All eyes on the ball

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana recently presided over the BMW-B Grimm Thai Polo Open 2014, a charity polo tournament that sees the winner taking home Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup and which is recognised as an important polo tournament in the Asia League. Held every January, this year’s tournament was the 11th edition.

Among those who turned out to watch the matches were polo fans Khunying Dhipawadee Meksawan, Prof Kantathi Suphamongkhon, Pol Maj Gen Angkul and Supatana Atornphatai, Assoc Prof Nareewan Chintakanond, Siriyos Devahasdin na Ayudhya, Luckana Champa, Jessica Amornkuldilok, Jitrsumarn Amatyakul, Bunnaporn Eiamamornpan, Natsupa Prachuabmoh and Sasina Napasab.

Held at Thai Polo & Equestrian Club in Pattaya, the final day of the tournament offered all comers plenty of fun. It started with show jumping competition and followed up with a parade of costumed youngsters riding small polo ponies and a polo exhibition by guest players,

Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana led the grand polo parade onto the field before throwing the ball down the centre of the player line-up to start the match between the Thai Polo team made up of Caroline Link, Lucas Labat, Agustin Garcia Grossi and Manuel Cereceda, and Kotasas IBIL team from Malaysia. The match was divided into five seven-minute chukkas.

At the half-time, guests and spectators joined in the tradition of stomping divots – helping to flatten or replace mounds of earth torn up by the horses’ hooves and making the playing surface safer for ponies and players. Both teams fought very hard to control the ball during the second half but Thai Polo’s strong defence allowed the team to close out the game with a victory of 8-6 over their opponents and retain their title. 

The event wrapped with the presentation of the cups to the winning team and runners up places.