White replaces Gold as the favoured Cup at Cowdray

White replaces Gold as the favoured Cup at Cowdray


By Victoria Elsbury-Legg


First played in 1951 and won by Beechwood, the Holden White Cup (4-8 goal) now sponsored by Jaeger-LeCoultre has always been popular as the July/August 8 goal Victor Ludorum Cowdray qualifier.  With just the Wichenford Bowl at Beaufort the only remaining 8 goal tournament whose points add to the Victor Ludorum annual league table, this is a tournament all teams want to win.


Named in honour of Windsor Holden White, an American player and patron of Polo Cottage Team, who relocated his family to England and took up residence in Polo Cottage, Midhurst with his wife Jean, remaining their until his death in 1976, this tournament has in previous years held qualifiers at Guards, but always the semis and finals on the fields of Cowdray.  In 1958 Cambridge University invited the US Intercollegiate Polo Team to play in England, where they subsequently based themselves in Cowdray for training.  Kindly being lent ponies by Lord Cowdray, the American team played a number of different matches on their official tour.   Prior to their departure back to the States the US Intercollegiate Polo Team was then asked to play in the Holden White.  As in 2014, nineteen teams entered the tournament, with the team flying the stars and stripes losing 7-3 to Chester, who won the 1958 Final.  


Nineteen teams may have started this popular tournament on Monday 21st July (with last year’s winners Inspirit deciding not to defend their 2013 win), but now only six remain to play on Sunday.  With three times winners (2004, 2006 and 2009) Guards based AFB being knocked out in the semis by Ray Fine’s Las Estrellas 7-6, they will now compete at 3pm this Sunday against Daoud Zekrya’s Aryana for the title of 2014 winner of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Holden White Cup.


Les Estrellas beat Aryana by four goals to win the Jaeger-LeCoultre Holden White Cup.


Results for Sunday 3rd August 2014

12.30pm Supernova/Renegade 3  v 4 La Rosada – Final of the Ambersham Cup

3pm Les Estrellas 5 v 1 Aryana – Final of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Holden White

4.30pm Emlor 5 v 6 HPA Team – Final of the Ruins Cup