant there was no catching them up, nor the spectators eyes which kept double checking the scoreboard as the teams headed to their tents at half time with double figures on the Salkeld side and Zacara five goals behind (Zacara 5 v 10 Salkeld). 

 

Despite some great play from Rodrigo Andrade and Juan Martin Nero, it was not until Andrade managed to find two quick goals in chukka five that the teams were once again drawn level at 11 all.  Salkeld however were determined it wasn’t to be for long as they took the game into the final chukka, in front of some incredulous spectators – with Salkeld leading once again by two goals (Zacara 12 v 14 Salkeld).  

 

In quite the most breath-taking sixth chukka, Salkeld continued to breathe down the necks of team Zacara, matching goal for goal in a game which eventually saw an outstanding total of 31 goals put through the posts.  Despite Zacara fighting in true gladiatorial style until the very end with JuanMa putting an under the neck shot between the posts from almost 30 yards out, he just couldn’t manage to find the distance on the final free hit with seconds to go and equalise.  So it was a delighted Nick Clarke, Luke Tomlinson, Joaquim Pittaluga and Juan Zavaleta who rode of the pitch the winners with 16 goals to Zacara’s 15. 

 

Matches on Wednesday 24th June 2015

11am Apes Hill v Talandracas, A2

1pm HB Polo v Dubai, Brooks

 

3pm Thai Polo v King Power, A1