Guards Polo Club’s premier tournament, The Queen’s Cup, resumed through two very busy days, Friday May 24 and Saturday May 25. Dubai, Black Bears and Thai Polo Get a Drip remain still undefeated having won their two mathces up to date, but there were also some surprises, as well. The Queen’s Cup sees nineteen teams up to 22 goals, in participation.
Sujan Indian Tigers, La Dolfina Great Oaks and Dubai were victorious on Friday May 24, while Black Bears, Desert Palm and Thai Polo Get a Drip won on Saturday May 25.
Sujan Indian Tigers claimed a surprising win over one of the most powerful organisations, Park Place (who beat Marqués de Riscal in their debut); Desert Palm recovered from their ardous loss to Black Bears in their first match, and beat La Dolfina Scon by a close 10-9. And this time, Black Bears had to fight very hard to defeat Green Gates. Guy Schwarzenbach’s foursome remained behind the score during four chukkas, but they managed to bounce back and tied at 7-all in the fifth chukka. In the last chukka, they outscored Green Gates 3-1, which eventually led them to their second victory.
THE QUEEN’S CUP
- FRIDAY MAY 24
SUJAN INDIAN TIGERS 10-9 PARK PLACE
SUJAN INDIAN TIGERS: Jaisal Singh 1 (2 goals), Matthew Perry 6 (2), Rufino Bensadon 7 (2), Juan Martin Zubia 8 (4). Total: 22.
PARK PLACE: Andrey Borodin 0*, Juan Britos 8 (6 goals), Hilario Ulloa 10 (2), Rufino Merlos 4 (1). Total: 22.
*Subbed in by Jemima Walker, 0.
Score Sujan Indian Tigers: 3-3, 5-4, 5-4, 7-6, 8-8, 10-9.
Umpires: James Turner & Jason Dixon. Third man: Howard Smith.
LA DOLFINA GREAT OAKS 10-9 FERNE PARK
LA DOLFINA GREAT OAKS: Dillon Bacon 2 (1 goal), Kian Hall 3, Diego Cavanagh 8 (3), Poroto Cambiaso 9 (6). Total: 22.
FERNE PARK: Jonathan Rothermere 0*, Cristian Laprida 7**, Joaquin Pittaluga 7 (4 goals), David Stirling*** 8. Total: 22.
*Subbed in by Vere Harmsworth.
**Subbed in by Benjamín Panelo (2 goals).
***Subbed in by Francisco Elizalde (3 goals).
Score La Dolfina Great Oaks: 2-0, 4-1, 4-4, 5-5, 7-7, 10-9.
Umpires: Tim Bown & Gastón Lucero. Third man: Peter Wright.
DUBAI 14-6 KING POWER
DUBAI POLO TEAM: Camilo Castagnola 10 (8 goals), Rashid Albwardy 2, Antonio Heguy 5 (4), Beltrán Laulhé 5 (2). Total: 22.
KING POWER: Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha 1, William Harper 4, Pablo Mac Donough 9 (3 goals), Nicolas Pieres 8 (3). Total: 22.
Score Dubai: 1-0, 5-1, 7-3, 11-4, 14-5, 14-6.
Umpires: Henry Fisher & Peter Wright. Third man: Ben Turner.
- SATURDAY MAY 25
BLACK BEARS 10-8 GREEN GATES
BLACK BEARS: Guy Schwarzenbach 2 (1 goal), Hazel Jackson 2 (1), Gonzalo Pieres 8 (5), Facundo Pieres 10 (3). Total: 22.
GREEN GATES: Noor Khadra 1, César Crespo 6 (1 goal), Francisco Elizalde 8 (5), Isidro Strada 7 (2). Total: 22.
Score Black Bears: 1-2, 3-5, 3-6, 5-7, 7-7, 10-8.
Umpires: Jason Dixon & Tim Bown. Third man: Ben Turner.
DESERT PALM 10-9 LA DOLFINA SCONE
DESERT PALM: Barto Castagnola 9 (3 goals), Ali Albwardy 0*, Rufino Laulhé 4 (4), Matias Torres Zavaleta 8 (3). Total: 21.
*Subbed in by Juana Lavinia.
LA DOLFINA SCONE: Mia Cambiaso 2 (4 goals), Charlie Hanbury 4 (1), Alfredo Bigatti 7, Adolfo Cambiaso 9 (4). Total: 22.
Score Desert Palm: 2-2, 3-3, 5-4, 7-6, 9-8, 10-8.
Umpires: Howard Smith & Peter Wright. Third man: Tim Bown.
THAI POLO GET A DRIP 13-11 SHORELINE
THAI POLO / GET A DRIP: Louis Hine 5 (5 goals), Ned Hine 5 (2)*, Martin Podesta 7 (2), Tommy Severn 5 (1). Total: 22.
*Subbed in by José Araya in the first chukka.
SHORELINE: Adebayo Karim 2, Hugo Taylor 4, Facundo Sola 8 (8 goals), Alfredo Cappella 8 (3). Total: 22.
Score Thai Polo Get a Drip: 3-1, 5-2, 8-4, 11-5, 12-9, 13-11.
Umpires: Gastón Lucero & Henry Fisher. Third man: Peter Wright.
The Queen’s Cup will resume on Sunday May 26 and Monday May 27, with the following schedule:
Sunday May 26:
12pm: Talandracas vs. La Magdeleine (The Princes’ Ground, Guards PC)
3pm: Cibao La Pampa vs. White Crane (The Queen’s Ground, Guards PC)
Monday May 27:
12pm: Marqués de Riscal vs. Ferne Park (Coworth Park)
3pm: Sujan Indian Tigers vs. Dubai (The Duke’s Ground, Guards PC)
The final of the Queen’s Cup is due on Sunday June 16.
THE QUEEN’S CUP Teams & Fixture
Cover photo by Pablo Ramírez.