PTJan/Feb 2010 p34-37 Home & Abroad JM YC PJ GM MB 21/1/10 18:36 Page 4
Reports At home and abroad
USA
Thailand
All eyes on Florida as talent,
Visiting Germans
testing and training take off
defeated by one
of their own
X
RECORD-BREAKING unseasonable cold
EXPATRIATE GERMAN Harald Link played host to
weather ushered in the 2010 season at the
a 10-goal team sent by the German Polo
International Polo Club in Wellington this year,
Association this December at his Thai Polo and
writes Alex Webbe. Defending champions
Equestrian Club. Under the watchful eye of new
Patagones tasted victory again in the
general manager Roddy Matthews, Link joined
traditional season-opener at the club, the forces with a trio of experienced Malaysian
Iglehart Cup, beating EFG Bank in the final to international players to form a South East Asia
the first trophy of the new year and the first side to fight it out with the tourists for the
of the 20-goal season. EFG’s Jim Whisenand, coveted B.Grimm 131st Anniversary Cup.
Andres Weisz, Pancho Bensadon and Luis Germany featured patron Stephan Louis and
Escobar made steady progress to the final, the three Winter brothers, all of whom at well
but narrowly came unstuck 8-7 to a powerful over six feet tall, looked particularly physically
Patagones line-up comprising Gonzalo imposing lined up against the diminutive South
Avendano, Julio Gracida, Carlos Gracida and
Action from the Iglehart Cup, where Patagones defended their title
East Asians. It made for a gripping contest and
Carlos Avendano at the all-important stage.
the large gathering of spectators and sponsors
A further three teams joined the ranks from the concerning “walking” with the ball have prompted an
dining in style at the Chukka Bar on the
Iglehart to contend the Joe Barry Memorial Cup, which explosion of backhanders and faster play throughout
sidelines were treated to a memorable battle.
began on the same day as Patagones’s victory. EFG the opening tournaments.
Ultimately, despite Germany’s gallant effort,
Bank was replaced by Lucchese, and the five other In their October meetings in Aiken, South Carolina,
the local crowd got the result they wanted as
Iglehart teams remaining were joined by Lechuza last year, the USPA unanimously approved a by-law
South East Asia ran out to a 6-4 victory, with
Caracas, Mt. Brilliant and Faraway Polo. change for 2010 that will require individual members of
Link ironically becoming top scorer for the hosts
Lechuza featured 15-year-old four-goaler Santiago the USPA to submit their horses for random blood
– and putting the nail in the coffin to scupper
Torres, the focus of the soon-to-be released and/or urine testing. This is in response to the mass
his homeland’s chances of a win.
documentary The Polo Kid (keep your eyes peeled for a pony deaths at last year’s US Open and the upshot will
Germany offered plenty of hard, fast riding
review in the March issue of Polo Times). Preview ultimately include possible disciplinary action against
but it was SEA’s superior passing game and
any member convicted of a civil animal abuse violation.
clinical finishing that earned them the trophy.
Lechuza featured Santiago
However, the USPA Equine Drug & Medication
Regular visitor and respected American polo
Torres, the focus of the Testing Programme policies are still being determined,
coach Rege Ludwig would have been pleased
documentary The Polo Kid
and the complete drug and medication rule system,
with their flair, as well as their application
including adjudication, hearings and penalties, will take
against tough opposition. As it was, after the
copies of the film have been made available to the polo time to implement. A pilot programme is underway.
Ambassador of Russia presented the trophy, the
press, so all eyes were on him. In the event his team On a more positive note, the first three-day training
South East Asian entourage celebrated their
was thumped 15-8 in their opening game by The session for the 24 inductees into the newly launched
victory by launching a hot air balloon as the sun
Hawks, with Canadian Julian Mannix proving there are Team USA programme takes place this month. The
set on a great day for the hosts at the Thai Polo
talented kids on more than one team. At the time of players, aged 19 to 25, were picked from more than 70
Club, and especially for its co-director Link.
going to press, it remains to be seen which of the applications from all over the country and will have their Teams:
strong line-ups will lift the Joe Barry crown at the end travel expenses covered to bring them to Wellington, South East Asia (10): Harald Link 0; Shaik
of January. Florida, for the event. The programme aims to identify Reismann 2; Edham Shaharudin 4; Husaini
Cold weather or not, the players have been raving talented young home players and to provide them with
Yunus 4
about the condition of the fields at IPCPB, under the opportunities to learn from some of the game’s best
Germany (10): Christopher Winter 3; Oliver
direction of Ray Mooney. Meanwhile new USPA rules pros, competing and working alongside them.
Winter 2; Thomas Winter 5; Stephan Louis 0
Vale of York
Snow no match for hardy Santas
THE DREAM OF A WHITE Christmas for most people in this, it was good to be able to warm a
Yorkshire was beginning to wear thin when the snow few spirits with a fun festive contest that
had still not subsided by mid-January. However, while helped work off the Christmas turkey!”
the majority of the sporting world was forced to grind To the amusement and, no doubt,
to a halt during the unusually abrasive conditions, two bemusement of the locals and visiting
Cleethorpes kids got more than they bargained for when they heard it
teams from the Vale of York Polo Club went head to beachgoers, the sides lined up dressed
would be a white Christmas and that Santa Claus was coming to town
head in full festive fancy dress on Cleethorpes Beach as snowmen and Santa Claus. The snowmen appeared camouflaging them well against the snowy backdrop.
on New Year’s Day. to have two clear advantages over their opponents – However, valiant efforts from the Santas earned
“The snow fell on 19 December and stayed with us their all-white uniforms were generally less them a deserved draw and they clinched the contest
for almost four weeks,” said Vale of York chairman and uncomfortable than the rather awkward and on penalties before the snowmen, led by a feisty Adam
polo manager, Paul Piddington. “So, in the middle of all cumbersome Santa outfits, whilst simultaneously Vincent, sought their revenge with a snowball fight.
36 January/February 2010 www.polotimes.co.uk
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