On Monday 26 August we held the semi-finals of the VL 4 Goal Super League at Black Bears Polo Club, alongside the Performance Pathway match for the Colts Cup.
A superb day of polo with plenty of talent on show, in the opening match it was the Blue team of Atticus Burnett, Lucas Stern, Archie Heseltine, and Freddie Farquharson who came out on top in the Colts Cup, defeating the Red team of Scarlett Picksley, Charlie Hodges, Rufus Uloth, and Nicholas Hillier in a hard-fought match that ended 7-3.
Freddie Farquharson was awarded the MVP prize, while Rufus Uloth took home the coveted Best Playing Pony rug.
Central winners Kulin Rock then took to the field against West winners Coombe Place to play for a place in the 4 goal final, with Kulin Rock turning the tide after trailing in the first chukka to take the win and the first final spot. A delighted Richard Bailey, patron of Kulin Rock, was celebrating a double win after a successful 8-goal win just a few days prior, while the star of the show was undoubtedly the young Lolo Fontanarrosa, playing alongside his father Nico, who put on a fantastic display for someone of such a young age.
Best Playing ROR was awarded to Harold Hodges’ 16-year-ol gelding Blade Pirate, by Needwood Blade, who was bred by Magnolia Bloodstock and ran 18 times under rules for John Ryan.
In the final match of the day, last year’s Super League winners Summit fought hard for a chance to make it back-to-back league titles, but it wasn’t to be as the team of St Paul/Cambridge Neurotech proved unbeatable and claimed the second spot in Sunday’s final. This was a fantastic match to watch with fantastic play from the St Paul/Cambridge Neurotech team, led by back Abhi Pathak and number 3 Byron Human, making a fantastic pair that were able to break through the Summit defences.
Best Playing ROR in this match was Mary Mapel with Bauti Funes, a beautiful tall mare by Stimulation, bred by John Troy and trained by Kevin Ryan.
With the 4 Goal Super League Final teams decided, we look forward to the Super League Final at Black Bears on Sunday 1 September.
