British Open: Esiri Keep Africa's flag flying

As the only polo patron from Africa, Esiri has
remained a regular figure with his Asbert Raiders
international at the event revered as the most
prestigious polo tournament in Europe.

Pitched in the same stream with the defending
champions, Dubai, 2004 winners, Azzurra and the
Prodigal, Ashbert Raiders parading Prince Albert Esiri
0, Francisco Menendez +7, Pepe Araya +7and Marcos Di
Paola +8  were particularly impressive in their
opening game against the Azzurra.

Decided before crowded stands in blistering
temperatures,  the Raiders versus Azzura  was a
gripping match with Prince Esiri  giving an excellent
lead to his team with  two great goals.

The Raiders were, however, pipped on the doorstep with
a final goal for Azzurra trickling between the posts
at the final whistle to give a score of 11-10 in their
favour.

Ashbert who finished the event last year as the
winners of one of the subsidiary cups, were again
unkucky against Dubai, before coming out strongly to
clinch a 12-10 winner against the Prodigal, their last
group opponents.

The final of the 2006 British Open that gallopped off
Saturday,July 1, with five streams of 20 teams, 80
players, almost 100 horses vying for one prize – the
Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, was decided last Sunday.

 Over 40 matches took place during the course of the
series, leading to  the final match that pitched Urs
Schwarzenbach Black Bears against James Packer’s
Ellerston.

No-one could have been more thrilled than Black Bears
patron, Urs Schwarzenbach, when his son Guy accepted
the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup from Lady Cowdray after
winning the most coveted trophy in polo last week.

Sidelined through injury at the beginning of the polo
season, Urs had watched with mounting excitement as
his team progressed through to the Semi Finals.
Guy secured his team's place in the final with a long
shot to goal on the final hooter of the semi final.
His contribution in the final, was equally impressive.

Ellerston, with James Packer at the helm, had knocked
out 2005 winners in the semi and, with huge support
from the home crowd, could have been considered
favourites for the Final.

Facundo Pieres for Ellerston opened the scoring but by
the end of the chukka Black Bears had four goals on
the board. In the second, Gonzalito Pieres pulled back
two more so that half time saw the match level pegging
at 5 goals apiece.

Tight marking kept the scoreline tight through the
fourth and fifth chukkas but Facundo Pieres took his
team ahead to 8-6 at the start of the final chukka.
But young Schwarzenbach came through once again with a
superb goal to match his semi final effort and then
shot another through, levelling the scores at 8-8.

Finally, as the time clock counted down the final
seconds of the match and a seventh chukka seemed in
prospect, Javier Novillo Astrada found the shot which
sealed the match and the Black Bears camp sent out its
victory roar.

Inaugurated by the late John Cowdray, 3rd Viscount, in
1956, this year marks the Golden Jubilee of the Gold
Cup, the most coveted trophy in the polo world.

 By Ernest Ekpenyong