VIVARI QUEENS CUP 2008 – GUARDS POLO CLUB
By JOANNE HEARN
The Vivari Queen’s Cup Final was held on Sunday 15th June on the Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club in Windsor. This high goal final is the culmination of three weeks of thrilling and fast paced polo. The team sheets read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of polo. This is the second year that Vivari have sponsored the Queen’s Cup.
Sumaya and Ellerston were the two teams to battle it out to win this prestigious trophy, which is presented to the winning team by HM The Queen.
The team for Sumaya playing in their first Queens Cup final, after defeating the current holders Loro Piana in the semi finals, were Ahmad Aboughazal (0), Pepe Heguy (8), Milo Fernandez Araujo (80 and back Hilario Ulloa (6). Ellerston trying for their record sixth victory in this tournament were Max Routledge (2), Gonzalito Pieres (9), Pablo MacDonough (who replaced Facundo Pieres – their 10 goal star as he had been injured in the quarter finals) and back James Packer (1).
Proceeding the match, the packed grandstands and picnic areas listened to the Band of the Irish Guards and a parade of the Honorary Artillery Company who had taken part in yesterday’s Trooping of the Colour to celebrate the Queen’s official birthday.
The match commenced promptly at 3pm and the crowds were treated to an awesome display of passion, power and agility by the two teams. The first chukka saw Sumaya taking the lead within minutes and for the second and third chukka Sumaya were on fire leading at half time by 5-2.
After the traditional treading of the divots, the fourth chukka saw Ellerston playing hard and fast with brilliant goals from both teams. At the start of the sixth chukka Pablo Macdonough scores to put Ellerston in the lead by two goals but then Sumaya scored again – was it going to a seventh chukka – no Ellerston won 10-9 for a record breaking sixth win, having won in 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998 and 1999.
The presentations were made by HM The Queen and James Packer collected the Queen’s Cup on behalf of Ellerston. The ‘Best Playing Pony’ was Elaborate ridden by Pablo Macdonough in the second and fourth chukka. The ‘Most Valuable Player’ was Gonzalito Pieres and the ‘Best Turned Out Team’ were Ellerston.
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Photos by Nigel Kaye
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| Ellerston with the Queen’s Cup. James Packer, Max Routledge, Gonzalito Pieres, Facundo Pieres and Pablo Mc Donough. |
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HM The Queen presenting trophies to the players.
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The Guards.
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