UK NATIONAL WOMEN’S POLO TOURNAMENT 2010
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S POLO ASSOCIATION Report
UK NATIONAL WOMEN’S POLO TOURNAMENT 2010 – by Mia Randall-Coath
For the twenty second year, Ascot Park Polo Club in Chobham played host to the UK National Women’s Polo Tournament on the 31st July and 1st August and this year the IWPA and APPC were delighted to support SANDS and its research in to still birth and neonatal death.
With twenty two teams competing, the Tournament remains the largest of its kind in the world and it was once again very pleasing to welcome players from across the UK and Ireland and from all levels of the game.
Despite the best efforts of the surprisingly dry British summer, play started early on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. On the superbly conditioned grounds, the first balls were thrown in respectively at 9.00am and 9.30 am with play continuing throughout each day.
One of the many highlights of Finals day on Sunday was the spectacle of polo professionals Oli Hipwood, Gaston Devrient, Charlie Wooldridge and Richard Blake-Thomas having their heads and other parts shaved for charity! A fantastic amount which is still to be announced was raised for this worthy cause.
The Stickhedz Polo Apparel 1 to 2 Goal level title was won by Pink Power who beat Silverwood 7 ½ goals to 7, in a fantastically exciting final with the Andros Best Playing Pony Award going to Lucy Taylor’s pony ‘Dublin’ from the Silverwood team and the Elemis MVP award went to Kirstie Otamendi of ‘Pink Power’. The Foxhills minus 1 - 0 Goal level final was won in style by Los Gatos over Eagle in another thrilling final where a mere half goal separated the two teams – final score 5 ½ - 5 goals. The Elemis MVP was awarded to Heloise Lorentzen from the Los Gatos team. In the Gaucho Clothes 0 Goal Subsidiary Final, Rutland beat Gorgeous Girls 5 goals to 4.
In the Uber Polo minus 2 to minus 1 Goal level final, Keelings beat Manor Farm Angels and in the Westwood Rocks minus 3 to minus 4 Goal level, Oberoi Polo beat Wowdray. At the Touch of Ginger minus 5 to minus 6 Goal final, Dark Horse Polo beat Longdole. Emma Boers of Longdole was deservedly awarded MVP. In the Chobham Rider minus 7 to minus 8 goal level, Antarus beat Andros. The Best Turned-Out Team award went to Mandy Beitner’s team ‘Pink Power’ for their fantastic coordinating shirts, bandages and saddle blankets.
Pippa Grace, Chairman of the IWPA was once again delighted with this year’s Tournament. "My thanks go to all the sponsors who donated remarkable prizes and to the professional players who supported the tournament. To each and every player who travelled the length and breadth of the country and to players at across the levels of the tournament who came together to showcase all that is good in women’s polo, Thank you and well done."
UK NATIONAL WOMEN’S POLO TOURNAMENT
31st – 1st August Ascot Park Polo Club
Handicap Levels -8 , -7 to -5, -4 to -3, -2 to -1, 0, 1 – 2
Principal Sponsors: Stickhedz, Foxhills, Uber Polo
Number of Teams: twenty two
1 – 2 Goal Winners: Pink Power
0 Goal Winners: Los Gatos
- 1 to – 2 Goal Winners: Keelings
- 4 to -3 Goal Winners: Oberoi Polo
- 7 to – 5 Goal Winners: Dark Horse Polo
- 8 to – 7 Goal Winners: Antarus (Kate Parks, Sarah Pearce, Charley Howell, Laura Parker) beat Andros (Kat Flynn, Posey Cotrell, Clare Warrender, Mia Randall-Coath).
