A sunny Saturday on the 9th of May set the scene for the first final of the 2026 season, as Cowdray Vikings took on Bad Boys Polo Team in the highly coveted Tyro Cup Final.
Riding out onto Ambersham 1 for defending champions Cowdray Vikings were Vishwarupe Bajaj (1), George Pearson (2) at number 2, Miki Novillo Astrada (4) at 3, and 5-goaler Will Emerson at Back. Lining up for Bad Boys Polo Team were Marcus Cork (3) in the number 1 shirt, Mathieu Van Delden (0) at 2, 4-goaler Ollie Cork at 3, and James Beim (5) at Back.
The first chukka got underway with an opening goal from Ollie Cork in the very first minute. However, a mistake from Bad Boys allowed Emerson to equalise with a 40-yard penalty, which he quickly followed with another goal. The final minute of the chukka saw a strong push from Beim to level the scores once again, but a last-second penalty from Astrada ensured Cowdray Vikings finished the first ahead, 3-2. The second chukka saw an early equaliser for Bad Boys, followed by another goal from each side, leaving the scores level at 4-4 going into half-time.
Cowdray Vikings made an early push with goals from Emerson and Astrada in the third. However, a late mistake by the Vikings allowed Beim to convert a 30-yard penalty perfectly, leaving Bad Boys trailing by just one goal at 6-5 heading into the final chukka.
The final chukka had everyone on the edge of their seats. An early breakaway goal from the young Astrada gave Cowdray Vikings some breathing room, but a successfully converted 40-yard penalty from Ollie Cork reduced the gap to just one goal with half a chukka remaining. However, an impressive cut shot from Astrada sealed an 8-6 victory for Cowdray Vikings in the closing minutes.
A delighted George Pearson stepped forward to receive the Tyro Cup from Robert Cameron and Molly Costello from Hook Polo, British Polo gear and lifestyle brand, who also kindly donated the prizes. The Hook Polo Most Valuable Player award was presented to Miki Novillo Astrada, while the Best Playing Pony award went to Chapa Annie, played by Ollie Cork and owned by Bad Boys Polo Team.
