CARTIER INTERNATIONAL POLO- THE CORONATION CUP
GUARDS POLO CLUB – SUNDAY 25TH JULY 2010
By Joanne Hearn and photos by Nigel Kaye
The Coronation Cup, sponsored for the 26th year by Cartier, was played today on the Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Cub.
The English polo season finale saw the return of the New Zealand team captained once again by John Paul Clarkin making his fifth appearance in this prestigious match. The last time these two teams met was in 2006 when England beat New Zealand 9-6.
Winning Team.
Playing today for England were James Beim (7), Mark Tomlinson (7), Malcolm Borwick (6) and Luke Tomlinson (7). The New Zealand team were Simon Keyte (7), Tommy Wilson (6), John Paul Clarkin (8) and Sam Hopkinson (6).
A crowd of some 25,000 spectators together with celebrities who had been invited by Cartier to a sumptuous lunch prepared by leading chef Anton Mosimann, took their seats in the grandstands and on the grass surrounding the Queen’s Ground as the two teams came out to a thundering applause.
After three minutes in the first chukka, Luke Tomlinson, who has played for England for the past seven years, scored a tremendous goal to put England in the lead, much to the crowd’s delight.
England scored again within minutes into the second chukka and again, however, with seconds to spare New Zealand scored, and at the end of the second chukka England still lead 3-1.
The Coronation Cup.
The third chukka belonged to England with goal after goal and by the end of the chukka and half time England were leading 6-1.
After the crowd had spilled out onto the ground to tread the divots, the fourth chukka saw Malcolm Borwick score for England increasing their lead to 7-1, eventually New Zealand scored again with a great goal by John Paul Clarkin. England were still in the lead at the end of the chukka by 7-2.
John Paul Clarkin scored at the start of the fifth as a result of a penalty followed swiftly by a fourth goal from John Paul Clarkin. The match really started to come alive with some fast and furious polo and at the start of the sixth chukka John Paul Clarkin produced a further great goal to narrow England’s lead, only two goals between the teams. New Zealand had come to life and scored two more goals, another by John Paul Clarkin, swiftly followed by a goal by Simon Keyte to even the score 7-7 to the cheers of the crowd. England fought back and Luke Tomlinson scored for England to put them once again in the lead. The tension was mounting would New Zealand score again in the final seconds to make the match go into a seventh chukka, no, James Beim scored just before the end of the sixth chukka. England once again beat New Zealand 9-7.
His Royal Highness Prince Charles presented the Coronation Cup to the Captain of the England team, Luke Tomlinson. The ‘Most Valuable Player’ award went to James Beim and the ‘Best Playing Pony’ was Gumboot ridden by John Paul Clarkin.