A determined English effort scored an 11-10 win over the United States in the 2013 Townsend International Challenge Cup at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California and captured the cup for the first time in its 90 year history.
Empire Polo Club owner, Al Haagen, Pacific Coast Circuit Lt. Governor, Scott Walker, England Team Manager, Michael Amoore, Max Charlton, Oliver Hipwood, Sebastian Dawnay, USPA Arena Committee Chairman, Daniel Coleman.
England’s Sebastian Dawnay and USA’s Tommy Biddle exchanged opening goals before England went on a run. Dawnay added two more goals and Max Charlton scored to give England a three goal, 4-1 advantage after the first chukker.
The United States got back into it in the second chukker after a slow start as Biddle scored twice and Billy Sheldon added a goal. Charlton and Dawnay added single goals as England held the lead, 6-4.
A strong third chukker saw the US team tie it up at 7-7 with Biddle scoring twice and Rob Yackley getting his first score of the game. Charlton scored England’s only goal of the chukker.
Fourth chukker action saw Dawnay and Yackley exchanging goals, 8-8. Ensuing goals from Dawnay and Charlton put England on top, 10-8 with less than a minute to play. Biddle scored the last two goals in regulation time, knotting it up at 10-10 and forcing an overtime period.
Both teams agreed to play a 3 minute and 45 second overtime period. It was agreed that whoever was winning at the end of that time would be declared the winner.
Three minutes into overtime, England was awarded a penalty shot. Dawnay’s shot at goal went wide, and in an effort to control the ball, Sheldon sprang forward. The ball hit his horse and ricocheted into the goal to end the match.
“They were a much better prepared team than they were in our last meeting,” admitted Biddle. “I worked my but off,” he added. “It was the toughest game I ever played,” he admitted. They played great.”
Dawnay and Biddle each scored seven goals for their respective teams. Max Charlton scored four times for England while rob Yackley added two goals to the USA column and Billy Sheldon scored once.
Biddle, arena polo’s only 10-goal player, returned to Wellington Sunday night and will get a good night’s sleep before preparing for Wednesday’s 20-goal match in the Joe Barry Memorial Cup tournament at the International Polo Club when he and his Goose Creek (1-0) teammates will face ERG (1-0).