By Alex Webbe
After falling behind 6-0 in the revival of arena polo’s Townsend International Challenge Cup at the Great Meadow Polo Club in The Plains, Virginia, California native Billy Sheldon converted three consecutive penalty shots before ending the opening chukker with an exclamation mark as he scored a two-point goal to bring the Americans within one at the end of the first period of play, 6-5.
“Our game plan was to put as many goals on the board as early as we could,” said British 2-goaler Dominic State (who replaced the ailing 6-goaler Martin French Blake). “It was a bit intimidating,” said State, “to ride out into the arena with a 12-goal team and face a very strong 15-goal team.”
When asked to describe the defensive tone of the game, State said that every goal that was scored from the field by either team was a real “knife fight”.
“There weren’t any tap in goals,” said State, “it was a very physical contest.”
Great Britain stormed back in the second chukker on the strength of two goals from State and a Penalty 1 goal. Sheldon added two more penalty conversions and the US team took advantage of two goals awarded via Penalty 1s against the British team to take a narrow 10-9 halftime lead.
“I think the turning point was when we put five consecutive points on the board in the first chukker,” said Sheldon. “I think we finally got our rhythm.”
Sheldon credited the British team for it’s fierce competitiveness and reaffirmed the fact that it wasn’t an easy match.
“They didn’t come over here for a social game of polo,” he said.
State tied it with an opening goal in the third chukker before John Gobin answered for the United States with a goal. State came right back with his fourth goal of the game before Sheldon’s seventh goal of the match. Gobin scored again to give the US a 12-11 advantage. Gobin and State would each add another goal to their team’s total and Adair Seager scored his first goal of the match to end the chukker with the United States leaving the arena with a 14-12 lead.
Sheldon led all scoring with eight points on the day. Teammates Seager and Gobin scored three goals apiece.
Dominic State paced the British attack with six goals. Maurice Ormerod scored three times and Giles Ormerod added a single goal in the loss. Great Britain received three goals by handicap.
“We were thrilled with the success of the event,” said Arena Polo committee Chairman Dr. Phillip Karber. “It was a wonderful way to bring the Townsend Cup back into play and put some emphasis on the game.”
Played before a crowd that was inflated by hundreds of USPA delegates present for the Association meetings, the United States moved out to a 16-12 lead on the strength of two more goals from Seager. Maurice Ormerod scored the last two goals of the game for Great Britain as the United States took the trophy with a 16-14 score.
With eight seconds left on the clock in the fourth and final chukker, Great Britain trailed by two goals.
“I heard Gobin shouting ‘Don’t let them get a two-pointer”, and realized that we still had a chance,” said State, “but when they took control of the ball on the throw-in I knew it was over.”
The final whistle sounded and both teams, tired and sore, shook hands. Britain’s team captain Giles Ormerod was immediately making plans for a rematch and the USPA’s Phil Karber was just as anxious to make it happen.
“It was a great match,” said Sheldon. “We were supplied with great horses and overwhelming hospitality,” he added.
Game MVPs were selected by Roderick Vere Nicoll (selected the British MVP) and Rege Ludwig (selected the US MVP) with the high-scoring Billy Sheldon for the United States and Giles Ormerod for Great Britain.
Levi, a 15-year-old chestnut mare owned by the Seager family, received a blanket sponsored by The Polo Times. Levi was played by Adair Seager in the fourth chukker.
Dr. Karber was quick to point out how the tournament committee went to great lengths to breach the East-West game that sometimes arises in the game. Until he broke his wrist while playing in Wyoming, California 6-goaler Shane Rice was slated to play with the US Team. Shane’s uncle, Billy Sheldon, was the team’s alternate player and amply filled the bill.
“We’re already talking about playing the Townsend International Cup on the West Coast,” said Karber. “It’s truly a tournament that needs to be embraced as a national event rather than one of a regional nature.”
This year’s competition was coaxed off the shelf through the efforts of the Virginia-born polo-playing publisher of Hurlingham Magazine, Roderick Vere Nicoll and Dr. Karber.
The only downside of the event was the hospitalization of British 6-goaler Martin French Blake on the evening before the event. British-born, Virginia resident Dominic State stepped up to the plate and turned in a brilliant performance for Great Britain. Blake remains hospitalized for an unknown malady as the doctors are awaiting blood work results from the Mayo Clinic.