UNDER BLUE SKIES at THAI POLO
NOW in its tenth season, the Thai Polo Open – one of the most prestigious events in the Asian polo calendar – took place in January. Played over the course of a week in glorious sunshine, beneath blue skies and with the temperature at 32 degrees, the tournament was sponsored by BMW-B.Grimm under the patronage of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, raising funds for the Chitralada Vocational School.
Four teams – Thai Polo, Fast Fish, BMW Polo and The 300 – entered this time round, with players from Thailand, Malaysia, Argentina and Hong Kong, and several thousand guests attended the tournament. It was hosted by Thai Polo & Equestrian Club, in a beautifully landscaped setting at the beach resort of Pattaya, just over an hour from Bangkok, and the success of the event was due largely to Mrs Nunthinee Tanner, co-owner of the club and pioneer of ladies’ polo in Thailand. Play throughout was to an extremely high standard.
Subsidiary final and final were held on the same day, which began with an international showjumping competition for the Thai Polo Cup, with prize money of 100,000 Baht (£.20,000). The winner was Helena Gabrielson, second place going to Areenatha Chavatanont and third to Montakarn Nuanmanee.
Then came a parade of young riders aged seven and under, followed by an exhibition chukka for older children.
After a delicious lunch, with international cuisine, guests settled down for the four-chukka subsidiary final, which saw BMW meet The 300. By the end of the opening chukka, BMW led, 2-0, but in the second Sheikh Reismann sent through the first goal for The 300, followed by an equaliser from Prince Ameer with a great field shot.
By half-time, BMW had taken the lead again, 3-2, and by the end of the third chukka every member of the team had scored. In spite of this, however, The 300 showed determination, scoring twice to equalise at 4-4.
It was anyone’s game in the final chukka, The 300 gaining a single-goal advantage at 5-4, only for BMW to equalise. In the last minute of the match, however, The 300 came back to win by a narrow 6-5.
Then to the final, for which Thai Polo and Fast Fish had qualified, teams being led onto the field by BMW cars, to the strains of the celebrated Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. Thai Polo were holders of the cup and keen to keep their title, their line-up including the only young woman to play, Caroline Link, daughter of patron Dato Harald Link. She had flown in from Hong Kong, where she is working at the moment. There were also two 7 goal Argentine professionals, one for each squad: Agustin Garcia Grossi for Thai Polo and Pablo Jauretche for Fast Fish.
The opening goal was sent between the posts by Harald Link, co-owner with Nunthinee Tanner of Thai Polo & Equestrian Club. This was followed by two field goals from 7-goaler Grossi, one of them taken from 90 yards down the field. Fast Fish replied with one goal, leaving the home team with a 3-1 advantage.
The second chukka saw extremely good defensive tactics from both sides but by half time two goals from Grossi saw Thai Polo ahead, 5-2.
At the start of the third, and penultimate, chukka Caroline Link sent through a long field goal, giving Thai Polo a good lead, although in polo it is never wise to predict a winner until the last chukka. The lead was halved when Fash Fish took the score to 6-3, but Grossi answered with his sixth goal of the match, giving Thai Polo a comfortable 4-goal lead.
This was increased by a 60-yard penalty conversion at the start of the fourth, and final, chukka. Thai Polo now had an 8-3 advantage but Fast Fish were not yet ready to concede defeat. Their 3-goaler Tommy Martinez scored, following quickly by one of his team-mates but, on the last bell, Thai Polo had retained the cup, riding out victorious at 8-5.
The trophy was presented to a delighted Harald Link by Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, from whom all players received individual prizes. Agustin Garcia Grossi, not surprisingly, received the Best Player award, while Best Playing Pony was Harald Link’s Mandinga.