FINAL OF 15 GOAL HARRISON CUP AT COWDRAY PARK 3RD AUGUST 2019

The Harrison Cup, Cowdray Challenge Cup and Holden White Cups, played as Cowdray’s Goodwood Week series, are open to all-comers and lead to the overall awards in the HPA’s Victor Ludorum series. The Final of the 15 goal Harrison Cup is always the first to be played and was a truly exciting contest as befits one of the highest rated 15 goal tournaments in the UK polo calendar.

From a total of 14 teams entered, Sally Turner’s CPG Nightingale and Momin Sheikh’s Berkeley Healthcare made it through to the Final. Alongside Sally were Will Harper (2 goals) playing at number 2, George Meyrick (6 goals) at 3 and 7 goaler Juan Gris Zavaleta at Back. Lachie Gilmore (2 goals) took the number 2 slot for BHC, with 6 goaler Matt Perry at 3 and Jack Richardson (7 goals) at Back.

Zavaleta made the opening goal for CPG Nightingale, his score swiftly answered by Matt Perry for BHC. Zavaleta’s next attempt went wide but he was accurate in his following attempt and also made the pass that enabled young Harper to make goal number 3 for CPG Nightingale.

Chukka 2 started with a roll-in and the ball came out with BHC. Jack Richardson went on the attack and a brilliant pick up by Gilmore saw him send a mighty shot between the posts to pull a goal back for BHC. Meyrick finished a lovely hit towards goal by Zavaleta and once more CFG Nightingale had a two goal lead – but not for long. A super goal from Perry helped to close the gap and Richardson made the goal that levelled the scores on 4-4. In a terrific all-action chukka, another massive shot from Lachie Gilmore enabled BHC to take the lead, but their party was spoilt when Sally Turner made a useful pass to Zavaleta and the scores were equal again at 5-5 as the chukka closed. Harper’s talent came to the fore with two great goals in chukka 3 while BHC failed to mark the scoreboard and the first half ended at 7-5 in CPG Nightingale’s favour.

Within 15 seconds of chukka 4 opening, Zavaleta had taken CPG Nightingale on to 8-5 and it wasn’t long before he was charging away again, his attempt at goal finished off by Harper. Zavaleta’s huge shot down the field accurately landed with Turner who aimed, hit the goal post, the ball then trickling through to put her side into double figures at 10-5. Zavaleta obliged with another huge hit and it was seven goals on the trot for CPG Nightingale before a super goal from Jack Richardson saw the score at the end of chukka 4 at 11-6.

The final chukka saw a rally from BHC with goals from both Perry and Richardson, the latter from a 60 yard penalty. Was a come-back possible? Not while Juan Gris Zavaleta was on the pitch. He finished off a blistering performance with two more goals to give Sally Turner’s CPG Nightingale side a commanding victory of 13-8 and unsurprisingly picked up the Le Chameau prize for Most Valuable Player. To round off his afternoon, Zavaleta’s pony Oli Vercera was awarded the Schweppes rug for Best Playing Pony of the match.

FINAL OF THE COWDRAY CHALLENGE CUP 4TH AUGUST 2019

In the last high goal match of Cowdray Park’s 2019 season, the Final of the historic Challenge Cup, first presented in 1911, was played between Jonathan Rothermere’s Ferne Park and Alessandro Bazzoni’s Monterosso sides.

Playing for Jonathan Rothermere were Richard Le Poer (5 goals) at number 2, Joaquin Pittaluga (7 goals) at 3 and Rodrigo Rueda (6 goals) at Back, making up the 18 goal team. Alessandro Bazzoni playing off 1 goal was joined by young guns Jose Ramon Araya (3 goals) at 2, Bartolomé Castagnola (6 goals) at 3 and the experienced 8 goaler Ignacio Toccalino at Back.

Five frantic minutes of non-stop action opened the match until a super pass from Toccalino to Araya resulted in the first goal for Monterosso. In chukka 2, Toccalino started the drive for the next goal, Castagnola picking up the ball and sending it to Bassoni who finished the play with goal number 2. Once again Toccalino went on the attack passing a super ball to Bassoni but the patron’s shot went wide. Le Poer saved the next Monterosso attempt at goal and superfast end to end play saw Le Poer’s own attempt at goal thwarted by Toccalino. Rueda swooped in to try and re-gain possession but fouled Castagnola in the process. A free hit sent the ball to Bazzoni via Castagnola and another great goal from the patron put 3-0 on the scoreboard. On the way to Monterosso’s goal mouth Rueda left the ball for Le Poer who backed through a neat shot to give Ferne Park their first goal, but from the throw-in Toccalino and Castagnola had full possession of the ball taking it all the way to 4-1 to end the chukka.

Shortly into chukka 3 Araya stole the ball from Le Poer, Castagnola picked it up and it was 5-1 to Monterosso. His next attempt went wide giving Le Poer the chance to race off and pass to Pittaluga in the hope of making it to the Monterosso goal, but the ever-present Castagnola snatched it away and was soon running through the posts again to make it 6-1 in Monterosso’s favour. The throw-in was won by Ferne Park and as Rothermere looked to pick up a useful pass from Pittaluga he was fouled. A 30 yard penalty was awarded which Le Poer put through and the first half ended at 6-2 to Monterosso.

A hit from the boards started the second half. Le Poer stole the ball from under Castagnola’s stick and raced away to score. Hard and fast play continued with once again Toccalino playing to all of his 8 goals and Castagnola the expert back-up. Together they ran the ball again to Fern Park’s goal mouth with Araya waiting to flick it through for 7-3. Ferne Park won the next throw-in, but in the ensuring tussle two consecutive whistles finally gave the side a penalty which Pittaluga accurately sent through from 40 yards. Castagnola raced off from the next throw-in, lost the ball but Toccalino was on hand to see it between the posts and Monterosso ended the fourth chukka 8-4 ahead.

The final chukka saw Rueda on the move from the off, fighting all the way to the goal mouth to pull one back for Ferne Park. Le Poer tried desperately for another goal but his attempt went wide. Toccalino brought the ball back in, Bassoni was set to carry it forward but was fouled in the process. Toccalino scored from the 40 yard penalty awarded and it was all over for Ferne Park, Monterosso victorious at 9-5.

Mrs Emma McRae presented the prestigious trophy to a delighted Alessando Bazzoni and prizes to all players. The Most Valuable Player prize sponsored by Le Chameau went to Ignacio Toccalino and the Schweppes Best Playing Pony rug went to Merengada played by Jose Araya.

FINAL OF THE 8 GOAL HOLDEN WHITE CUP

Ten team entered the 2019 Holden White Cup at Cowdray Park, with Peter Barfoot’s Maiz Dulce reaching the Final to face Wilf Fine’s Sea Breeze.

Playing at number 1 instead of an injured Millie Barfoot for Maiz Dulce was Marcus Speed (0 goals), with Will Harper (2 goals) at 2, John Martin (2 goals) at 3 and Pedro Harrison (4 goals) at Back. Wilf Fine (0 goals) took the number 1 position for his side, Angus Rowan Hamilton (1 goal) played at 2, Nick Clague (3 goals) at 3 and Henry Fisher (4 goals) at Back.

A lovely little flick through the posts from Harrison gave Maiz Dulce their first goal. He failed to capitalize from a 60 yard penalty, but the side continued to show great teamwork. Nick Clague scored for Sea Breeze before the chukka ended. Chukka 2 brought a trio of goals from Maiz Dulce’s John Martin before Henry Fisher’s hard work was rewarded and he could add a goal to Sea Breeze’s scoreline. Clague battled to increase it further but Martin managed to turn the ball and race off, lofting a big shot between the posts for his fourth goal of the chukka and 5-2 on the scoreboard for Maiz Dulce.

In the second half Harrison continued to play strongly but it was Martin who once again marked the scoreboard for Maiz Dulce. Fisher won the ball from the throw-in, Clague picked it up but was fouled and a 40 yard penalty enabled Fisher to pull a goal back for Sea Breeze before shortly sending another one through to secure just a two goal gap. But Harrison soon made it 7-4 to Maiz Dulce. However, a lovely shot from Henry Fisher was picked up by Wilf Fine and the young patron scored just as the chukka came to a close.

The fourth chukka saw plenty of effort from Sea Breeze much of it spoiled by an ever-active Will Harper who was finally rewarded with a goal and a score of 8-5. Another attempt at goal by Clague failed as he was squeezed by Harper, Harrison came away with the ball and scored a lovely goal to take Maiz Dulce onto 9-5, the whistle blowing as yet another ball went between the posts a fraction too late.

Mrs Jenai Clague presented the Holden White Cup and prizes to all players. Most Valuable Player of the match was Maiz Dulce’s John Martin, his prize sponsored by Le Chameau, and the Best Playing Pony award sponsored by Schweppes went to Neptune owned and played by Pedro Harrison.

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