Sand Chic and Style on the Sand add a fashion element to the vigor and excitement of Pinctada Cable Beach Polo 2013, which will be played on the sweeping sands of iconic Cable Beach in Broome Western Australia on the weekend of May 18-19 2013.   Four beach polo matches, including an international clash, will be played during the weekend tournament, which is the cornerstone of the Pinctada Cable Beach Polo Festival. The beach polo action is free to watch picnic-style from the beach or tickets can be purchased to the VIP marquee.

Festival Director Marilynne Paspaley AM is encouraging all spectators to dress for the occasion and participate in the ‘between chukkas’ fashion events on each day of the tournament - Sand Chic will be held during Saturday’s beach polo action while Style on the Sand will be featured on Sunday. Each day’s fashion event is open to all spectators, whether they are enjoying the beach polo action picnic-style on the sand or from the VIP marquee.

Pinctada Cable Beach Polo 2013 is played on the pristine sands of Cable Beach flanked by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and the Kimberley’s distinctive red pindan earth.

“Cable Beach Polo 2013 is not just a great sporting event, it also pays homage to the rich history of the Kimberley region and the Kimberley community. Pearling is integral to Broome’s story and Paspaley has been there from the outset, farming the prized Australian South Sea pearl in the pristine waters off the Kimberley coast, which provides the stunning backdrop to Australia’s only beach polo tournament.  I am thrilled that Paspaley is offering two beautiful prizes for Sand Chic and Style on the Sand to reflect Broome’s rich pearling heritage.”

For further information on the event and the Polo please contact our New Zealand Western Australia Holiday Specialist Jeremy Yates:

Jeremy Yates – MNZITT

Travel Designer

Reid & Yates Travel Management Ltd

in association with Travel Designers Ltd

DDI: + 64 9 304 2723

Mob: + 64 (0)21 069 1908

www.reidyates.travel

The 50.2 acre San Saba Polo Ranch features a full-sized polo field, two barns comprising 48 stalls, a practice ground, a man-made lake and extensive horse trails.

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Roddy Williams of England and Seb Dawnay of The British Isles competing for the ball. © Nigel Goddard/KSDigital Photography

England once again took the honours in the International Arena Polo Test Match at the All England Polo Club, Hickstead, at the weekend, seeing off their rivals from the rest of the British Isles to maintain their unbeaten record and retain the Bryan Morrison trophy.

The team of captain Chris Hyde (the highest rated arena polo player in Britain, with a handicap of 9), Tarquin Southwell (7) and Roddy Williams (7) faced strong opposition from the British Isles team, captained by Jamie Morrison (8) alongside Seb Dawnay (8) and Maurice Ormerod (6).

The winning England team of Chris Hyde (9), Tarquin Southwell (7) and . © Tony Ramirez/www.imagesofpolo.com

The teams were neck-and-neck for the first half of the game, with the British Isles team finishing the first chukka one goal clear (4-3). England pulled it back to an 8-8 draw by the end of the second chukka, but by the third the home team began to stamp their authority, drawing three goals ahead with the scoreboard showing 12-15 to England.

A couple of goals from the British Isles team took the score back to 14-16 with 3min 30sec on the clock, but England quickly restored the three goal lead, with another two soon following. An impressive shot by England’s Roddy Williams with just 23 sec to go saw England seal a convincing victory, with a final score of 14-20.

“I don’t think the score did the game justice. It was 8-8 at half time and could have gone either way, but during the break we had a bit of a conflab, changed a few things and that was the turning point,” said England’s Chris Hyde, who was also crowned Most Valuable Player.

Chris also paid tribute to the facilities at the All England Polo Club at Hickstead. “The surface and arena is the best in the country,” he praised. 

John Bunn, chairman of the AEPC, pronounced the day a resounding success. “The International Test Match was an excellent game of polo – very technical for the first few chukkas and then it opened up a bit,” he said. “I’m delighted with how it went – amazing weather, a very good crowd and it’s brilliant to have the best players in the country coming down to Hickstead and saying how good our facilities are.” 

© Tony Ramirez/www.imagesofpolo.com

In the first match of the day, the Clogau 12 Goal Challenge, Wales beat the Commonwealth team 18-17 when the match had to go to an extra chukka and a ‘golden goal’ sudden death finish.

Representing the winning team was captain Ricky Cooper (0), Peter Webb (6) and Roddy Matthews (4), while playing for the Commonwealth team were team captain Jonathan Munro Ford (0), Howard Smith (6) and Dean Lines (4).

Clogau, the proud sponsors of the Wales polo team, generously donated stunning Welsh gold cuff links to the winning teams and a Clogau watch to the Most Valuable Player, which was presented to Peter Webb by Clogau’s Brand Manager, Sonia Menezes.

The arena polo season at Hickstead culminates in the End Of Season Champagne Pommery Challenge Final on Saturday 9 March. The All England Polo Club’s eighth polo season kicks off once again in October 2013, with an open weekend for new and existing members.

Jose Calverio, 26, was flown to Delray Medical Center following the Friday afternoon incident, but was pronounced dead about an hour after the incident.

Calverio was taking a horse from a playing field. He was passing  behind another horse which became spooked, and kicked him, knocking him unconscious.

Source: Horsetalk.co.nz

Ignatius du Plessis

International polo star Ignatius du Plessis has flown in from South Africa to join a youthful NZ Polo Open team, playing for Veuve Clicquot.

Ignatius (Nachi) du Plessis, aged 24 has achieved the high handicap rating of 8 goals. In the Veuve Clicquot team he joins fellow Kiwi team members Glenn Sherriff (4-goal handicap) aged 24, James Worker (2-goal handicap) aged 25 and Kit Brooks (4-goal handicap), who is 28.

Du Plessis won the coveted Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at the 2011 British Open Polo Championship. Auckland Polo Club President Tony van den Brink says that with a player as good as Du Plessis in their team, Veuve Clicquot stands a very good chance of winning.

“Nachi is a very smooth player, very talented and very quick. He will be playing on New Zealand polo ponies, which are among the best in the world,” van den Brink says.

This year’s NZ Polo Open tournament will be a day of athletic prowess on the field and spectator social indulgence. Veuve Clicquot will host VIP guests in a raised marquee with the best views of the polo, as their team competes with six others to win the coveted NZ Polo Open Trophy. Teams competing include Veuve Clicquot, BMW, Howard Scott & Partners, Rodd & Gunn, Mobilis and Bayleys.

Veuve Clicquot senior brands manager Rai Banbury says: “We are proud to be involved in the New Zealand Polo Open, which is a truly world class event. Veuve Clicquot has a global affiliation with polo and Clicquot polo tournaments are celebrated in cities including Los Angeles, New York, Cape Town and Sydney. We have high hopes for our NZ team and are looking forward to making a toast to them as they play and with a bit of luck win, on the day”.

The NZ Polo Open will take place on Sunday 24 February 10am-6pm, 102 Clevedon-Kawakawa Road, Clevedon.

Mike Azzaro, wife Amy, daughter Allie
and sons Hunter and Harrison. © Alex Pacheco

The Museum of Polo hosted an evening to honor the Polo Hall of Fame inductees last Friday night in Lake Worth, Florida, with nearly 400 guests attending.

The honorees included Mike Azzaro, Robert Gould Shaw II, Tim Gannon, Bill Gilmore, and polo ponies Ever Ready and Fairy Story.

The evening kicked off by acknowledging the equine heroes of the sport. Accepting the award on behalf of Fairy Story, a superstar pony of the 1920s, was Pierre Manigault, the great-nephew of the pony’s owner Stephen “Laddie” Sanford. Manigault announced the donation of the historic trophy won by Fairy Story in 1929, the Prince Friarstown Cup, to the Museum of Polo.

Next, Ever Ready, owned by Ray Harrington, was recognized. Chuck Wright, who had played the mare, accepted the award on behalf of the Harrington family. Ever Ready carried Harrington to wins in the US Open, winning the Best Playing Pony in 1969.

Then, William Gilmore was honored posthumously with the Iglehart Award. Gilmore was remembered as a powerful force in the resurrection of polo in California after WWII. Members of his family made the trip from the West Coast.

Next, Tim Gannon was presented the Living Philip Iglehart Award. At the podium, an emotional Gannon presented his son Chris with his first saddle, passing the mantle of a polo legacy.

Inducted posthumously for his skill as a player in the late 19th early 20th century, was 9-goaler Robert Gould “Bobby” Shaw II. He was represented by a great grandson, Alexander Aggasiz Shaw, and his daughter, Phoebe, who travelled from Massachusetts to accept the award.

Vince Azzaro introduced his son, 10-goaler Mike Azzaro, the final inductee of the evening. The younger Azzaro, in an emotional acceptance speech, credited his success to the support of his entire family.

The evening was sponsored by Marc and Melissa Ganzi, Grand Champions Polo Club, International Polo Club Palm Beach, Wayne and Pam Garrison, Barbara Uskup, Robert Lipman, Lipman Brothers, Brown-Forman, Bacardi USA, Fetzer Vineyards, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Carrabba’s.

The victorious New Zealand team.

It was a glorious summer afternoon, 25 degrees with a slight cooling breeze. Paul and Jenny Kay’s Nga Rakau ground looked a picture, the side-lines filled with marquees, pavilions and umbrellas, and an expectant crowd.

South Africa had sent a young team, we saw three of the players in 2007 F.I.P. Zone D play-offs in a 14 goal team and now here they were, five years later, playing off 26 goals. Brothers Nachi and Jean du Plessis with Tom de Bruin and Duncan Watson, all under 25 years old, had looked very tidy in the practice games.

New Zealand stayed with their seasoned campaigners, John-Paul Clarkin, Tommy Wilson and Sam Hopkinson, and added new representative at this level, Thomas Hunt.

Waipa District Mayor Alan Livingstone welcomed the teams and the ball was bowled in to start the match. South Africa scored first with a Jean du Plessis penalty. Tommy, John-Paul and Sam scored field goals and Jean converted another penalty to give NZ a 3 – 2 lead at the end of the first chukka.

Chukka 2 and the teams traded penalties, one to Jean and one from Tommy.

Chukka 3 was a goal festival, both teams scored 3 field goals each and another successful penalty taken by Jean du Plessis had the score tied 7 – 7 at half time.

There were few divots to stomp at half time.

The crowd flooded the pitch looking for divots but there were none so they ambled about chatting, seeing and being seen.

The half time team talks must have changed the mind-set of both teams as the game tightened up in the fourth chukka and no goals were scored.

South Africa scored the first two goals in the fifth, giving them a 9 -7 lead which made the NZ supporters a little nervous but penalties from Tommy and John-Paul brought the score to 9 -9 at the end of the chukka.

Jean and Tommy traded penalties early in the sixth chukka so the score was still tied. Side-line pundits started to think about extra time. There was a melee near half way when suddenly Sam Hopkinson broke free with the ball and ran to goal to give NZ the lead. The Africans came back hard but ran out of time and at the final bell the score was 11 – 10 to NZ. The crowd was delighted!

Jean du Plessis had 100% success with his penalty hits and was named man of the match. Andrew Parrott’s pony played by Nachi du Plessis was awarded the pony prize.

The curtain raiser match between the North Island and South Island Colts was won by the Southerners in a very fast match.

The South Island colts team won the curtain raiser at Kihikihi International Day on February 9, prevailing over the North Island in a very fast match.

From the Kihikihi International Tournament:

Sunny Hale. © Alice Gipps

The eighth annual Women’s Championship Tournament, the only women’s polo event of its kind in the world, will be hosted by Grand Champions Polo Club, from April 3 to 6 in Wellington, Florida.

The final and subsidiary final will be held Saturday, April 6.

“Grand Champions Polo Club is excited and honored to host the WCT for the second consecutive year,” said Piaget player-patron Melissa Ganzi.

Ganzi and her husband Marc, will host the four-day event that showcases the best women’s polo players.

Last year’s round-robin tournament featured seven teams with players from all over the world including South Africa, Jamaica and Hawaii.

“We are the LPGA of women’s polo,” said WCT founder Sunny Hale. “Women come to play from all over after qualifying.”

Hale and her Goose Creek team won last year’s 3-6 goal championship title with a 5-3 victory over Prima. Hale was named Most Valuable Player after scoring five goals. Hale was joined by Julia Smith, Maureen Brennan and Clarissa Echezaretta on the winning team.

In the 0-2 goal championship final, Speedwell defeated Oakley 8, 7-3. Vero Beach-based Tiffany Busch was named Most Valuable Player.

“This isn’t little backyard polo,” Busch said. “Between putting together awesome teams and the caliber of horses, this is the big time for women. You have got to come and you got to come prepared.”

Hale said in addition to the women’s tournament, a junior girls tournament will be held in conjunction with the event.

Last year a junior girls game was held and attracted several up-and-coming junior players including Mia Cambiaso, the daughter of 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso; Jackie Casey, the daughter of player and top coach Joey Casey; and Riley Ganzi, the daughter of Marc and Melissa Ganzi, all members of the champion Catena team, 1-0 winners over Grand Champions.

“We have the template for the largest women’s series in the world but I was so excited about organizing the junior girls game for the first time,” Hale said. “We want to take it a step further and have a tournament for junior girls.

“This is truly the next generation of players and to have their player-fathers bringing them is what I want to open the door for,” Hale said.

Hale is the first woman in US history to win the US Open Polo Championship with Tim Gannon’s Outback in 2000. The seven-time Player of the Year is the most decorated woman’s polo player. Her highest ranking has been five.

Hale is regarded as one of the top woman’s players in the world and currently rated at 3 goals.

Hale’s most recent appearance at Grand Champions Polo Club was as a member of the US women’s team that lost to powerful Great Britain in the International Cup doubleheader on November 25.

The growth of women’s polo is skyrocketing, spearheaded by the Women’s Championship Tournament series founded in 2005 to consolidate women’s polo and promote high quality competition throughout the world.

A Women’s Tournament Committee was created to encourage and increase the participation of women in the USPA, polo’s national governing body, to improve the standard of women’s polo.

The USPA U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championships and Women’s U.S. Handicap, are both qualifier events for the 2013 WCT Championship event.

The WCT Finals perpetual trophy is on display at the Lake Worth-based National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame. It was presented to the WCT from Bill Kraft of Catena USA.