Sponsor Jaeger-LeCoultre shares a rich history with polo, from designing the iconic Reverso watch to supporting polo worldwide and is proud to sponsor the annual Jaeger-LeCoultre Trippetts Challenge for the James Wentworth Stanley Memorial Cup, the first high goal tournament of the UK polo season. Seven teams entered the 2017 tournament with El Remanso and Murus Sanctus making it through to the Final on Sunday 21st May.
Charlie Hanbury’s El Remanso team played the same line-up of four professional English players as 2016. Hanbury (4 goals) took the number 1 position with Ollie Cudmore (5 goals) at 2, and 6 goalers James Beim and James Harper at number 3 and Back respectively. Corinne Richard’s new line-up for 2017 sees Argentine 10 goaler Hilario Ulloa and 4 goaler Martin Podesta enter the side with former team member Facundo Sola (8 goals) retaining his number 3 position. Corinne (2 goals) played at number 1, Podesta (4 goals) at 2, with Ulloa at Back.
With El Remanso’s combined handicap of 21 goals, the team received one goal on the scoreboard to start the match. The English pros made a bold start with Ollie Cudmore making a swift goal. Ulloa responded with a goal for Murus Sanctus. The chukka was pacey and as it drew to a close El Remanso had 5 goals on the scoreboard, Ulloa adding one more to his team’s score from a safety 60 yard penalty just before the bell sounded.
Chukka 2 saw increased determination from Ulloa. A well-aimed shot at goal was saved by Harper. Beim picked up the ball and sent it to Cudmore who made a superb run down the pitch to score his second goal and move the score on to 6-2. A free hit to Murus Sanctus enabled Podesta and Sola to give Ulloa sight of the goal. A long shot was defended by Hanbury, who was ridden off, enabling Corrine Ricard to pick up the ball and deftly score. An attempt at goal by Hanbury from a difficult angle saw the ball hit the posts and the score remained at 6-3 in El Remanso’s favour at chukka’s end.
Action in the third chukka was intense. A 60 yard penalty by Harper went wide. Sola brought the ball in and sent a big shot to Podesta, the ball hitting the goalpost. A scramble around the goal resulted in a Penalty 1 shot for Murus Sanctus whose score increased to 4-6. Sola won the ball from the throw-in, Podesta sent it to Ulloa who aimed, but Harper saved it and carried it from end to end to score a super goal. An attempt by Sola went wide and the first half closed with El Remanso ahead 7-4.
El Remanso clearly demonstrated the instinctive way in which the four English players react to each others’ moves throughout the second half. In the fourth chukka goals by James Beim and Charlie Hanbury increased their lead to 9-4. The fifth saw Murus Sanctus players on several occasions blocked by El Remanso, but doggedly re-grouping to find a way through. At last Sola found Corinne Ricard on her own. She turned but lost the ball. Sola slipped off his pony and the game re-started with a roll-in 15 yards from the goal. Podesta grabbed the ball and sent it to Ulloa who flicked it to the patron, Ricard making a lovely little goal to pull her side up to 5-9. Murus Sanctus won the ball from the throw-in, Ulloa hit it long and made a very quick goal. Another great piece of play by El Remanso was thwarted by Ulloa, the whistle blew and a 60 yard penalty awarded to the blue shirts, the resulting high and accurate shot from Beim increasing El Remanso’s lead to 10-6.
The final chukka opened with Beim winning the ball from the throw-in; Cudmore was swiftly onto it, making a neat goal and 11-6. The action remained swift and dynamic. A 60 yard penalty was awarded to Murus Sanctus which Ulloa sent hard and straight to score once more. From the throw-in Ulloa and Podesta tried to outmanoeuvre El Remanso but Cudmore stole the ball away and made a long drive. Ulloa raced to intercept it and passed to his patron who was waiting out in front. A marvellous run all the way to the goal gave Corinne Ricard a well-deserved hat trick, but too late to prevent a convincing win by El Remanso on a final score of 11-8.
Clare Milford Haven presented the James Wentworth Memorial Cup to Charlie Hanbury and prizes to all players were presented by Clare and Zahra Kassim-Lakha, Director Jaeger-LeCoultre UK and Global Strategy. The award for Best Playing Pony went to James Beim’s Kimberley. Players and spectators were invited to join in a Happy Hour following the match, courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre, which was much enjoyed in glorious evening sunshine.
Eleven years of partnership between Cowdray Park Polo Club and Jaeger-LeCoultre commenced with the watchmaker supporting as Official Timekeeper in 2006 and taking on the title sponsorship of the most prestigious polo tournament at 22 goal level in the world in 2015.
THE JAEGER-LECOULTRE MANUFACTURE
Since its creation, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been delighting and surprising devotees of beautiful objects. In keeping with the inventive spirit initiated in 1833 by its founder Antoine LeCoultre, the artisans of the Manufacture combine their talents and expertise to create collections which have been at the forefront of watchmaking both technically and artistically: Reverso, Master, Rendez-Vous, Duomètre, Geophysic and Atmos – this rich legacy built by the Grande Maison over centuries serves as a constant source of inspiration in its ongoing pursuit of excellence. In the wake of many legendary models, the 21st century has seen the emergence of the Hybris Mechanica™ and Hybris Artistica™ collections. These rare pieces are as surprising as they are sophisticated, yet again bearing witness to the creative passion of the people who work in symbiosis under its roof – some of them born of a long line of watchmakers.
For Jaeger-LeCoultre, 2017 is an opportunity to reveal watchmaking treasures of stunning beauty. After celebrating the Reverso’s 85th anniversary in style during 2016, the time has come for the Manufacture to elevate the new Rendez-Vous line to the pinnacle of ladies’ watchmaking.
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