Benson, Heyshott and Texaco cups are won at Cowdray Park

In Christian Staubach’s Bamboleo /Madams Farm team Will Millard (no goals) took the No1 position, with Staubach (no goals) at two, Nick Johnson (three goals) at three and Glenn Sherriff (five goals) at back. In Peter Barfoot’s Maiz Dulce side, Millie Barfoot (no goals) played at one, Will Harper (two goals) at two, John Martin (two goals) at three and Pedro Harrison (four goals) at four.

Less than two minutes into the first chukka Harrison scored the opening goal for Maiz Dulce. Racing away from the throw-in, he stick and balled all the way to the goal for his second score, and within less than five minutes he had made the score 3-0.

Sherriff and Johnson combined to make the first mark on the scoreboard for Bamboleo, the ball going through the posts off the stick of Johnson, but before the bell had sounded to end the chukka Harrison had sent a beautiful lofted shot over the goal posts and it was 4-1 in Maiz Dulce’s favour.

In chukka two, a whistle against Johnson gave Harrison the chance to put a penalty shot through for Maiz Dulce, luck being on his side as the ball hit the post before running through and 5-1 in the Barfoot team’s favour.

Being in the right position is the essence of the game and young Millard was well placed to finish a good effort by Sherriff and pull a goal back for Bamboleo/Madams Farm. However by the close of the chukka Maiz Dulce had consolidated their lead at 8-2.

Although Bamboleo/Madams Farm made two goals in the third chukka, Maiz Dulce’s tightly-knit organised formation could simply do no wrong under Harrison’s captaincy and by chukka’s end the score had racked up to 9-4.

The final chukka saw determined play by Johnson and Sherriff to try to close the gap, Sherriff backing a lovely shot through to make it 9-5, but Harper answered with a superb run down the pitch to take Maiz Dulce’s score into double figures.

From the throw-in Sherriff dashed away to score a well-earned goal but the match was really all about Maiz Dulce and Harrison’s seven excellent goals, their victory being an impressive 10-6.

Lily Charteris presented the Benson Cup to Barfoot and prizes to all players. Harrison’s Ellie was judged to be the Best Playing Pony of the match.

TEXACO CUP

Taittinger met CPG Nightingale in the final of the Texaco Trophy on the River ground.

Playing for George Cadogan’s Taittinger side in the 12-goal tournament were Sebastian Dawnay (three goals) at No2, Tom Brodie, (four goals) at three with five-goaler Will Emerson at back.

CPG Nightingales had patron Sally Turner (-1) in the No1 position, Ollie Cork (three goals) at two, George Meyrick (six goals) at three and Henry Fisher (four goals) at back.

A busy first chukka saw the opening goal come from Meyrick but an impressive response from Emerson put three consecutive goals on the scoreboard for Taittinger.

In chukka two, Fisher scored for CPG Nightingale then Turner drew it level at 3-3 but it wasn’t long before Emerson retaliated with two more goals, putting Taittinger ahead 5-3 to end the first half.

In chukka three Cork pulled one back for CPG Nightingale but again Emerson scored for Taittinger it was 6-4 by the close of the chukka.

Sebastian Dawnay took Taittinger further ahead at the start of the fourth chukka but a fine trio of goals from Henry Fisher brought the scores level at 7-7 and the match went into an extra chukka.

A swift goal from George Meyrick brought victory for CPG Nightingale and Turner received the Texaco trophy, one of Cowdray’s finest. Fisher’s grey mare Fortune won the award for best playing pony.

In the subsidiary final Cowdray Vikings/DJ Cats beat Yaguara 7-5.

HEYSHOTT CUP

Eight teams entered the six-goal Heyshott Cup with Vendetta and Cowdray Vikings reaching the final.

Making up the Vendetta side were Garrie Renucci (-1), Nicholas Rogerson (no goals) at two, Ollie Cork (three3 goals) at 3 and Jimmy Wood (four goals) at the back door.

Will Drewitt (no goals) took the No1 position in Lila Pearson’s Cowdray Vikings team, with Pearson (no goals) at two, Lachie Gilmore (two goals) at three and team captain Will Emerson (five goals) at back.

A lively performance by Vendetta saw them 4-1 ahead at half time. They increased the lead with a goal apiece from Rogerson, Cork and Wood to close the third chukka 7-1 ahead.

In the final chukka, Gilmore sent through a 60-yard penalty shot to pull one back for Cowdray Vikings, swiftly answered by Cork for Vendetta. A last goal from Emerson could not alter the resounding victory for Vendetta with a final score of 8-3.