Some of the top female players in the world are here to take part in the Annual ICWI Group International Ladies Polo Tournament. Emma Tomlinson and Milly Scott are here from the UK, Sherri-Lyn Hensman from Zimbabwe, Rowena Murray from Kenya and Kristy Outhier from Texas, USA will play alongside Jamaicans Susan Wates, Peta Gay Railton and Lesley-Ann Fong-Yee. They played their first warm up game at the Hon. Dennis Lalor’s on Tuesday, January 31st, 2006 which ended in a draw. They then moved on to the North Coast where they took on the men in the Battle of the Sexes at the St. Ann Polo Club, Drax Hall on Thursday, February 2nd, 2006.
In the first match the “Angels”, Peta Gay Railton, Rowena Murray, Emma Tomlinson and Kristy Outhier took on the “Rough Riders” – Kurt Chin, Paul Lalor, Junior Chin and Billy Vernon and received a 1½ goal handicap to start. Paul Lalor scored early in the first chukka to the men in the lead but Outhier came back in the second to level the score. However, the “Rough Riders” then went on a scoring spree, as Junior Chin, Paul Lalor and Kurt Chin scored, while the ladies experimented with their line up to take a commanding 4 goals to 2½ lead at half time. Having sorted out their line up the ladies came back in the third chukka as Outhier converted a 30 yard penalty and Tomlinson scored to give them a ½ goal advantage. Play was fast and even in the last chukka but Lalor scored to put the men in the lead by ½ a goal. At the end it was decided to call it a draw as the ladies were all playing strange ponies.
The second match was a Round Robin as the “Eagles” – Susan Wates, Milly Scott, Sherri-Lyn Hensman and Lesley-Ann Fong-Yee took on the “Stresscon” team of Steven Fong-Yee, John G Byles, Paul Chin and John Masterton and the “Adelphi” team of Shane Chin, Andy Vernon, Craig Russell and Delroy Moses. The “Eagles” could not get organized in the first match up against “Stresscon” and were unable to score as they too changed their line up several times. Byles and Paul Chin both scored for “Stresscon” to win that segment. The “Eagles” then also started slowly against the “Adelphi” team when Russell scored the first goal of that match up. However, by the last chukka the “Eagles” had finally put their act together as Hensman opened the scoring for them and Fong-Yee put 2 through for them to win that segment. “Stresscon” then met “Adelphi” in the final segment. Byles and Paul Chin scored first to give “Stresscon” a 2 goal lead but Russell and Vernon came back in the last chukka to even the score. Fong-Yee then scored the winning goal for “Stresscon” and they took the overall win of the Round Robin.
The ladies will next be seen in action at 10:30 a.m. at the Kingston Polo Club, Caymanas Estates on Sunday, February 5th, 2006 when the “Angels” and the “Eagles” will take on each other in the ICWI Group International Ladies Tournament. Both teams should be able to put their best foot forward as they have had a good chance to get to know each other and their horses over the last week. At half time the upcoming lady players that have all started playing recently, with play an exhibition game - displaying their newfound skills. The match will be followed by an exhibition of antique cars, a fashion show and the now famous “apre polo” Kingston Polo Club party.
