By Alex Webbe
“It was all good fun,” offered an apologetic Major Mark Cann following the British forces 6-4 loss to a contingent of Florida’s women players Friday afternoon on the grounds of the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington.
“We’ve played against women’s teams on four occasions,” confessed Cann, “and lost each time. Can went on to explain how one of the team’s losses came at the hands of a Canadian women’s rugby team, much to the amusement of the assembled polo fans and supporters of the Museum of Polo.
Cann and teammates Alex Hawes, Jack Mann and Martin Adcock had just attended meetings in Washington, D. C. with American counterparts regarding the efforts of The British Forces Foundation. The British Forces foundation is similar to the USO of the United States and exists to boost the morale of British servicemen and women. The shows and other projects of the Foundation attempt to “convey the gratitude of the British public for the work of the Armed forces and the sacrifices they make.”
Following a formal reception attended by the foundations Patron, HRH the Prince of Wales, Marc and company were invited to Wellington, Florida by Marc and Melissa Ganzi, to compete in some friendly competition. After a few days of riding and playing practice chukkers, the idea of a challenge match between the women of the Grand Champions Polo Club (the Ganzis own polo club) and the British Forces team evolved, serving as a fundraiser for the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame.
Under a threatening, overcast sky, the Women of Grand Champions scored first with America’s top female player, 3-goaler Sunny Hale, converting a penalty shot. Mark Cann answered for the British Forces with a goal from the field to knot it up at 1-1. With the British Forces attempting to bring the ball into play, an alert tiffany Busch jumped on the ball, stealing it from her counterpart and carrying it through the goal posts for a 2-1 lead after the first chukker of play.
Busch’s second steal of the game netted another goal for the ladies, and Lauren Biddle made it 4-1 with her first goal of the match. A disorganized British forces team struggled to organize as Sunny Hale and company pressed the British defenses.
It wasn’t until the fourth and final chukker that the military foursome from across the pond got their act together. Goals from Alex Hawes and Jack Mann cut the lead to just two goals as the English contingent managed to shutout the women for the first time all afternoon, but it was a case of too little, too late.
With the Brits continuing to press an aggressive attack, time expired and the Women of the Grand Champions Polo Club rode off of the field with a 6-4 victory as rain began to fall.
Sunny Hale scored three of the women’s six goals, earning her MVP honors. Marc Ganzi’s Nicasia, an 8-year-old Bay mare, ridden by tiffany Busch, was named Best Playing Pony.
Tea, hors de oeuvres were served following the match and a silent auction that included a Nespresso coffee machine were offered.
Action will continue at the Grand Champions Polo Club Saturday morning at 10 am with a round-robin featuring Newport, Pony Express and Power Horse, the winner going on to play Audi in Sunday’s 6pm finals of the 2011 Spring classic. In an effort to atone for Friday’s loss, England’s Martin Adcock will be competing with Gene Goldstein’s Newport team while Mark Cann will play with Bob Daniel’s Pony Express entry.