HURLINGHAM POLO 1875
CORONATION CUP HEADS HOME
Guards Polo Club
The Hurlingham Polo 1875 Coronation Cup returned to the famed Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club on the penultimate Saturday in July and appropriately delivered a stand-out match befitting such a prestigious international test. This contest was the showcase match in a packed itinerary of sport curated by the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) to highlight every generation playing polo in the UK today.
England, captained by James Harper, delivered an impressive and cohesive performance to defeat a strong Uruguay squad (receiving a goal on handicap) 11-9. The visiting team, led by Alejo de Taranco Stirling, were making their debut in this match and put up a strong opposition, staying very much in contention until the final whistle. No doubt the visitors were spurred on by the huge amount of vocal support from the stands, the blue and white flag of the South American nation clearly evident throughout the ground. This was one of the best Coronation Cup matches in recent years as the teams were so evenly matched. England may have finished all but the first chukka ahead, but the margin between these two international teams was so small that neither side could relax for a moment.
Accurate goal scoring, be it from the field or from penalties, by England seven-goaler Tommy Beresford was instrumental in keeping England ahead, especially in the later stages of the game when the home side managed to create and then maintain a two-goal lead. Tommy finished the match as the home side’s top goal scorer, firing through five goal and so was named the Corpay Most Valuable Player. Highlighting the closeness of this match, Uruguay’s Ignacio Viana finished as the visitors’ top scorer, also with a five-goal tally.
England captain James Harper was at the top of his game, often finishing a chukka with a goal to confirm England’s dominance. James Beim, who has had a standout season in the high-goal this year, was an expert in running through traffic, including scoring a crucial goal at the start of the sixth to give England a three-goal advantage (10-7) at a key moment. Meanwhile, Louis Hine, who aged 16 is the youngest player ever to represent England in the Coronation Cup, played with a maturity well beyond his years, working hard to keep Uruguayan players away from the play, so freeing up Harper and Beresford to score. He also added to England’s tally too.
The Coronation Cup’s packed programme of sport highlighted the depth and strength of polo in the UK. The England’s team victory was not only an inspiration to all those up-and-coming players but the perfect platform to welcome this mighty cup back to Guards Polo Club.
Coronation Cup: England: Louis Hine (4); James Beim (6); James Harper (7); Tommy Beresford (7). Uruguay: Ignacio Viana (4); Juan Enrique Curbelo (6); Alejo Taranco Stirling (8); Santiago Stirling (5).
Colts Cup: Hurlingham: Archie Heseltine (0); Billy Barlow (-1); Nico Hiller (0);Will Millard (2). 1875: Rufus Uloth (1); Hector Rogberg (1); George Copcutt (0); Lucas Stern (0).
Stagshead Trophy: 1875: Zhihuan Yan (1); Bea Leyland (-1); Bruno Bradshaw (-1); Matias Maldonado (-1). Hurlingham: Isabella Lavinia (-1); Hari Dhillon (-1); Wilfred Bate (-1); Rafi Bruckner (0).
Fluffies: Blue Team: Alice Gregory; Lara Gregory; Olivia Allen; Matias Maldonado. Red Team: Thalia Coombes; Emily Sheppard; Alex Radcliff; Henry Whittington.
University Challenge: Hurlingham Academicals: Tamara Gibbons (0); Freddie Barlow (1); Milly Hine (2); Dom Lodge (4). SUPA Stars: Jasmine Stanhope-White (1); Thomas Gordon-Colebrooke (1); Tom Coid (2); Angus Rowan-Hamilton (2).