The final weeks of the 2011 saw three 0 goal tournaments, the Corney & Barrow, The BHPC Club Tournament and the Farewell Tournament which as the name suggests, closed the season on September 10th & 11th. All three tournaments saw several visiting teams coming to take advantage of the great grounds and high standard of play.
The Corney & Barrow, August 27 & 28, saw six teams fight it out for the impressive horse & player statue. Saturday’s games lead to a final between Los Lobos and Home Farm. Home Farm sadly didn’t get the bounces and Los Lobos romped home comfortably 6 – 1 to lift the statue. Everyone was delighted to see David “Luigi” Lewis on form again for Los Lobos after his accident at the Berkshire last year, and to see Club Secretary Karyn Shuter swap her usual eventing horses for polo ponies and join Polo Manager Pedro de Lamare and Club Deputy Chairman Michael Mylonas in the winning team. BHPC regulars Home Farm comprised of husband and wife David & Laura Heard as ever playing with gusto, joined by Helga Keay and Miguel Ayala. Long-time member Helga Keay who took the Most Valuable Player prize and Pedro De Lamare’s Cubana was awarded Best Playing Pony.
The Sub Final saw Mei Kwei Lui take on Los Alquimistas and come out 4 – 2 up. The game ended a couple of minutes early when Los Alquimistas player Anthony Donovan took a nasty fall whilst chasing vigorously down the field and disgreeing with his pony as to which direction to go once at the goal. Fortunately after a few days off he was back in the saddle playing the Farewell Tournament. The Sub-Sub Final saw a draw (4 – 4) between Nomads, made up of members Peter Hugh-Smith and Kelly Fernandez with visitors Mike Dodson and Neil Cox, and Sapphire, made up of visitors Jackie Kleimont, Karl Elliot, David Morley and Sophie Heaton-Ellis.
September 3rd & 4th hosted the Binfield Heath Club Tournament which unfortunately was badly affected by the rain which meant only the Final was played on Sunday, and that had to be terminated after the third chukka with a draw. Saturday saw 6 teams compete including a returning visitors team Sapphire, visitors S3 (Jeremy Slade, Marcus Eastwell and Toby Pejkovic joined by BHPC member Vicky Woodhead), and home teams Los Lobos, Frogmore, Home Farm and Coppid Owls. Home Farm beat S3 8 – 5 1/2, Coppid Owls beat Frogmore 5 – 2 and Los Lobos beat Sapphire 5 – 1 1/2.
Our final tournament of the year, the Farewell Tournament, this year played at -2 to 0 goal level, saw 4 teams get their last polo fix of the summer. The weather was relatively kind and the play was of a good standard. Saturday’s games were very close with Home Farm just pip visitors La Rufina into the final 4 1/2 to 4 and Los Lobos beat Los Alquimistas 5 to 4, with Anthony Donovan back in the saddle. Sunday’s Sub-Final saw La Rufina (Charlotte Harris, Becky Bazzard, Jason Olivier with Julio Sepulveda) just lose out Los Alquimistas; Anthony Donovan sensibly decided one game was enough and was replaced today by Jackie Kleimont. Most Valuable Player was awarded to West Wycombe visitor Becky Bazzard.
The final was a fast and hard fought game with Los Lobos (David Lewis, Karyn Shuter, Michael Mylonas and Pedro De Lamare) taking a quick lead and looking like winners but Home Farm (Laura Heard, Holly McCulloch, Jeremey Slade and Miguel Ayala) were not to be defeated and came back fighting, playing brilliantly in the fourth chukka. The final score was 6 1/2 to Home Farm and 5 to Los Lobos, with Laura Heard delighted to take home the final trophy of the season. Jeremy Slade played very well but was just pipped to the Most Valuable Player award by David Lewis. Best Playing Pony was awarded to Doble-te, owned by Tomaz Fernandez and played by David Lewis.
