By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
It must have been a truly difficult task to be in charge of picking the ‘Best Playing Pony’ of this year’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Final, but from amongst the eighty-three stunning ponies in the pony lines and on the pitch (UAE – forty one ponies and King Power Foxes – forty two), it was Pablo MacDonough’s – ‘Dolfina Divina’ which the judges decided deserve the title and was awarded with the Twisted Automotive Best Playing Pony rug.
I spoke to Pablo MacDonough pitch side at the UAE tent post-match to find out what it is that makes her such a special pony. An eight year old bay mare, Dolfina Divina was breed by Adolfo Cambiaso, she is daughter to stallion ‘Open Chimento’ and her dame is ‘Fashion.’ During the 2015 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup she was played by Pablo in the first and fifth chukkas in all the major games (quarters, semis and finals). It seems that she truly is a pony that ticks all the boxes for the perfect polo pony – great acceleration, very handy, she stands her ground against being bumped and has a good heart.
It was clear she is a favourite of Pablo’s, from his comments, ‘She’s very quick in the short plays and always willing to run with control. You can check her in a few metres and she can change rhythm and doesn’t get tired, you can play her for five or six minutes in a row.’
All characteristics indeed fitting of the Best Playing Pony of the 2015 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup.
http://www.hurlinghampolo.com/news/read/1823/Dolfina-Divina-Best-Playing-Pony-JaegerLeCoultre-Gold-Cup-Final-2015