The Final of the June 4 goal tournament at Cowdray Park Polo Club on Sunday 23rd June attracted a sizeable crowd and it was a delight to see such a young team resoundingly take the honours, with the star of the show, Will Harper, still only 17 years old.
Eight teams entered the competition with Sea Breeze facing Connect 44/Madams Farm in the Final. Playing alongside Sea Breeze’s young patron Wilf Fine were 16 year old Alfie Hyde (1 goal) at number 2, Will Harper (2 goals) at 3 and 21 year old Angus Rowan- Hamilton (1 goal) at Back. James Rogerson’s Connect 44/Madams Farm team comprised his son Nicholas Rogerson (0 goals) at number 1, Jack Taylor (1 goal) at 2, Nick Johnson (3 goals) at 3 and patron James Rogerson (0 goals) at Back.
In a lively match played at the Lawns grounds at Midhurst, the opening goal for Sea Breeze came from Will Harper, soon answered by Nick Johnson for Connect44/Madams Farm, the first chukka ending at 1-1. In chukka 2 a 30 yard penalty awarded to Connect44/Madams Farm saw Johnson take the lead for Rogerson’s side but Harper equalized on 2-2 and the second chukka ended without further score.
After half time, James Rogerson took Connect 4/Madams Farm into the lead again, once again answered by Will Harper so that chukka 3 closed on 3-3. The final chukka saw exciting play by the whole Sea Breeze side with a goal apiece from Angus Rowan-Hamilton, Will Harper and Alfie Hyde. With no answering goals from Connect 44/Madams Farm, Sea Breeze stole the match in a 6-3 victory.
John Fisher, currently in the UK visiting family and friends, was invited to present the Cup and prizes, his nephew Alfie Hyde being a member of the winning Sea Breeze side. John started playing polo at local Pony Club and became a professional player at Cowdray Park; he is now Director of Stable Operations and Polo Manager at Tianjin Metropolitan Polo Club in China.