UAE Polo Team

Europe, Polo News

23. May 2022

Twelve Oaks 12 – 10 King Power Noel Farm
UAE Polo Team 12 – 10 Monterosso Castle Ground- Flemish Farm

Twelve Oaks and King Power found themselves locked in a closely contested battle with the score remaining within one goal in all but the final chukka. Trading goals early in the match, King Power’s James Harper struck from the field, while Joaquin Pittaluga and Charlie Wooldridge combined to post two goals for Twelve Oaks. Despite being outshot by their opponents in open play, Twelve Oaks’s 57% shooting accuracy and consecutive goals from Cristian Laprida sent them into the half-time break with a narrow one-goal advantage. Continuing his strong play from the first half, Laprida opened the second half scoring on a good counterattack, with Pittaluga passing the ball forward for the goal. Fighting back into the game with an exceptional passing attack, King Power controlled the fifth chukka with two assisted goals and two penalty conversions to retake the lead and enter the final chukka ahead by one. Trailing by one with two minutes remaining, Charlie Wooldridge made his impact on the match, collecting his second assist of the chukka on a pass to Pittaluga that put Twelve Oaks ahead and they held off King Power in the final moments to claim their first victory 12-10.

The reigning Cartier Queen’s Cup champions UAE Polo Team made their long-awaited debut on The Duke’s Ground at Guards Polo Club without the services of young Lucas Monteverde Jnr, who was replaced by Juan Ambroggio. Poroto Cambiaso was playing once again for Monterosso too. Wasting little time, UAE Polo Team quickly established their early dominance, blanking Monterosso in the first chukka while Tomas Beresford and Bartolome Castagnola Jnr ignited an attack for a 2-0 lead. Awarded one goal on handicap, Monterosso ended their scoring drought when Matias Gonzalez hit the posts on a drive from the field and this kickstarted a run of four unanswered goals to race into the lead. Limited to just one more goal from Tomas Beresford in the remainder of the half, Monterosso was firing on all cylinders and headed into the half-time break with a 7-4. Regrouping during the break, UAE Polo Team’s Tommy Beresford delivered five penalty conversions in a six-goal fourth chukka that quickly turned a three-goal deficit into a three-goal lead. Fixing their foul troubles, Monterosso slowly worked their way back into the game behind the duo of Ignacio Toccalino and Cambiaso, but UAE’s advantage allowed them to withstand this late push from Monterosso and register a successful debut with a 12-10 win. This victory also ensured that the UAE team won the Royal Windsor Horse Show Cup, traditionally played on the first weekend of the Cartier Queen’s Cup tournament.

Tomorrow’s Fixtures

11:30 am – Murus Sanctus vs Park Place at The Castle Ground- Flemish Farm
3:30 pm – Great Oaks LL vs Vikings at The Queen’s Ground

All games are being livestreamed by Guards TV in association with Polocam TV. Go to https://guards.polocam.tv/package

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Twelve Oaks 12 – 10 King Power Noel Farm UAE Polo Team 12 – 10 Monterosso Castle Ground- Flemish Farm Twelve Oaks and King Power found themselves locked in a…

Europe, Polo News

Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup Final 2021

23. August 2021

Park Place 5 -4 Monterosso for the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup
Bardon 10 – 9 UAE Polo Team for the Talacrest Trophy in extra time

Park Place made history at Guards Polo Club today. Andrey Borodin’s squad is the first team to add their names to the impressive, 22-goal Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup. However Alessandro Bazzoni’s Monterosso team made Park Place work hard for this win, keeping themselves in contention until the final bell. There was little between these two sides for much of the match, with both teams producing strong defensive play which kept the goal judges idle. Park Place had a narrow 3-1 lead at half-time but
the players, and the packed grandstands knew that the advantage was on a knife-edge and could change at any time. There had only been a goal between these two sides when they met in the league stages of the Club’s newest tournament, again in favour of Park Place (9-8), and this match was heading the same way.

In the fifth Facundo Pieres turned up the heat a little, making the most of some space to push Park Place ahead 4-3. When he had the chance to successfully convert a penalty many wondered if this was the moment that Park Place would now run away with the match. Ignacio Toccalino had other ideas. He successfully converted a penalty to put Monterosso very much back in contention. Facundo Sola had two chances for Monterosso in the sixth but sent them wide and as nobody else had a shot at goal in this final period
the score remained stuck at 5-4, confirming Park Place’s victory.

John Collins, the founder of Talacrest and sponsor of this new high-goal tournament, produced some amazing prizes for all players – and match officials – on finals day, including Cartier watches for the winners. Juan Britos was named Talacrest Most Valuable Player while Machitos Puccini, owned by Monterosso and played by Facundo Sola, was named the Talacrest Best Playing Pony. This seven-year-old bay mare is one of Sola’s favourites.

Appropriately for a title sponsor who is the world’s most experienced classic Ferrari dealer, having sold in excess of about 1,750 Ferrari, to the value of more than $1billion, the teams were not introduced on the field on horseback but from an impressive array of Ferrari. A former high-goal polo patron himself John Collins said when signing this new partnership: “I have been involved with polo at Guards Polo Club for more than 30 years and so am thrilled to be able to support the Club in this high-goal competition. I know from first-hand experience of playing high-goal at Guards that the opportunity for players to compete at the highest level on the best grounds is invaluable.”

Five teams entered this first edition of the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup, with each team playing the others over the previous three weeks. So both teams in the sub final for the Talacrest Trophy, Sheikha Maitha’s UAE Polo Team and Andras Tombor’s Bardon, had met before to . In that encounter the UAE team had comfortably won 13-8. So Bardon came to this game having done their homework and dominated the first half. Matias Machado, who was later named the Talacrest Trophy Most Valuable Player was outstanding in the first half, putting Bardon comfortably ahead 7-2. UAE Polo Team, no stranger to the big occasion, closed the gap in the second half, forcing this match into extra time. This was the first time in the entire tournament that overtime had to be played. Bardon were awarded a penalty early into the extra time which Fran Elizalde converted to win the match 10-9.

Images by IMAGES OF POLO

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Park Place 5 -4 Monterosso for the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup Bardon 10 – 9 UAE Polo Team for the Talacrest Trophy in extra time Park Place…

Europe, Polo News

Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup Day 8

19. August 2021

Bardon Polo Team 10 – 9 Vikings & Monterosso 9 – 8 UAE Polo Team (rec 1 goal)

It was only on the completion of the final league matches of the 2021 edition of the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup that Park Place, and all high-goal polo fans, learned who would be joining Andrey Borodin’s team in Sunday’s final. That honour will go to Monterosso following their tight but impressive win over the UAE Polo Team. Sheikha Maitha’s team were probably favourites to win this match as they had seemed to be getting stronger and stronger as the tournament progressed, but today they could not get past a focused Monterosso. Admittedly UAE were without the talented 15-year-old Lucas Monteverde Junior who was unwell. Stepping into his boots was the four-goaler Cesar Crespo. A change of line-up always unsettles a team but Crespo is no stranger to the big occasion and slotted in well. So it was hard to predict which way this game would go, even when some brilliant play from Facundo Sola and Cubi Toccalino put Monterosso ahead 5-2 early in the third. Alfredo Capella fired through two goals to bring UAE Polo Team very much back into contention (5-4) at half-time, while team-mate Barto Castagnola produced a lovely run on his own at the start of the fourth to level the scores (5-5). From then on though Monterosso were in the driving seat. Spectators on The Queen’s Ground and those watching the live stream were treated to some fabulous runs and very few whistles. Sola in particular was playing superbly and inspiring the rest of his team to raise their game, giving Monterosso a three-goal advantage going into the sixth. Tension in the UAE team had started to show, with Capella receiving a yellow card for an incident at the end of the fifth chukka. The subsequent penalty saw Toccalino increase Monterosso’s lead. UAE Polo Team were not giving up without a fight though and two goals from the “super sub” Crespo put them right back in the mix. With a minute left to play UAE won a 30-yard penalty which Capella fired through with ease, closing the gap to just one goal once again. Time was the enemy now though and on the bell Monterosso not only won the game 9-8 but earned themselves a finals ticket for Sunday.

Andras Tombor’s Bardon team were looking for their first win in this tournament and like Monterosso brought their A game to the Duke’s Ground earlier today. With Max Voelker on his way to the USA to take up a soccer scholarship at university, Noor Khadra came into the team. Like the UAE Polo Team, this change in personnel undoubtedly unsettled the team but Khadra is also used to the big occasion – he subbed for David Paradice for some of Scone Polo’s games in the Queen’s Cup – and he fitted in from the first
whistle. Vikings were looking for their second win but Bardon were determined to win this match from the start. They had gone down after some close battles in previous games and wanted a different result today. Fran Elizalde was firing through the goals in the early chukkas to give Bardon a 4-1 lead at the start of the third. Penalties by the sharp-shooting Juan Martin Zubia brought Vikings back into contention 4-3 in the third and a lovely field goal from the young Argentine levelled the scores at half-time. Vikings dominated the early stages of the fourth with some great teamwork between Sebastian Merlos and Zubia, giving Vikings a two-goal advantage (6-4). Elizalde, who had a stand-out game today, levelled the scores once more only for Chris Mackenzie to win a horse race against Matias Machado to give Vikings the narrowest of leads on the bell. The fifth was almost a carbon copy of the previous chukka; but this time it was Bardon’s Bigatti who scored to give his team the advantage going into the final chukka (9-8). Zubia scored when pouncing on a loose ball to level the scores again, only for Elizalde to convert a 30-yard penalty. There was now just three minutes left and the score read 10-9 to Bardon. A shot from Bigatti went wide and a melee in the Bardon goal also resulted in the ball going wide, guaranteeing a Bardon victory at the final bell. Due to the who beat who rule, this win also means that it will be Bardon who will play UAE Polo Team in the Talacrest Trophy sub final on Sunday morning.

Next Games – Sunday 22 August
11am Duke’s Ground Talacrest Trophy: UAE Polo Team v Bardon
3.30pm Queen’s Ground Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup
Final: Park Place v Monterosso

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Bardon Polo Team 10 – 9 Vikings & Monterosso 9 – 8 UAE Polo Team (rec 1 goal)It was only on the completion of the final league matches of the…

Europe, Polo News

Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup Day 7

16. August 2021

Park Place 10 – 9 Vikings

Andrey Borodin’s Park Place secured their place in the final of the first Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup by maintaining their unbeaten run after four league games. However Vikings almost spoilt Park Place’s clean sheet on The Queen’s Ground this afternoon. Despite trailing 8-5 at the start of the fifth chukka Vikings suddenly started to pile on the pressure. Juan Martin Zubia converted a penalty and after plenty of action in the Park Place goal, Sebastian Merlos scored. He then found the equaliser on the bell and it was now Park Place who were under pressure. Facundo Pieres received a yellow card at the start of the sixth and then some great play from Max Voelker and Chris Mackenzie saw Vikings take the lead, 9-8. With two minutes left to play in this heart-stopping sixth chukka, Pieres fired through the equaliser. Both sides had delivered a edge-of-the-seat game of polo and not surprisingly were determined that this game would not go into extra time. Britos and Mackenzie in particular were focused on keeping the other from the ball. Then with just seconds remaining Pieres launched a big hit to goal – the winning shot. So Park Place finish their league run as the first placed team in the tournament but they will have to wait until Wednesday to know who their opponents in Sunday’s final will be.

Next Games – Wednesday 18 August

12noon: Bardon Polo Team v Vikings

3pm: Monterosso v UAE Polo Team

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Park Place 10 – 9 Vikings Andrey Borodin’s Park Place secured their place in the final of the first Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup by maintaining their unbeaten run…

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Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup – Day 6

16. August 2021

UAE Polo 13 – 8 Bardon

UAE Polo Team look stronger in each game in the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup and today was no exception. They bore no resemblance to the team that were well beaten by Park Place last Sunday. Today they delivered a strong, big hitting performance against Bardon on the Duke’s Ground. Brilliant team-work plus some impressive two-man play from Alfredo Capella and Barto Castagnola delivered this win. With the 15-year-old Lucas Monteverde Junior delivering some outstanding play, including connecting with penalty shots in the air, the UAE team were in command from the third chukka. Sadly Andras Tombor’s team failed to convert some good play into goals, although they did keep fighting to the end. This result means that Bardon are still hunting their first win with just one match left for them ,to play while the UAE Polo Team are now looking like serious contenders for the final.

Next Match

Sunday 15 August at 4pm: Park Place v Vikings at Guards Polo Club

All games can be watched live at Guards TV

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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UAE Polo 13 – 8 Bardon UAE Polo Team look stronger in each game in the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup and today was no exception. They bore no…

Europe, Polo News

Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup – Day 5

13. August 2021

Park Place 9- 8 Monterosso on The Castle Ground

Park Place are the only team to have secured three wins so far in the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup and so are in a strong position to secure their place in the final on Sunday 22^nd August. Park Place initially showed their dominance in this match against Monterosso, who have one win under their belt, with Park Place leading 6-2 at half-time. Facundo Pieres, who scored seven goals in this match, was impressive in the third chukka, firing through four goals in this period of play Facundo Sola and Matt Perry started to make their presence felt in the second half for Monterosso, with Park Place suddenly looking vulnerable. Some good defensive play from Will Harper kept Monterosso at bay in the fourth but Sola, Perry and Cubi Toccalino all scored in the fifth to bring the scores level 7-7. Pieres converted a 30-yarder at the end of the fifth to give Park Place a narrow 8-7 lead going into the sixth, bur this was now anyone’s game. Juan Britos put Park Place two ahead with a lovely shot to goal in traffic only for Toccalino to get one back for Monterosso. With a huge hit from distance from Britos going wide, Toccalino was on a run to goal when the final whistle blew. As the commentators reflected, another minute could have easily sent this game into extra time., it was that tight at the end.

Next game
Saturday 14 August: Bardon Polo Team v UAE Polo Team
All matches are available to view live at Guards TV

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Park Place 9- 8 Monterosso on The Castle Ground Park Place are the only team to have secured three wins so far in the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup…

Europe, Polo News

Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup – Day 4

13. August 2021

UAE Polo Team 11 – 8 Vikings

The UAE Polo Team’s first game in the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup last Saturday had seen them struggle against an in-form Park Place. The team did not appear to gel but it was the first time that this quartet – HH Sheikha Maitha, Lucas Monteverde Junior, Barto Castagnola and Alfredo Capella – had played together. That match report concluded with the words “UAE will build on that experience for their next match”. Build they did today, the UAE Polo Team delivering some strong, cohesive play to win this match and put themselves very much back into contention in this new high-goal tournament.

Vikings, again playing Max Voelker at one in place of their patron and with a win already under their belts, offered a tough opposition. They might have been trailing 4-2 at the end of the second chukka but had put themselves comfortably ahead by two goals (7-5) at the end of the fourth, with Chris Mackenzie, who scored a hat-trick in this match, and Juan Martin Zubia delivering strong performances.

The direction of this game changed again in the fifth when the UAE Polo Team were awarded three penalties. These were successfully converted by Castagnola and Capella to put UAE ahead once more (8-7). Perhaps more importantly Vikings failed to score at all in this chukka. Although at this level of polo it was still very much game on, even when Castagnola delivered a lovely angled shot to goal at the very beginning of the sixth. Zubia converted a 30-yard penalty with four minutes left on the clock to keep Vikings’ hopes alive. However, when the UAE Polo Team were awarded a couple of penalties in the final two minutes – successfully converted by the huge hitting Capella – the UAE Polo Team’s victory was assured.

Next Game

Thursday 13 August at 3pm: Park Place v Monterosso on The Castle Ground, Flemish Farm
All matches streamed live at Guards TV

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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UAE Polo Team 11 – 8 Vikings The UAE Polo Team’s first game in the Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup last Saturday had seen them struggle against an in-form…

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Talacrest Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup Day 3

9. August 2021

Park Place 10 – 5 UAE Polo Team & Monterosso Polo Team 11 – 9 Bardon

Park Place secured their second win of the Talacrest Prince of Wales Championship Cup tournament. They had a convincing victory over HH Sheikha Maitha’s UAE Polo Team, beating them in the rain on the Duke’s Ground 10-5. Facundo Pieres and Juan Britos were in excellent form, ensuring Park Place were 5-1 up at half-time. The UAE Team, playing in a new combination for the first time – nine-goaler Bartolome Castagnola wearing a UAE shirt for this tournament – took time to gel and gave away too many penalties in the first half. UAE Polo Team started to find their form in the second with the big hitting Alfredo Capella and Castagnola closing the gap to 6-4 going into the sixth chukka. Park Place then upped a gear and great team-work from Pieres, Britos and Will Harper saw them score four goals in this final chukka, ensuring they head to their third match on Thursday, against Monterosso with two good wins under their belt. Castagnola got one back for his new team in the final minutes of this match and with this first game played, UAE Polo Team will build on that experience for their next match, against Vikings, on Wednesday.

Both Monterosso and Bardon were looking for that all important first win after going down by just one goal apiece in their opening games earlier in the week. However it is Monterosso that go into week two feeling a little calmer as they won today 11-9. This was a tense and feisty game which saw Facundo Sola being sent off for two minutes in the first chukka after an incident with Alfredo Bigatti, while the umpires showed a couple of yellow cards later in the game. There was nothing between these two teams for much of the match, reflected in the 5-5 scoreline at half-time. Monterosso managed to put some air in the score at the end of the fourth (9-7), with Ignacio Toccalino, Matt Perry and Sola all adding to their team’s tally. Perry in particular had a particularly strong game for Monterosso, always in the right place at the right time and winning the odd horse race against Matias Machado. The tension really showed in the fifth with only Toccalino finding the flags, a spot hit from over 100 yards out from the goal line. Monterosso’s patron was the first to score in the sixth chukka, only for Bigatti and Machado to produce two impressive goals to close the gap. Time was against Bardon now though and on the final bell victory went to Monterosso.

Next Game

Wednesday 11 August: 2pm: UAE Polo Team v Vikings

Photos by IMAGES OF POLO

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Park Place 10 – 5 UAE Polo Team & Monterosso Polo Team 11 – 9 Bardon Park Place secured their second win of the Talacrest Prince of Wales Championship Cup…

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The UAE Polo Team win The Cartier Queen’s Cup 2021

28. June 2021

HH Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the daughter of the Ruler of Dubai, and her UAE Polo Team won the Cartier Queen’s Cup 2021. They beat Scone Polo on The Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club in six exciting chukkas. Cartier has proudly sponsored this high-goal tournament since 2012 and has been a supporter of polo worldwide for more than 35 years.

Fifteen world-class teams entered this year’s tournament and have been playing over the past three weeks in a bid to reach the final. The Cartier Queen’s Cup final was a thrilling and competitive match. HH Sheikha Maitha and the UAE Polo Team defeated David Paradice’s Scone Polo, adding their name to the trophy for the first time. Scone Polo were favourites to win this final as they feature the World’s Number One player Adolfo Cambiaso and his talented, 15-year-old son Adolfo Cambiaso Junior but some fabulous play from the UAE Polo Team’s Tomy Beresford, Tomas Panelo and Polito Pieres ensured that the UAE team won 10-6.

HH Sheikha Maitha received the prestigious silver cup from Cartier UK Managing Director, Laurent Feniou. Team-mate, 21-year-old Tomas Panelo was named the Cartier Most Valuable Player, while JB Bleach, an 11-year-old chestnut mare, owned by the UAE Polo Team and played this afternoon by Polito Pieres received the Cartier Best Playing Pony prize. This pony was bred by the former England polo team captain James Beim.

Before the main match presentations, Laurent Feniou presented the trophy to the Park Place team. This subsidiary final had been played for earlier in the day. Park Place, without their injured patron Andrey Borodin, defeated Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha’s King Power team 12-9 in a close game that delivered some wonderfully fast-paced polo. King Power’s patron did not go home empty handed though as he was named the Most Valuable Player.

Cartier was delighted to celebrate the Cartier Queen’s Cup final once again in the company of friends of the Maison. Guests enjoyed an intimate lunch and afternoon tea in the Cartier enclosure, followed by this exciting polo match. Amongst notable attendees were Cartier Ambassadors Ramla Ali and Maisie Williams. Ikram Abdi, Grace Carter, Ellie Goulding, Laura Haddock, Michael Halpern, Naomie Harris, Damson Idris, Christopher Kane, Candice Lake, Tinie Tempah, Saffron Vadher, Micheal Ward.

UAE Polo Team: HH Sheikha Maitha (0); Tomas Panelo (6); Polito Pieres (9); Tomas Beresford (7)
Scone Polo: David Paradice (0); Adolfo Cambiaso Jnr (6); Isidro Strada (6); Adolfo Cambiaso (10)
Park Place: Andrey Borodin/Emily Johnson (0); Juan Britos (8); Facundo Pieres (10); William Harper (4)
King Power: Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabnha (1); Charles Cooney (3); Hilario Ulloa (10); Francisco Elizalde (8)

For further information on Cartier UK please contact:

LAUREN ROFFLE
Head of PR & Celebrity
Lauren.Roffle@Cartier.com

GEORGINA TABET
PR Manager
Georgina.Tabet@Cartier.com

For further information on Guards Polo Club please contact:

DIANA BUTLER
Communications Director, Guards Polo Club
dianabutler@mediaprocoms.com

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HH Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the daughter of the Ruler of Dubai, and her UAE Polo Team won the Cartier Queen’s Cup 2021. They beat Scone…

Europe, Polo News

Cartier Queen’s Cup Semi-Finals 2021

24. June 2021

Scone Polo 11 – 8 Monterosso for the Hubert Perrodo Trophy & UAE Polo Team 13 – 10 UAE Polo Team ll for the Kerry Packer Trophy

The first Cartier Queen’s Cup Semi-Final featured a Scone Polo team led by father-son duo Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso against the only undefeated team in Monterosso on the Duke’s Ground at Guards Polo Club. Scoring the first six goals of the match, Scone Polo never looked back to win the match 11-8 victory and secure a place in Sunday’s final, writes Michael Foster.

Setting the tone in the first two chukkas, Scone Polo controlled possession and prevented Monterosso from generating any scoring chances to build a large lead. Perfect 7 for 7 penalty shooting led Scone Polo to victory, despite going without a field goal in the entire second half. Finishing with a game-high nine goals, Isidro Strada took advantage of each opportunity while an organised defence for Scone Polo held Monterosso Polo Team to just 25% shooting on 12 shot attempts. A determined Monterosso tried to mount a comeback in the second half, but four penalty conversions for Scone Polo sealed the outcome.

Scoring inside the first minute of the game, Scone Polo’s Adolfo Cambiaso worked the ball downfield with a deflected pass setting up Strada in front of goal for a quick 1-0 lead. Cambiaso continued to keep the ball attached to his mallet, placing an immense amount of pressure on Monterosso’s defence. Receiving two fouls, Cambiaso sent his team to the penalty line as both opportunities were converted by Strada, giving Scone Polo the 3-0 lead. Completing a dominant first chukka, Strada added his fourth goal leaving Monterosso facing a difficult task to close the gap. A delay of game in front of the Monterosso goal resulted in Scone Polo’s third penalty conversion, with Adolfo Cambiaso quickly following with a long pass to son Poroto to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Before the end of the half, Monterosso Polo Team found some momentum from the penalty line as Ignacio Toccalino converted two penalties, while David Stirling also scored from the field, but the result was a significant 7-3 difference at half-time in favour of Scone Polo.

Turning to a balanced attack that had been successful throughout the tournament, Monterosso Polo Team received goals from Toccalino and the team patron, with Mackenzie Weisz collecting the assist as they began to inch closer. A foul-ridden fifth chukka sent Toccalino to the penalty line twice more, converting both to suddenly bring Monterosso within just two goals entering the sixth chukka. Continuing their pressure, Monterosso shot at goal four times over the final minutes but were unable to find the mark. Despite being held to zero field goals in the second half, Scone Polo added penalty conversions from Cambiaso Snr and Strada to seal the 11-8 victory and book their place in the final.

Nathalie Perrodo presented David Paradice with the Perrodo Trophy, named after her late father Hubert Perrodo, patron of the Labegorce Polo Team. Labegorce were twice winners of the Queen’s Cup. Adolfo Cambiaso was named Most Valuable Player while his Lapa 07 received the Best Playing Pony prize.

The second semi-final of the Cartier Queen’s Cup featured a match-up between the two UAE Polo Team organisations, with a late charge over the final two chukkas securing the 13-10 victory for UAE Polo Team over UAE Polo Team II. HH Sheikha Maitha made a welcome return to the UAE Polo Team after watching earlier games from the sidelines due to injury.

An efficient game on both sides of the ball, UAE Polo Team produced twice as many shots at goal in what was ultimately the difference in the late stages of the game. Polito Pieres and Tomy Beresford combined for 12 of their team’s 13 goals, while consistently working to control possession. Winning 18 of the 26 throw-ins in the game, the extra possessions for UAE Polo Team paid dividends in what was a close match throughout. Lucas Monteverde Jr. produced another strong showing, leading UAE Polo Team II with five goals as part of an accurate attack that shot 78%, but they could not slow UAE Polo Team with a spot in the semi-final on the line in the 13-10 defeat.

The opening seconds of the game began with UAE Polo Team charging towards goal but were unable to convert any of their three shot attempts, opening the door for UAE Polo Team II to take the lead. A field goal from Monteverde Jr. and penalty conversion from Alfredo Cappella gave UAE Polo Team II a two-goal advantage, but UAE Polo Team stormed back, scoring four unanswered goals, two from the penalty line, to take their first lead. However, the score was brought back to even by the end of the second chukka as UAE Polo Team II continued to take advantage of each opportunity around goal. The pace increased before the end of the half, providing end-to-end action and few whistles in an exciting third chukka that produced five goals. UAE Polo Team II excelled with Cappella and Huidobro setting up Monteverde Jr. for two goals, while UAE Polo Team responded with individual runs from Pieres and Beresford that propelled them into the one-goal lead and set the scene for a tense final three chukkas.

After defeating Park Place in the quarter-finals, UAE Polo Team II was in search of their next victory and turned to their young two players at the front of the game. Receiving one goal each from Hugo Taylor and Monteverde Jr., UAE Polo Team II tied the game at 8-8, leaving two chukkas to determine the finalist to meet Scone Polo. Zero fouls were seen over the final two chukkas as the teams battled in open play and it was the additional scoring opportunities for UAE Polo Team that pushed them ahead. Beresford accounted for both UAE Polo Team goals in the fifth chukka, accurately receiving passes and finishing with confidence, but they turned to their 9-goaler, Pieres, in the final minutes to seal the victory. Scoring all three goals in the final chukka, Polito Pieres completed an impressive performance with eight goals, sending UAE Polo Team into the final, where they will meet Scone Polo for the prestigious Cartier Queen’s Cup.

UAE Polo Team received the Kerry Packer Trophy. This was given by Laurent Feniou, Managing Director Cartier UK, who was presenting the cup on behalf of Ros Packer. Lucas Monteverde Junior was named the Most Valuable Player and one of the horses he played in this game, El Overa Sensata, received the Best Playing Pony prize.

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Scone Polo 11 – 8 Monterosso for the Hubert Perrodo Trophy & UAE Polo Team 13 – 10 UAE Polo Team ll for the Kerry Packer Trophy The first Cartier Queen’s…