The 2006 Summer Tournamament

This annual highlight of the New Forest Polo Club’s calendar was played over three days for the coveted Blue Jackets Cup.

Sponsored by Churchill Retirement Living, this tournament provided a fantastic spectacle of polo with eight teams fighting it out for the right to hold aloft the Blue Jackets Cup on Sunday afternoon.

On Thursday the quarter finals set the standard with some exceptional polo with Interoffice, Churchill Retirement living, Cambridge & Southfield going forward to the semi finals for the Blue Jackets Cup. The remaining four teams would compete for the Gieves Cup.

On Saturday, semi-finals day, Interoffice beat Cambridge 8 – 5 and Churchill Retirement edged out Southfield 7 - 5 in a close fought match to set up a mouth watering prospect for the Final of the Blue Jackets Cup. Cambridge and Southfield would play for the Wilde Cup

In the semi-final of the Gieves Cup, Ridgebacks beat Emlor 5- 4 in extra time and Maiz Dulce  held on to win 8 - 6½ against the New Forest. Emlor and the New Forest would meet on Sunday for the Cadnam Cup

On Sunday, the Final of the Wilde Cup provided an exciting 1st match with Cambridge running out victorious 6 -3 over Southfield.

Followed by the Gieves Cup between Maiz Dulce and Ridgebacks, Ridgebacks taking an early lead 1½ - 0 lead in the 1st chukka. They held the lead 2½ - 2 going in the 3rd chukka, however Maiz Dulce upped their game with 2 goals to go in to a slender lead of ½ goal. In the final chukka Peter Barfoot’s Maiz Dulce scored a further 3 goals to win 7 - 4½.

The Blue Jackets Final provided some of the best polo seen for many a year at New Park. Oscar Mancini opened the scoring for Interoffice and they rushed to a 2 – 0 goal lead before Lochie Hunter got his 1st of the day. Another goal for Interoffice and the 1st chukka finished 3 -1.

The fast tempo of this match continued through to the second chukka, Oscar Mancini and Lucas Talamoni both 4 goal player’s  were a handful for the Churchill Retirement team and they combined excellently to give Interoffice a lead of 6- 3  at the halfway point.

In the 3rd chukka Lochie Hunter was everywhere and he pulled Churchill back in to the match with some determined and skilful play. Equally Clinton McCarthy and Simon Jackson defended superbly both saving goals from the irrepressible Oscar Mancini with some well timed backhands and riding off  to level on 7 – 7 going into the last.

This match had everything, ball juggling, huge hits down the field, great goals from all angles, it was fast & furious, and exciting to watch and anybody’s to win. The final chukka saw Interoffice take the lead again only for it snatched away once more, however Simon Rubel’s Interoffice team had the last say and one more goal gave them the coveted Blue Jacket’s Cup 9 - 8

Teams:

Interoffice ~

1. Hazel Jackson, 2. Simon Rubel, 3. Lucas Talamoni, 4. Oscar Mancini

Churchill Retirement Living ~

1. Clinton McCarthy, 2. Simon Jackson, 3. Lochie Hunter, 4. Peter Wright

The final match of the day for the Cadnam Cup was contested between New Forest and Emlor, New Forest receiving a 1½ goal start immediately opened the scoring to take a 4½ - 0 lead. Two further goals in the last was enough to see off the challenge from Emlor 6½ - 4 who scored 2 goals in the 3rd and final chukka.

Photographs copyright of Barry Whitcher