Cirencester Park staged a cracker on Saturday 20 June. Thai Polo beat Lovelocks Polo Stud 11-10 in the 22-goal final of the S2 Mechanical Warwickshire Cup, and the margin could hardly have been tighter.
The final
Hilario Ulloa scored eight of Thai Polo’s goals, while Carlos Ulloa scored five for Lovelocks. Thai Polo were Milly Hine, Louis Hine, Hilario Ulloa and Will Harper. Lovelocks were Charlie Hanbury, Juan Gris Zavaleta, Carlos Ulloa and Ollie Cudmore.
It was a tournament of two Ulloas, with Hilario and Carlos on opposite sides of the final, which will no doubt have made for some family conversation. In the subsidiary final, Monterosso beat Jindal Steel La Dolfina 8-7. The women’s international was also scheduled for the afternoon of finals day, which gave the crowd a full day of polo in the Cotswolds.
Milly Hine, who has won the US Open Women’s three years running, is a familiar name at this level, and playing in a 22-goal final alongside Louis Hine, with Hilario Ulloa at the front, is a good example of how the women’s game is now integrated into the top level.
Swiss Medium Goal Championship
At Polo Park Zürich, the Swiss Medium Goal Championship was played from 18 to 21 June. JBC Software beat Equilibrium in the final on Sunday 21 June. JBC Software were Sophia Schick, Ann-Kathrin Braendle, Manuel María Bereterbide and Manuel Carranza. Five teams took part, and the handicaps were low, so the competition was among a fair group.
The Gold Cup is nearly here
The British Open Polo Championship for the Cowdray Gold Cup, known this year as the St. Regis British Open, starts on Tuesday 23 June at Cowdray Park. Nineteen teams are entered, with a league phase that runs until the knockout rounds in July and a final on Sunday 19 July. The British Ladies Open final will be played that morning, so the women’s final will share the day with the men’s.
Who should we be watching?
- Balanz Capital: winners of the Trippetts and the Queen’s Cup, with Lorenzo Chavanne and Camilo Castagnola
- Aureus: beaten finalists at the Queen’s Cup, with a strong attack
- Gaston: Jean Paul Luksic’s team lost heavily at the Trippetts but has plenty of depth
- Dubai: semi-finalists at the Queen’s Cup, and always a threat
We will report on the opening matches next week.
Sources: Polo Times (Warwickshire Cup), Polo Press (Swiss Medium Goal), Polo Times (Gold Cup draw)
