July brought the two biggest dates of the British summer, and both produced strong stories. At Cowdray Park, King Power Foxes won the Gold Cup for the British Open for the third year running, and a week later England regained the Coronation Cup at Guards.
Gold Cup final: King Power Foxes 13, El Remanso 8
The final on Sunday 23 July pitted the holders against El Remanso, the four-man English team whose run through the tournament had won over the home crowd. King Power fielded Hugo Taylor (1) in place of Top Srivaddhanaprabha, James Fewster (2), and the Pieres brothers, Gonzalito (10) at three and Facundo (10) at back. El Remanso had Charlie Hanbury, Ollie Cudmore (5), James Beim (6) and James Harper (6).
El Remanso made the better start. Hanbury scored first, and the English side shut down the Pieres brothers while sending their own forwards through to score. King Power adjusted, and the score was 3-3 after two chukkas. The third chukka was the turning point: El Remanso failed to score, and a splendid field goal from Fewster helped King Power to a 6-3 half-time lead. It became 9-4 in the fourth. El Remanso rallied in the fifth through a Beim field goal and two Harper goals, but Facundo Pieres answered with a 60-yard penalty and a field goal, and it was 11-7. Fewster scored his third in the last chukka, Gonzalito converted a penalty, and Cudmore’s late goal was only a consolation.
Facundo Pieres led the scoring with five goals. Fewster, playing in his first Gold Cup final, matched Gonzalito’s goal tally and took the MVP award. Gonzalito’s New Chicago was named Best Playing Pony.
Coronation Cup: England 7, Commonwealth 1
On the last Saturday of the month, the Hurlingham Polo Association’s Royal Salute Coronation Cup went to England, who beat the Commonwealth 7-1 in heavy rain at Guards. Some wide early penalties from Commonwealth shooters let England build a three-goal lead, which they extended steadily. James Harper was named MVP, and John Paul Clarkin’s nine-year-old mare Magpie took Best Playing Pony. Eighteen-year-old Fewster was also honoured as the HPA’s Best Young Player of the Year.
For the first time, the day also included a women’s international. The England Ladies beat the USA Ladies 8-3, with Hazel Jackson named MVP and 20-year-old Izzy McGregor, the youngest player on the field, impressing too. It was a welcome addition to the schedule and a sign of how quickly the women’s game is growing.
Sources: Sussex Express, Guards Polo Club
