KING'S CUP
ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT
9 SEPTEMBER 2004 News Update

With two quarter-final deciders yesterday afternoon, it was an engrossing edge-of-your-seat afternoon at the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament, with both matches rich in thrust and counter-thrust, stellar performances and polished team-work.

Potentially the tightest match of the tournament saw British Airways Cavalry meet the Bangkok Bank Ladies, a team which had already shown they could hold their own against the might of Mercedes Benz. Cementing her reputation as the world’s best female elephant polo player, Margie McDougal was in commanding form, disrupting British Airways’ advances and together with Sharona Hurmuses and Linda Attarian keeping the pressure on up front.

British Airways Cavalry played superlative elephant polo in reply, former tank commander Felix Gedney employing excellent blocking tactics, clearing the field for George Deakin to strike the ball sweetly between the posts. However, the ladies merciless assault on the cavalry’s goal and the solidity of intent between McDougal and Hurmuses won out, and the scoreline flattered the Bangkok Bank team 4-2, pushing them through to today’s quarter-final meet with Mobile Easy Thailand.

In the other quarter-final decider, Scotland’s St Andrew’s House met Australia’s Sandalford Element in another closely contested match. Former professional horse polo player Alastair Archibald, nowadays a +4 handicap, played a composed and stylish game, hitting superb through shots, keeping his composure on the ball and combining brilliantly with former world elephant polo champion, James Manclark.

The less experienced Element players were determined in their riposte, newcomer Garrett Prendiville already showing his potential as a future star of the elephant polo pitch together with team-mate Adam Johnson. The Australians played a classy game, relentless in defence and bright in attack. However, it was the Scots who pipped them at the post, with a 4-3 victory in a game, which both teams deserved to win.

In the morning’s games, DBS Ladies played a phenomenal game against Thailand’s Mobile Easy, with the second chukka seeing some effective if unglamorous tactics employed to slow down DBS’ Samantha Prentice race up the left wing. After a well-fought game, the ladies bowed out of the quarter-finals with a 5-2 defeat.

Friday’s quarter finals see Mercedes Benz meet Chivas Regal in a replay of the 2003 King’s Cup, Thailand’s Mobile Easy play Bangkok Bank Ladies. Sandalford Australia take on American Express Thailand and Scotland’s St Andrews House is drawn against Mullis Capital.