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A C T I O N
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make the opening goal. His second goal gave
El Remanso a 3–2 lead to close the first
chukka.They went into the third with a lead
of 4–2, and 6–4 by half-time.
The second half opened and a neat
backhand shot from Harper secured the
goal, which took El Remanso on to 7–4.
However, the tables began to turn as brilliant
action fromWatson for La Bamba de Areco,
strong attacking play by Pieres and the gift
of two 30-yard penalties expertly converted
by Juan Martín Nero saw La Bamba ahead at
12–10 by the close of the fifth chukka.
El Remanso fought for every ball in the
sixth and never lost focus. Awarded a
30-yard penalty, Ollie Cudmore sent the ball
between the posts to make just a one-goal
difference. Great teamwork enabled Harper
to coolly level the scores on 12–12. Then,
a chance for a goal by La Bamba de Areco
went wide. Harper brought the ball in and
sent it to Beim who calmly turned it and
found Cudmore. As he had in the semi-finals
four days earlier, Cudmore drove it home for
El Remanso and a 13–12 win as the final
bell sounded. The crowd went wild.
A new prize for the Best Playing Patron’s
Pony was presented on behalf of sponsors
King Power by Marcos di Paola to Charlie
Hanbury’s pony Lovelocks Sex. The award for
Best Playing Pony of the match, presented by
The Hon Lila Pearson, went to Blanco Nieve,
owned by Pelón Stirling and played by Polito
Pieres. Jon Rudkin, Director of Football for
Leicester City Football Club, presented
generous individual prizes on behalf of King
Power to all players as well as the four
umpires who had refereed the whole Gold
Cup tournament. Charlie Hanbury was voted
Most Valuable Player of the final with four
brilliant goals to his credit. Corinne Ricard,
on behalf of Pernod-Ricard, presented a
Jeroboam of Perrier-Jouët to the El Remanso
Patron and finally Jon Rudkin handed the
Gold Cup to a proud Charlie Hanbury, who
shared the moment with his parents
Christopher and Bridget.
James Beim summed up on behalf of El
Remanso:‘To win the King Power Gold Cup
with three friends was an incredible
experience. We have put so much into the
sport and our horses for so long, and this
moment fulfilled all that we had strived for.
The dramatic fashion in which the Cup was
won was amazing – a moment of complete joy
and emotion and something I’ll never forget.’
Previous page
The crowd at half-time.
This page:
Ollie Cudmore (left),
Charlie Hanbury, James Beim and
James Harpe
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