From an entry of nine teams, the 15 goal Spink & Son Cicero Cup saw Siri Bazzoni’s Gaston team face up to Max Kirchhoff’s Snakebite in the Final.
Gaston, a team new to Cowdray Park, comprised Siri Bazzoni (0 goals) in the number 1 position, Ollie Cork (3 goals) at 2, George Meyrick (6 goals) at 3 and Ollie Cudmore (6 goals) at Back. For Snakebite, Max Kirchhoff (0 goals) took the number 1 position, with David Ashby (3 goals) at 2, Richard Tyrone (5 goals) at 3 and England captain James Beim (7 goals) at Back.
Ollie Cudmore raced away two minutes into the first chukka to make the opening goal for Gaston. Shots from both sides went wide in the second chukka until an open backhand shot from Beim found Tyrone whose excellent long drive saw Snakebite equalize on 1-1. Despite enthusiastic work by Cork for Gaston and Ashby for Snakebite, goals were slow to come and the third chukka ended on the same score.
The teams came back onto the field after half time and a good steal from Cork by Ashby enabled the Snakebite number 2 to pass to Richard Tyrone. Kirchhoff was ready and heading towards the goal but a neat intervention by Bazzoni saw her clear the ball and save the goal but send the ball out. A safety 60 yard shot taken by Beim missed the goal posts. Ollie Cudmore increased Gaston’s score with a 40 yard penalty to 2-1 but several more attempts by both sides went out until Meyrick, bringing the ball from the back line, fired a big shot forward, caught up with it, tapped it on and cleverly slipped past Tyrone to take Gaston on to 3-1.
The match came alive in the final chukka with Snakebite winning the ball from the first throw-in, Beim backing to Kirchhoff, but Tyrone taking it through to pull up to 2-3. Again, Snakebite won the throw-in with Beim taking control and sending the ball to Ashby. Cork seized it but Beim wasn’t letting go; he passed to Tyrone who left it for Ashby to send through to equalize on 3-3. Cork came away with the ball from the throw-in but Cudmore intervened to seize back control for Gaston; moments later Meyrick re-gained the lead with a neat shot to goal for 4-3. Cudmore raced away from the throw-in but Beim grabbed the ball from him and Kirchhoff was in place to send a massive shot forward. The ball went just wide of the posts. With Gaston back in charge, Cudmore passed to Meyrick who made a lovely shot towards goal which rolled through for 5-3 and a victory for newcomers Siri Bazzoni and her Gaston side.
In front of a large group of Spink guests, the Spink & Son Cicero Cup was presented by Mr Edward Hilary Davis to Siri Bazzoni. The Best Playing Pony award went to Monkey Puzzle owned and played by Richard Tyrone.
The 6 goal Jubilee Cup saw Hugo Baldwin, John Bunn, Niall Donnelly and John Martin make up the Hickstead Lions 5-goal team. Britt Shaw, Clare Milford Haven, Dorian Bulteau and Bautista Sorzana formed the 6 goal Sea Island Coffee team giving Hickstead Lions a half goal advantage to start the match which was narrowly won by Hickstead Lions in a 5½-5 victory. John Bunn scored two of Hickstead Lions’ goals, with 4-goaler Niall Donnelly, playing in the number 3 position scoring three. Sea Island Coffee’s patron, Britt Shaw, scored from two penalty shots, with Bauti Sorsana making three good field goals.
