The Annual English Polo Tour started of with a thrilling game against an Argentine/Jamaican side at the Kingston Polo Club, Caymanas Estates on Sunday, February 12th, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. The 11 goal English team, Tim Bown, Charles Seaville, Tom Gilks and Alex deLisle have all visited the Island before and received ½ a goal on handicap as the match took place over 4 chukkas. The 12 goal Argentine/Jamaican team was represented by young Jason Wates from Jamaica, Jorge Donovan and Juan Humbert – Argentines based at the Kingston Polo Club and Alejandro Viel who flew in for the match. The game started out fairly slowly, with several stoppages for broken tack that broke up the flow somewhat. However, it was very close and featured some brilliant plays and spectacular goals.
Tom Gilks opened the scoring in the first chukka for the English by neatly moving a bouncing ball towards goal then capitalizing on a mistake by Humbert to put the ball through the uprights. Donovan countered in the second chukka with a spectacular shot from almost the middle of the field that went over the top of most of the players and through the goal before anyone could run it down. Seaville then converted a 60 yard penalty to keep the English ahead, but Humbert scored from a great run to bring the Argentines back to within ½ a goal at half time. The game seemed to speed up in the third chukka and the play was very even as Gilks, always in position, once again picked up a good pass and controlled the ball through the uprights for the English. However, Donovan converted a 40 yard penalty to close the gap once again. In the last chukka both teams upped the pressure but it was Donovan that scored first to put the Argentines in the lead for the first time. Seaville quickly countered with a brilliant goal carrying the ball through heavy traffic for the English to take back the lead. However, young Jason Wates, who was denied a goal by inches in the third chukka, finally put one through for the Argentines to recapture the lead. The English were unable to convert a 40 yard penalty as the clock was running down and the Argentines held on to win by 5 goals to 4 ½ . Tom Gilks was the Most Valuable Player and Jorge Donovan the Highest Scorer of the match.
The English team will now play a practice game during this week and prepare for their final match at the Kingston Polo Club on Sunday, February 19th, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. when they will play for the John Tinsley Silver Salva against the Kingston Polo Club team of Paul Lalor, James Robertson, Alexander Melville and Jason Wates. The match will be followed by the prize giving ceremony, lunch and the usual party to send the visitors home wanting to come back next year – win or lose!
