The Trippetts Challenge, played for the James Wentworth Stanley Cup, is Cowdray Park Polo Club’s opening high goal tournament of the season and a valuable warm-up for teams preparing for the 22-goal Cowdray Gold Cup as well as the Queen’s Cup at Guards. Four locally based teams took part in the competition with Alejandro Aznar’s Marques de Riscal meeting Corinne Ricard’s Murus Sanctus in the Final which took place on Sunday 15th May on Lawns 2. Unperturbed by the drizzly conditions, both teams fought hard with Murus Sanctus retaining the upper-hard for five chukkas, however it was the men in maroon who stormed ahead in the last chukka to secure the win.
Corinne Ricard wore the number 1 shirt for her side Murus Sanctus. She has retained Facundo Sola (8 goals) who played in the number 3 position and recruited 6-goaler Marcus Araya to play at 3 with Alfredo Cappella (8 goals) at Back. Alejandro Aznar positioned himself at number 1 for his side Marques de Riscal with Facundo Llosa (7 goals) at 2, 9-goaler Guillermo Caset at 3 and Santiago Laborde (6 goals) playing at Back.
Murus Sanctus were first onto the scoreboard with a goal from Cappella in the first minute of the game. Santiago Laborde gained possession of the ball out of the next line out, pushing it neatly up to Facundo Llosa who made a great pass up to Alejandro Aznar to score and equalise. Murus Sanctus gained possession out of the next line out and a foul by Marques de Riscal gave them a 30-yard penalty hit which was efficiently converted by Marcos Araya to give Murus Sanctus a two-goal lead. Another foul by Marques de Riscal gave Cappella a 60-yard penalty hit which he lofted high and even between the posts, extending the lead by two for Murus Sanctus. Sola’s attempt to score went wide giving Marques de Riscal a knock in from the backline, however Murus Sanctus regained possession and a foul by Marques de Riscal gave Corine Ricard the chance to tap the ball through the posts, putting Murus Sanctus yet further ahead with a 4-1 advantage. Marques de Riscal gained possession out of the following line and this time Murus Sanctus were the team to foul, giving Caset the chance to covert a 40-yard penalty for Marques de Riscal and producing a score of 4-2 in favour of Murus Sanctus at the end of the first chukka.
The ball remained in the Murus Sanctus defending half for the first half of the second chukka, with several missed opportunities to score by Marques de Riscal. A determined run by Facundo Sola from the halfway line straight up the centre of the field produced another goal for Murus Sanctus to secure them a 5-2 lead. Laborde took the ball out of the following line up for Marques de Riscal but the Murus Sanctus defence was unrelenting and it was intercepted and launched back up the field by Cappella, however onto the end of Caset’s stick. Caset then hit a huge pass up field to Aznar who scored for Marques de Riscal with a neat cut shot. Minutes later Caset sent another big drive up the field to be picked up again by Aznar who was out on his own and made a determined run to goal to score to edge his team back within one goal of Murus Sanctus, who retained a 5-4 lead as the second chukka ended.
Araya converted a spot hit 10-yards from the goalmouth followed by a 30-yard penalty to put Murus Sanctus ahead by three goals. With several attempts heading just wide and Caset missing a 60-yard penalty opportunity, Marques de Riscal were unable to respond with any goals at all during the third chukka and as the chukka came to a close Sola raced the ball up to goal and, hitting the ball out of the air, scored an impressive goal for Murus Sanctus to give them a four-goal advantage with a score of 8-4.
‘it was the men in maroon who stormed ahead in the last chukka to secure the win.’
Following a busy half time tread in, Caset took the ball out of the first line and sent a big drive up to Aznar but he put the ball wide. Possession switched back and forth and a foul by Marques de Riscal gave Murus Sanctus a 40-yard penalty opportunity which was quickly converted by Araya to give Murus Sanctus a five-goal advantage. Following a miss to the left of the goalmouth by Caset, Cappella took the knock in for Murus Sanctus, however Caset regained possession and ran to goal to score for Marques de Riscal. Caset took the ball out of the following line up but fouled, giving the ball back to Murus Sanctus. Caset made several determined runs to goal, but Murus Sanctus were persistent with interceptions. A foul by Marques de Riscal then gave Murus Sanctus yet another opportunity to score in the form of a 40-yard penalty which was converted by Araya. Despite a subsequent 40-yard penalty conversion by Caset for Marques de Riscal, Murus Sanctus held a 10-6 lead at the end of the fourth chukka.
Caset was finally able to make it through the Murus Sanctus defence and broke free to score the seventeenth goal of the match at the start of the fifth chukka. Aznar then made an impressive run to goal out of the following line out, scoring for Marques de Riscal with a superb cut shot and inching his team within two goals of Murus Sanctus. A subsequent foul gave Araya yet another penalty opportunity, this time from the 30-yard line, which he successfully converted. However, unrelenting Caset made another successful drive to goal putting Marques de Riscal within two. Murus Sanctus fouled defending their goalmouth, giving Caset the chance to score again, ending the chukka on a score of 11-10 in favour of Murus Sanctus.
Marques de Riscal continued to find their way through the Murus Sanctus defence, as Murus Sanctus also began to tire on the attack during the fifth and final chukka. A great pass up from Facundo Llosa gave Aznar the chance to score again for Marques de Riscal, finally levelling the game. Strong attacking play by Marques de Riscal ensued as Llora scored to put Marque de Riscal ahead for the first time. He scored again out of the line out to give Marques de Riscal a two-goal lead, with Murus Sanctus unable to find their goalmouth. As possession switched back and forth, a foul by Cappella gave Caset another chance to score, this time from a 40-yard penalty, extending the lead for Marques de Riscal. As the clocked ticked down, Murus Sanctus were unable to respond and the final bell sounded with the scoreboard reading 14-11 to Marques de Riscal.
A delighted Alejandro Aznar received the James Wentworth Stanley Cup from Clare Milford-Haven. The Cup was commissioned in memory of Clare’s son James. Alejandro Aznar, having scored an impressive 4 goals, was also awarded the Most Valuable Player prize, receiving a magnum of Nyetimber. The James’ Place Best Playing Pony rug was awarded to Arroba Nube, owned and played by Sapo Caset. James’ Place was set up to offer life-saving support to men in suicidal crisis.
INNOVENT RAISE THE BARRETT CUP
Seven teams entered the first 8 goal of the season, The Barrett Cup, with Hugo Baldwin’s HB Lions and Innovent securing places in the Final which took place on Sunday 15th May on Ambersham 1. Will Millard wore the number 1 shirt for HB Lions with Hugo Baldwin at 2, Harry Muddle at 3 and Matt Evetts at Back. For Innovent, Stephanie Haverhals was positioned at 1 alongside Rufus Uloth at 2, Terence Lent at 3 and Nick Clague at Back.
HB Lions were first onto the scoreboard with a goal from Will Millard, however Nick Clague was quick to equalize to put the score at one goal apiece. Terence Lent picked up the ball along the boards, scoring with a cut shot from 30 yards out to give Innovent a 2-1 advantage at the end of the first chukka.
Lent gained possession following the throw in and hit a long pass up to Stephanie Haverhals who picked up the ball and scored to put Innovent ahead by two goals at the start of the second chukka with a score of 3-1 to Innovent. An attempt by Innovent to further widen the score gap came in the form of a great neck shot from Lent, however it was just wide. Matt Evetts knocked the ball in from the back line for HB Lions, however it was Lent again who found the ball and backed it to Rufus Uloth who secured his first goal of the game giving Innovent a 4-1 advantage. Following a number of whistles, Harry Muddle was able to capitialise on a missed backhand by Clague in front of Innovent’s goalmouth, and scored to close the gap, putting HB Lions back within two and ending the first half of the game 4-2 to Innovent.
At the start of the third chukka, Lent was swift out of the line with ball and run to goal, however his attempt to score went wide. A foul by Innovent gave HB Lions a 30-yard penalty opportunity which was successfully converted by Will Millard to put HB Lions back within one and the score at 4-3 to Innovent. Millard found the ball again and took off to goal, however he shanked the ball just wide of the goalmouth. A series of fouls and some stronger defensive play from HB Lions kept Innovent from scoring during the third chukka, and the board remained at 4-3 to Innovent as Muddle cut the ball wide to end the chukka.
Innovent took the knock in from the back line at the start of the fourth. Great team play up field by Uloth and Lent gave Clague the opportunity to score again for Innovent, giving them another two-goal advantage. HB Lions won the ball out the next line out and a foul by Innovent gave Evetts a 40-yard penalty opportunity which he successfully converted to put HB Lions back within one on a score of 5-4 to Innovent. However, Innovent were able to edge ahead yet again as a foul by Muddle meant the ball was moved up the field in their favour. Haverhals found the ball and slotted it between the posts giving Innovent yet another two-goal advantage as the clock ticked down. Muddle was able to score for HB Lions in the last minute however, consistent in retaining the upper-hand, it was Innovent’s game as the final whistle blew and the scoreboard read 6-5. Stephanie Haverhals and Duane Lent were delighted to receive the Barrett Cup and Hector, owned and played by Terence Lent was awarded the X-Zony Best Playing Pony rug.
ORIFLAMME WIN MAY 4 GOAL SPRING CUP
Benn Shepherd’s Oriflamme were victorious against Marco Vignali’s La Dulce Vita in the May 4 Goal on Saturday 14th May at Ambersham. Spotty, played by Josh Cork and owned by Andy Cork, was awarded the X-Zony Best Playing Pony rug.
Photo credits:
Trippetts Challenge and May 4 Goal – Mark Beaumont
Barrett Cup – Paul Grove
