Sat 12th Oct 2024Thrilling arena action, huge crowds & Arabian horse displays Day 2 of The 1st Arena Singureni Manor Polo Cup
The 1st Arena Singureni Manor Polo Cup continued today, Saturday 12 October, with the four international teams representing Switzerland, Malta, USA and Azerbaijan vying for a coveted place in the Final. Building upon the success of the opening day, which saw the first ever polo match played in Romania, thousands poured into the picturesque, woodland setting of Singureni Manor for the second day of arena action. The eagerly awaited second round of games promised adrenaline fuelled matches, with spectators in the VIP Tent enjoying an arena-side viewing platform right in the heart of the action complete with flowing Champagne and opulent food for every taste. The first match of the day saw Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons vs Team St. Moritz Top of the World, Switzerland. With both teams having lost their matches yesterday, and with today’s results deciding which teams progress to the Final on Sunday 13 October, there was all to play for. Once again David Popovici, Romanian Men’s 200m Freestyle Swimming Gold medallist at this year’s Olympics, kicked off the match with the throw-in. Alejandro Novillo Astrada quickly gained possession and scored the first goal for Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons with a lovely nearside shot despite strong defence from Team St. Moritz Top of the World, Switzerland. The Maltese Falcons continued to spread their wings with Melissa Ganzi locking home a penalty goal and despite a goal from HE Massimo Baggi putting Team St. Moritz Top of the World, Switzerland onto the scoreboard, the scores rested in favour of Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons at 5 to 1½ at half-time. However, the result was far from over, HE Massimo Baggi opened the third chukka with his second goal of the day, but Nacho Figueras swiftly replied with a goal of his own for Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons. The sell-out crowd were treated to end-to-end polo and Figueras ended the thrilling third chukka with another goal, leaving Team St. Moritz Top of the World, Switzerland with a mountain to climb in the last chukka, 7-2½. A frenetic fourth chukka had the spectators on the edge of their seats as Team St. Moritz Top of the World, Switzerland tried again and again to break through to goal, but Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons had well and truly found their rhythm and Melissa Ganzi ended the match with a final goal in the last seconds to secure a decisive 8-2½ win for Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons. After the arena was rolled back into its immaculate surface once again, the second match of the day was played, which coincidentally saw both of yesterday’s winners pitted against one another with Team AQUA Carpatica/ Grand Champions Polo Club vs Team Azerbaijan Land of Fire. The action really hotted up in the arena with both sides fighting for a place in the coveted Final tomorrow. Nic Roldan, nine goal maestro from America and always ‘the man who can’, scored an impressive five goals, while Team Captain Grant Ganzi added to the tally to help secure Team AQUA Carpatica/ Grand Champions Polo Club’s 6-2½ lead at half-time. Team Azerbaijan Land of Fire always play with 110 percent and they returned in the second half with fire in their bellies and Elchin Jamalli fired the ball through the posts to bring Team Azerbaijan Land of Fire back into contention. Both teams traded goals and the pace moved up a gear as the sides battled back and forth for possession. It was all to play for and until the last five seconds neither team managed to get on the board, but as the clock ticked down Jamalli secured a penalty goal, but there was simply not enough time left and Team AQUA Carpatica/ Grand Champions Polo Club secured the win, 7-6½. After the matches, Singureni Manor sponsored a prize-giving for today’s matches, with all of the teams receiving bottles of CARPATHIAN Single Malt Whiskey for their efforts today. The day was rounded off by an incredible Arabian Horse Display in the arena; Singureni Manor breed these stunning horses, including Why Not – a rare black Arabian mare and an international gold champion. Arabian horses are the oldest breed of horses in the world, going back to some 5,000 years ago. Built for their stamina, Arabian horses can travel 120km in a day and are unbeaten in endurance races. The best of the best, including two recently backed three-year-old stallions, wowed the crowds with their display of speed and agility after the day’s polo. The action continues tomorrow with The Subsidiary Final at 4pm (local time) between Team St. Moritz Top of the World, Switzerland vs Team Azerbaijan Land of Fire and The 1st Arena Singureni Manor Polo Cup Final between Team CARPATHIAN/ Maltese Falcons and Team AQUA Carpatica/ Grand Champions Polo Club at 5.15pm (local time). The 1st Arena Singureni Manor Polo Cup Teams: Team St. Moritz - Top of the world, Switzerland (11): HE Massimo Baggi/Daniel Savary (1), Pierre Henri Ngoumou (7) & Nick Rogerson (3) Team, Malta (12): Melissa Ganzi (0), Nacho Figueras (5) & Alejandro Novillo Astrada (7) Team AQUA Carpatica/Grand Champions Polo Club Wellington, USA (12): Daren Tamplin (0), Grant Ganzi (3) & Nic Roldan (9) Team Azerbaijan Land of fire, Azerbaijan (11): Elchin Jamalli (3), Tarlan Gurbanaliyev (1) & Juan Cruz Losada (7) (Reserves: Ali Rzayev (1) & David Lagomarsino (4))
Photograph: Team AQUA Carpatica/ Grand Champions Polo Club’s Nic Roldan in action. By ©www.imagesofpolo.com
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