The final match of the year delivered on all of its promises!
The Cawnpore Cup - the most prestigious polo challenge and the final match of the playing season - was rigorously disputed yesterday evening at the Malta Polo Club. On a golden afternoon and in a fast and furious match, Team RE/MAX and Team Veuve Clicquot enthralled the crowd with their skill and determination over the course of the four chukkas.
Enthusiastic commentary by Daniel de Petri Testaferrata kept the crowd – both old hands and newcomers – informed and entertained from the outset. As the dust swirled, the ponies thundered past and the crowd roared, Team Veuve Clicquot took the victory with five goals to give them the winning score, with three goals alone coming from the No. 3 Player Karl Galea.
Ably refereed by Tom Parry-Jones from the UK and Mark Darmanin, stalwart of the Malta Polo Club, with George Lyttleton as the Third Man, this was one of the most exciting matches of the season as well as a commemorative milestone.
The Malta Polo Club is an active contributor to The Malta Community Chest Fund. This fund supports people from all walks of life and, in 2017 alone, distributed over €7.7m to 11,000 people. H.E. The President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is also President of the Fund and, once again, was asked to host the award ceremony for the Cawnpore Cup. After the honourably defeated players at Team RE/MAX were thanked and given their Veuve Clicquot champagne and Cavesson’s of London wallets, Martin Arrigo, captain of the winning team held the solid silver trophy aloft with evident delight. (Pictured above)
But where would any player be without his or her pony? The star of the show was Manuka, who showed her appreciation of this honour by eating her garland.
The Malta Polo Club is the oldest club in Europe and the second oldest in the world. 150 years have passed since its founding in 1868. To mark this impressive anniversary, the President of Malta was delighted to present the club with an engraved, commemorative, silver platter.
Polo is a true team sport and the camaraderie and pleasure in the game from both sides was heartening. Even more so, was the surprise and evident, if bashful, delight of Philip Tabone, a member of the juniors and a dedicated player already, when he was awarded with the prize for ‘Player of the Future’. His commitment to the ponies, his hard work and all-round willingness to help, as well as his polo skills, were key to his securing this title. His prize was a 52” polo mallet, engraved with his initials.
The influx of new blood and new members is essential for the survival of any sport and the Malta Polo Club is an inclusive and immersive environment who are always looking for and welcoming new members. As they say themselves, ‘if you have the passion, we will do the rest’. It was also a pleasure to see the younger members last night, not just enjoying themselves but helping to raise money and awareness for the Fund.
It was even more of a pleasure to see the social side of the game being taken to new levels of entertainment and glamour. With sponsors such as Hublot (with Edwards Lowell), Mercedes, Azimut Yachts and Veuve Clicquot, the elegance level was set at maximum and Malta did not disappoint. Beautiful colourful dresses, fabulous shoes, Panamas and diamonds were on display from the stylish crowd. Whatever your style, the Malta Polo Club is clearly an essential part of the summer season and a sure-fire date for your diary.
With food from Chukkas’ restaurant, a range of bars, live music and dancing, the party was in full flow till the small hours and the guests were clearly having a ball.
Temple Concierge and TEMPLE Magazine are proud to support the Malta Polo Club and look forward to many more collaborations in the future.
Find out more about the Malta Polo Club HERE
And finally a VERY Happy 150th Birthday to The Malta Polo Club - 2nd oldest polo club in the world.
Copyright: Temple Concierge Ltd
Content by: TEMPLE Magazine
Images Copyright: TEMPLE Magazine and Nina