DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL
WELCOMES YOU TO THEIR WORLD OF POLO!
Diamonds International one of the leading
sponsors of polo in Barbados presented three top tournaments for the
Barbados polo season. Along with their partners, Piaget, Breitling, Fairmont
Royal Pavilion, La Martina, Digicel and Signature Barbados, they brought the
Cheshire Polo Tour, the International 16 goal and the very popular Battle of
the Sexes tournaments to polo aficionados. It was an action packed Diamonds
International polo series!
The finals of each tournament saw the crème
de la crème of Barbados enjoying the hospitality of the Fairmont Royal
Pavilion in a well appointed VIP marquee served with fine champagne and
delectable delights.
Their season started with THE DIAMONDS
INTERNATIONAL/BREITLING CHESHIRE POLO TOUR IN BARBADOS FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 5,
2006.
The Barbados Polo season got off to a very
rainy start with many of the tournaments being washed out. However, when the
news spread that the Cheshire tour was coming up, one the oldest and most
popular tournaments on the Barbados polo calendar the rain abated and the
sun triumphed. Each year Cheshire, England's oldest polo club goes to sunny
Barbados for a little polo action against their Bajan counterparts and some
fun in the sun!
This year's tour was heighten on two accords
with sponsors Diamonds International and international watch brand Breitling
and the Cheshire team boasting of three professional players (one a five
goal and two four goals).
In this exciting four game series Barbados won the series with a convincing
win of 71/2 to four goals in the final at the breathtaking Kent Cole owned
Lion Castle polo field, the newest and finest polo field in Barbados and
certainly one of the finest in the world.
Howard Taylor, Captain of the Cheshire team
enjoyed the tour as he was afforded the opportunity to play alongside his
daughter Lucy Taylor and son Oliver Taylor. He admits that playing along his
children keeps him going! However in the final Howard graciously bowed out
and let professionals Oliver Taylor, Will Emmerson, Lucy Taylor and Johnny
Kavanagh challenge the Bajan boys Teddy Williams (Captain), Danny Atwell,
Richard Gooding and Alex Cole who played for main sponsors Diamonds
International and Breitling. Cheshire was no easy push over as the score
line might indicate. The game was a fast pace and hard fought one to the
end.
Mr. Edward Gibby, for Breitling Latin America
and the Caribbean and Mr. Jacob Hassid, Managing Director, Diamonds
International presented the top prize of four Breitling Navitimer Olympus
watches to the winners, team Barbados.
The spectatorship for this final was the largest seen at any polo event on
the island and DJs Steve and Michael Rapley provided the after party
excitement!
THE DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL/PIAGET 16
GOAL INTERNATIONAL POLO CHALLENGE HELD DURING MARCH 26-APRIL 3 2006
After warming up in the 14 goal Tournament,
polo action heats up with the start of the Diamonds International/Piaget 16
Goal International Polo Challenge which opened in style with the Fairmont
Royal Pavilion (Pink) team displaying fantastic individual brilliance.
Players Chris Hyde (6 goal), J.J. Brane (8 goal), Simon Holly (one goal) and
Jeff Evelyn (1goal) took that brilliance with them all the way to the finals
where they faced off against the Kent Cole led Diamonds International team.
The Royal Pavilion team entered into the finals with no losses and had
previous defeated Diamonds International (black) in their first encounter.
But the Diamonds International team of Rafael Silva (6 goal), Pablo Crespin
(5 goal), Alex Cole (2goal) and Kent Cole (1goal) did their sponsors well
but had to fight down to the wire for a well earned victory after starting
with a 1 ½ goal handicap advantage.
Pablo Crespin in one of his most explosive
performances spearheaded Diamonds International (Black) team's victory
scoring six goals. Crespin combined well with Silva to dictate the team's
strategy and received great support from the father and son team of Kent and
Alex Cole. Royal Pavilion fought valiantly to the end producing many
dangerous attacks on the Diamonds team, however they failed to make good on
their penalty shots as they had done in previous matches with Chris Hyde's 9
out of 9 record coming into the final. In the final Chukka play was furious
and the players intent that their team will walk away champions and it was
Pablo Crespin who sealed the deal in superb form with a fast break and a
beautiful goal to bring the championship to the Diamonds team. The final
score 9 ½ goals to 7. The match was indeed a crowd pleaser with non stop
action from beginning to end.
The match was preceded by the subsidiary
final between Diamonds International (white) under the captaincy of Sir
Charles Williams who won the battle for third 8 goals to 3 ½ by crushing the
Piaget team led by his son Teddy Williams.
Michal Hassid, Managing Director, Diamonds International presents Kent Cole
Captain of the Diamonds team with the Baccarat championship trophy. Most
Valuable Player for the tournament was Pablo Crespin. The players in the
tournament received beautiful Piaget Cashmere sweaters and other fine gifts
from La Martina.
DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL/PIAGET BATTLE OF
THE SEXES POLO CHALLENGE HELD DURING APRIL 17-23 2006
Polo as a sport is indeed growing by gallops
in Barbados and if you thought men's polo was exciting the Battle of the
Sexes polo challenge brings a whole new dimension to polo as the ladies do
battle against the men.
The Diamonds International/Piaget ladies
brought the battle to the Digicel men for the fourth Battle of the Sexes
International Polo Tournament. Some of the world's finest female polo
players from Argentina and the UK join Barbados' top female players to
challenge the men to a feisty face off. This year's tournament featured
Argentinean Marianella Castagnola, Lucy Taylor and Tamara Vesty from the UK
and Barbados' rising female polo stars Monique Archer and sister Angelique
Bjerkhamn, Vickie Deane and Natalie Chesham.
This tournament was initiated by Diamonds
International and Monique Archer leading Barbadian female player in 2003 to
create a new and exciting aspect to polo in Barbados. Initially the
Tournament was met with great skepticism but now, it is one of the most
competitive tournaments on the Barbados polo calendar. The women won for two
consecutive years and the men brought the battle to the ladies in 2005 with
a commanding victory.
The four match series started off with an
exciting first match victory for the Diamonds/Piaget ladies. Starting with
half goal handicap advantage the team of Vicky Deane, Lucy Taylor,
Marianella Castagnola and Tamar Vesty fought every inch of the way as they
sought to enhance the record going up against the determined Digicel Men.
The women exhibited fine horsemanship as they rode their opponents hard
while smoothly co-coordinating their efforts to penetrate the men's defence.
The ladies galloped away with victory 5 ½ goals to 3 goals with Castagnola
scoring a hat trick.
The second match saw the Digicel men led by 4
goal player Danny Atwell and joined by his brother Mark and father Philip
step up the pace to edge the ladies out and level the series. This match was
indeed hard fought and ended 6 goals to 4 ½ goals.
Having lost their second game the ladies
returned with more gusto and determination and certainly got their just
deserves by defeating the men 5 goals to 4 ½ goals. While the score did not
reflect the true run of play the ladies enjoyed the better run of play but
failed to capitalize on many scoring opportunities. Combining great
individual skill and an excellent game plan the Diamonds
International/Piaget ladies were more than a handful for the Digicel men.
Lucy Taylor and Castagnola scored for the ladies.
The Lion Castle polo estate was abuzz with
excitement and anticipation for the final outcome in the series. It was
certainly obvious by the cheers that the Diamonds/ Piaget ladies were the
favourites but the Sir Charles Williams Digicel men's team were not daunted
by their overwhelming support. Providing many thrills and some spills the
match was indeed a fitting climax to the series presented by Diamonds
International, Piaget and Digicel.
Sir Charles making his debut in a Battle of
the sexes tournament was joined by his sons Oliver and Teddy and fast
improving player Bruce Bayley. During the first chukka players rode each
other hard as they fought a grueling game losing possession of the ball to
each other. The ladies got a break through and Castagnola made no mistake
and scored a 30 yard penalty. At the start of the second chukka the score
was 1 ½ to zero goals. The ladies continued their forceful attack on the men
but failed to score their opportunities. Bruce Bayley brought the men's
challenge back by scoring a penalty bring the score to 1 ½ to 1. Play was
very intense in the third chukka with players giving of their best in front
of a very boisterous and excited crowd. The Diamonds/Piaget ladies forged
further ahead when Lucy Taylor made no mistake after collecting a
beautifully placed ball from team mate Castagnola. But this was not enough
to keep 4 goal Teddy Williams from coming into his own and scoring three
goals to give the Digicel men the lead four goals to 2 ½ and the end of the
third chukka.
In the final Chukka the Digicel men pressed even harder and scored three
more goals two by Teddy Williams and one by Bruce Bayley. The
Diamonds/Piaget ladies had no reply and the men level the series in truly a
tough battle of the sexes which ended seven goals to 2 ½ goals. The Battle
of the Sexes tour is not only know for hard core playing femmes but for
their off field party stamina, so after all the formalities everyone
retreated to the fabulous clubhouse where sexes merged, bubbly flowed and a
good time was had by all!
Presentation:
Mr. Jacob Hassid, Managing Director, Diamonds International, Mr. Alain
Riguidel, Piaget Latin America and Caribbean and Errol McGlothan, Regional
Marketing Director, Digicel.
Tamara Vesty most valuable player of the tournament received a beautiful
gift from La Martina.
Prizes were provided by main sponsor Piaget and associate sponsor La
Martina.