On Friday June 24, Marqués de Riscal and Twelve Oaks were victorious in their respective debut matches in the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup, one of the highlights of the British season, and hosted by Cowdray Park Polo Club, set in  Midhurst, West Sussex. The tournament sees fourteen teams up to 22 goals, compete.

In the opening contest, Sapo Caset produced nine goals to lead Alejandro Aznar’s Spaniard foursome, Marqués de Riscal, to a narrow 11-10 win over UAE. Marqués de Riscal – who had Santiago Cernadas back on the saddle – claimed the first chukka 3-1, while UAE took off in the second chukka, although they always remained behind by just one goal thoroghout the six chukkas of play. The battle would end in the fifth chukka, though; the sixth and last chukka remained scoreless. Aznar and Co., the winners of the 2021 High Goal Gold Cup, in Sotogrande, earned a remarkable win in their first year playing British high goal.

The follow-up saw the debut of another champion – the winners of the last Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy faced Monterosso. The contest was quite similar to the previous one, although with some slight differences. Twelve Oaks claimed the first chukka, while the two next chukkas belonged to Monterosso, until they tied in the fourth period. It was Monterosso who re-claimed the lead in the fifth chukka, but Charlie Wooldridge and his boys were far from giving up. They managed to outscore Monterosso 3-1 in the last chukka in order to tie again at 10-all, to send the match into over time, when Twelve Oaks sealed the deal.

BRITISH OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE COWDRAY GOLD CUP – FRIDAY JUNE 24

MARQUÉS DE RISCAL 11-10 UAE

Marqués de Riscal: Alejandro Aznar 0, Santiago Laborde 6 (2 goals), Guillermo Caset 9 (9), Santiago Cernadas 7. Total: 22

UAE: HH Sheikha Maitha 0, Lucas Monteverde Jr. 6, Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. 9 (3 goals), Tomás Beresford 7 (7). Total: 22.

Score Marqués de Riscal: 3-1, 5-4, 6-5, 9-8, 11-10, 11-10.

Umpires: Howard Smith & Julian Appleby.

Third man: Ben Turner.

WELVE OAKS 11-10 MONTEROSSO (extra chukka)

Twelve Oaks: Charlie Wooldridge 1, Cristian Laprida 8, Joaquin Pittaluga 7, John-Paul Clarkin 6. Total: 22.

Monterosso: Alessandro Bazzoni 1, Ignacio Toccalino 8, Pablo MacDonough 9, Matias Gonzalez 4. Total: 22.

Score Twelve Oaks: 2-0, 3-4, 5-4, 6-6, 7-9, 10-10, 11-10.

Umpires: Tim Bown & Jason Dixon.

Third man: Julian Appleby.

The British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup will resume on Saturday June 25:

3pm: Park Place Vaara vs. King Power

The final of the British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup is set to be played on Sunday, July 17. 

British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup – Fixture & Teams