HPA New Year Nationals Begin

PIC-8-13 And 12 Goal Teams And Draws Announced
The 12 goal HPA New Year National Championships draw has been released. Three teams have now been confirmed as entered, a healthier team entry than the Christmas Nationals but still not the turn out of teams that featured in 2015. Hilali Noordeens’ Sifani returns to the arena with 10 goaler Chris Hyde and James Mann. Faisal Al-Rifai has teamed up with Phil Meadows and Adolfo Casabal to form RCBPC Gaucho, their first game will be against the formidable Chris Hyde and Sifani on Saturday 16 January. To complete the team lists for the 12 goal Simon Arber has entered a very strong team for Emsworth Polo Club Four Quarters Polo. Nico San Roman, who played well above his 4 goal handicap for the 6 goal team, winners of the Christmas Nationals in December, joins him with Richard, the Earl of Tyrone. Four Quarters, with Tarquin Southwell playing instead of the Earl of Tyrone in the 2015 edition of the tournament, won the Subsidiary Final against RCBPC Chopendoz. Arber’s change in line-up may well mean they reach the Final this year. Last year’s winners, Hedonism Wines, defeated Jonathan Munro Fords Black Eagles, 22-20, in a dramatic Final, however neither Munro Ford nor Yevgeny Chichvarkin have entered the tournament this year.

A total of seven teams have been announced for the low goal section of the HPA New Year Nationals at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club. The teams have been split into two different leagues with the Finals scheduled for Sunday 23 January. The host club have entered three different teams whilst the remaining teams represent Fifield, Moor Hall Farm and Hertfordshire Polo Clubs. The three teams in League 2 are very much a family affair with Max and Heiko Voelker playing alongside Royston Prisk, who was part of the winning 15 goal Polo Times team in the HPA Christmas National Club Championships. The Hertfordshire team consist of Andy Cork and two of his sons Josh and Marcus whilst Phil Meadows has teamed up with his daughter Genevieve and Eric Appen.

The first game of the tournament was between Adrian Beasley’s RCBPC Los Caballeros and FPC Tchogan on Saturday 9 January. Roy Prisk and the Voelkers have got off to a great start with their first win in the competition with a final score against RCBPC Los Caballeros of 19-13.

HPC Print On Demand, with a slightly different line-up, won the tournament last year against the all women’s side of RCBPC Cool Riders with an impressive score of 18-11. The only team that has entered the same line-up for this year’s competition is Moor Hall Farm, who only managed one win against Vaux Park. However, they will have to get past some new team entries this year, such as Ash Farm Sauwild with Rosie Ross at the helm and one-to-watch George Marsden, whose handicap of -1 has kept the team conglomerate handicap down to 2. The Final spot really could be anyone’s guess this year.

Games will continue over the following week before the Subsidiary Semi Finals of the leagues to decide who will take the place in the Final for the 3 goal. For a full schedule of teams and games please click here for the 3 goal and here for the 12 goal.

Photograph: Chris Hyde playing for Black Eagles in the 2015 Final, is playing for Sifani this year. By Lucy Wilson

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