The second Victor Ludorum tournament at Cowdray concluded on Saturday with the Final of the Harrison Cup and Subsidiary Finals for the Aotea and Maidensgrove trophies.
The Cup presented to the Club by Major J Harrison and was first played for in 1938 when won by Red Jackets with WH Gerard Leigh, GH Lowther, John Lakin and Major A.H Ferguson.
This years’ tournament attracted 11 teams with both tension and the ambient temperatures building over the 2 ½ weeks, culminating in the final of Garcha Hotels against Emlor Red under a blistering sun on Saturday afternoon on Brooksfield. Spencer McCarthy won the coveted trophy in 2008 and was determined to add Emlor Red once again to the roll of honor on the trophy base.
Emlor Red started with a ½ goal on the board. An opening goal by Will Harper for Emlor Red was followed up by team mate Max Charlton, and then another by Will, all in quick succession to establish Emlor Red’s determination to win. Michel del Carril neatly stole the ball from Richard Tyrone in the goal mouth and tapped it through to put Garcha Hotels on the board, ending chukka 1, to 1 in favour of Emlor Red.
Chukka 2 Tomas Beresford took the ball to the goal and it was finished off by Satinder Garcha who deftly added another one for his team. A 30 yard penalty was awarded against Garcha , taken by Max Charlton who proceeded to strike it through the goal, straight as an arrow to add another to the board for Emlor Red. Max then took the ball the length of the pitch to end the 2nd chukka with yet another goal for his team – 6½ to 2 for Emlor Red.
Chukka 3 opened with assured play by Tommy running the length of the pitch for a super goal followed by Max Charlton taking the ball with a succession of fore and back hand shots to assertively add another goal to the Emlor Red side.
Chukka 4 opened at 7 ½ to 3 with a swift goal by the reliable Michel Del Carril however once again Max stamped his authority by adding another run up the pitch to score a cracking goal to add to the Emlor Red’s scoresheet. Louis Hine set up a wonderful opportunity in front of the goal which Tommy quickly converted into an addition to the Garcha score. The chukka ended 8 ½ to 5 in favour of Emlor Red.
The fifth and final chukka saw Richard Tyrone practically stick the ball to the mallet to score a powerful goal. Max Charlton ended the game with another goal for Emlor Red and securing the winf for Emlor Red at 10 ½ to 5.
Best Playing Pony for the Brooke Joynson was awarded to Tomas Beresford’s horse, Kenya.
Photography Mark Beaumont
