Cartier Queen’s Cup, Day 8

 

The UAE Polo Team ll secured their first win of the 2021 edition of the Cartier Queens Cup, defeating Schockemohle 13-9. The teams were all square (2-2) after the first chukka but the UAE team gradually pulled away. Hugo Taylor did a great job in defence for UAE and his hard work was reflected in the 13-6 scoreline at the end of the fourth chukka. Team-mate Alfredo Capella had dominated the scoring in the first half of this match, firing through six goals. Lucas Monteverde Junior took over in the fourth, adding three further goals to the three he had already scored in this game. With Jaime Huidobro joining in with a goal in the third this was very much a  team effort from UAE ll.  So it was a little surprising that they took their foot of the gas and did not score again in this match. Meanwhile Schockemohle carried on battling, with Jack Richardson and Patrick Maleitzke adding to their team’s tally in the final two chukkas, although it was not enough to alter the final outcome. Some great team-work from UAE Polo ll early on had reaped benefits for this team.

 

Siri Evjemo-Nysveen’s Vikings team’s win this afternoon is a fantastic example of playing until the very last minute of every game. This team were trailing Park Place from the second chukka until the sixth but never gave up hope. High-goal fortunes can always change in a moment but trailing 13-10 when the opposition includes Facundo Pieres and Juan Britos is definitely a big ask. Clearly Juan Martin Zubia had not read the form book as he was on fire today, scoring the majority of the Vikings’ goals, including all the goals scored in the final chukka.  John Watson again deputised for Siri who is still battling an injury, swapping places at half-time, but the change in personnel did not alter the Vikings’ resolve. They believed in themselves and in their ponies and today it paid off.