Tue 18th Sep 2018Sainte Mesme Secure The Paprec French OpenPlay ends in the French high goal
In the Final of The Paprec French Open on Sunday 16 September, In The Wings came up against previous winners Sainte Mesme to battle for the coveted trophy. The two teams had faced each other regularly throughout the season, with a high standard set going into the final match. During the qualifying stages, the two teams came up against each other, with Sainte Mesme taking the win, and this Final was no different. Sainte Mesme took control of the Final from the first chukka and held the lead throughout. In the third chukka, Sainte Mesme’s Santiago Cernadas was sent off with a yellow card for two minutes, having accidentally hit a player from the other team with his stick, which gave In The Wings the time to fight back to equalise the scoreboard. As the final whistle sounded, Sainte Mesme lifted The Paprec French Open trophy with a 10-9 win. Venuziana, an eight-year-old mare owned by Javier Tanoira and played by Pancho Besadon, was awarded the Best Playing Pony rug. Following the first Final, two ladies’ teams took to the field for The Ladies’ Open Final. DS Automobiles came up against Engel & Völkers Why Not in a battle of wills, with British number one Nina Clarkin playing against British number two, Hazel Jackson-Gaona. The match was a fast affair, with DS Automobiles riding off the victors 9-7 at the final whistle. Clarkin’s 11-year-old gelding Basil was named the Best Playing Pony, whilst Jackson-Gaona picked up the Most Valuable Player honours. The Paprec French Open Teams: Sainte Mesme (16): Robert Strom (5), Santiago Cernadas (6), Pelayo Berazadi (5) & Rafael Cabezas (0) In The Wings (16): Rufino Bensadon (4), Alfonso Pieres (4), Pancho Bensadon (8) & André Fabre (0) The Ladies’ Open Final Teams: DS Automobiles (16): Lucy Coddington (5), Susanne Rosenkranz (1), Angela Robb (0) & Nina Clarkin (10) Engel & Vólkers Why Not (16): Hana Grill Zavaleta (4), Hazel Jackson-Gaona (8), Lea Siboni (2) & Beanie Bradley (2) Photograph: Sainte Mesme secured The Paprec French Open against In The Wings. Courtesy of R&B Presse |