Dubai Trophy Day – Sunset Polo Adolfo Cambiaso Day ROLES Photos: Rory Merry Article by Dara Williams
WINNERS OF FINAL: KUPPA POLO ESCAPE:
Robin Lourvanij (-1), Federico Potovsky (4), Lucas Di Paola (6), Marco Forcacia (2). Shalimar: Kassem Shafi (0), Manuel Plaza (3), Vieri Antinori (5), Hissam Ali Hyder (5).
SUBSIDIARY WINNERS: NASHAMA:
Faisal Al-Rifai (-1), Oscar Mancini (4), Adolfo Casabal (4), Greg Keyte (5). Mad Dogs: Alan Fall (0), Alister Walker (1), Ariel Tapia (5), Guillermo Cuitino (6).
Umpires for this game were Pete McCormack and Lucas Di Paola.
There were similar teams but a different result in this year’s Dubai Polo Trophy, as Dara Williams discovered.
Last year, Kassem Shafi ’s Shalimar defeated Robin Lourvanij’s Kuppa Polo Escape in the fi nal of the Dubai Polo Trophy. This year, the teams met again – and roles were reversed, with Kuppa winning by just half a goal.
A total of six teams had entered the tournament, which took full advantage of the unusually glorious British summer. In the exciting fi nal, Thai-based Kuppa had received a goal and a half in advance, although this does not necessarily predict victory.
Kuppa were fortunate in having, as their star player, Federico Potovsky, who scored all the goals for his side, beginning with a hat-trick in the fi rst chukka. Shalimar, based around Pakistan’s fi nest player, Hissam Ali Hyder, also sent through three goals but by the end of the chukka Kuppa were in the lead, 4.5-3, due to their advantage.
Ali Hyder demonstrated his powerful striking power and by the end of the third chukka there was just a half-goal difference, Shalimar having really got into the game.
In the fi nal chukka, Shalimar took the lead, but two fouls gave Kuppa another chance and, on the fi nal bell, they rode out the victors, 8.5-8.
In the subsidiary fi nal, 14-year-old Faisal Al Rifai – the world’s youngest polo patron – led his Nashama squad to a 7-5 victory over Alan Fall’s Mad Dogs.
Nashama, based around New Zealand international Greg Keyte, had the bit between their teeth from the fi rst throw- in. By treading-in time, they led 3-0, Mad Dogs having been prevented from reaching goal, and it was not until the penultimate chukka that Guillermo Cuitino and Ariel Tapia – who is also Argentina’s top pato player – managed to score for their side.
Tapia and Cuitino sent through two more goals in the fi nal chukka, but Keyte and his team-mate Oscar Mancini also scored, giving Nashama the cup.
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REVERSED
Photo: Mark Greenwood Photo: Rory Merry
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