Murus Sanctus patron Corinne Ricard, teh only woman player competing in the English high-goal season will be leading her team in Sunday’s final of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Trippetts Challenge at Cowdray Park Polo Club Sunday afternoon. (Photo courtesy of Pololine)
Blame the English rains for putting an untimely end to Cowdray Park Polo Club’s final round of games of the 2017 Jaeger-LeCoultre Trippetts Challenge. The defending championship La Indiana polo team (Michael Bickford, Nic Roldan, Agustin Merlos and Luke Tomlinson) scored opening wins over Talandracas (11-10) and El Remanso (10-8), but will not be appearing in the tournament final. Additionally, the King Power Foxes (Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Charles Cooney, Gonzalito Pieres and Facundo Pieres) will also take a pass after recording an opening 9-8 win over La Bamba de Areco (Jean Francois Decaux, Diego Cavanagh, Magoo Laprida and Rodrigo Rueda, Jr.).
El Remanso team captain, 4-goaler Charlie Hanbury will be at the head of an All-English lineup in Sunday’s final.
A death in the family had La Indiana patron Michael Bickford flying the US while Facundo Pieres simply remarked “Too much rain,” when asked why his team was dropping out.
King Power is scheduled to play in the opening game of the 2017 Queens Cup at the Guards Polo Club against Sifani (Hilali Noordeen, John-Paul Clarkin, Julian de Lusarreta and Guillermo Terrera) at noon on Tuesday, May 23rd. La Indiana is comfortable resting their horses and preparing for their Queens Cup opener on Tuesday.
Some of the more avid polo fans were hoping to see King Power and La Indiana reprise their meeting in the semifinal of the 2016 Queens Cup (won by La Indiana, 13-12) of the final of the 2016 British Open (captured by King Power, 9-5), but that showdown is going to have to wait.
Sunday’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Trippetts Challenge final will feature Murus Sanctus (Corinne Ricard, Hilario Ulloa, Facundo Sola and Dirk Van Reenen) with a 1-0 record and El Remanso (Charlie Hanbury, Oliver Cudmore, James Beim and James Harper) at 1-1 (losing to La Indiana in bracket play.
El Remanso will have a quick turn-around following Sunday’s final, returning to competition against Talandracas (Edouard Carmignac, Guillermo Caset, Pelon Stirling and Jack Hyde) in Tuesday’s second game of the 2017 Queens Cup. Murus Sanctus will play their first Queens Cup contest on Tuesday against an Adolfo Cambiaso-led RH Polo team (Ben Soleimani, Tommy Beresford, Adolfo Cambiaso and Rodrigo Andrade).