POLO / ASTON MARTIN PRINCE OF WALES CHAMPIONSHIP CUP / GUARDS POLO / UK / MONTEROSSO / WHITE CRANE BLACK POLO

WHITE CRANE BLACK WINS ASTON MARTIN PRINCE OF WALES'S CHAMPIONSHIP CUP

Via Diana Butler - Press Release Last updated Wednesday, August 13, 2025

FINAL: White Crane Black 9 – 6 Monterosso

SUB FINAL: Quianto Capital Polo Team 8 – 6 Shoreline

Jasmine Calvert-Ansari’s White Crane Black lifted the Aston Martin Prince of Wales’s Championship Cup at the first time of asking. Her impressive 20-goal team pivoted around David Stirling, gave a confident performance to win this coveted title at Guards Polo Club. A delighted Jasmine received the trophy from Aston Martin’s James Parrett, Head of Q Special Project Sales, UK and Mark Gauntlett, Head of Special Project Sales.

Mackenzie Weisz, White Crane Black’s young American player, was instrumental in this team’s winning performance. He fired through all of White Crane’s penalties and such sharp shooting saw him receive the Aston Martin Prince of Wales’s Most Valuable Player prize. That said, this game was remarkably free of fouls. Weisz’s team-mate, Felipe Dabas received the Aston Martin Best Playing Pony prize. This went to his favourite pony, the 11-year-old mare Mentirose, whom Dabas had played in the second and the sixth chukkas.

White Crane Black’s opponents in this final were the experienced Monterosso team. Alessandro Bazzoni’s squad had won this trophy in 2023 and so were no strangers to the big occasion. However they were without their talisman, Ignacio Toccalino. Alfredo Bigatti did a good job as this team’s number two but a change of personnel is always tricky in key matches. He was a strong support for Diego Cavanagh who again would regularly cover the ground at speed.

The result was that both teams delivered a fantastic, fast-paced final. There were few whistles and the sell-out crowd was thrilled to watch a wonderful game played under a hot sun. What a way to conclude the 2025 UK high-goal season.

White Crane Black had secured a slight advantage (5-4) at half-time but this was still anyone’s game. They pulled further ahead in the fourth. A Weisz penalty and field goal increased their lead, while some fast up-and-down play from Monterosso failed to convert to goals. White Crane Black were now in the driving seat. Monterosso got back in contention in the fifth thanks to some strong play from the young Englishman, Will Harper. He had an outstanding chukka and was able to score. However, Felipe Dabas, who had been impressive for White Crane Black across the entire tournament, fired through an amazing goal at the end of this chukka to restore White Crane Black’s two-goal advantage.

There was still all to play for though as the sixth chukka got underway. But after four minutes of play there was no movement in the score. Weiz then converted a penalty two to highlight White Crane Black’s dominance in this match. A final, signature big hit from Bigatti found the flags for Monterosso but it was too late to change the outcome of this key final.

With Aston Martin sponsoring this 20-goal tournament for the first time horsepower was a highlight on and off the field of play. Guards Polo Club’s official car partner brought a stunning array of cars on the day. Even the players swapped horses for cars for the team introductions. They were driven onto the field in some incredible horsepower, including a DB5 Goldfinger, familiar to all James Bond fans; a DB12, the world’s first super tourer and the breathtaking Vanquish Volante, the pinnacle of open-top driving.

Eight teams had entered this year’s tournament and all the matches had been competitive. So it was not surprising that the morning’s final followed a familiar pattern. Quianto Capital Polo Team captured this contest. Enrico Meneghetti’s squad defeated Tunde Karim’s Shoreline in an equally fast-paced game on The Duke’s Ground. Sadly Shoreline had sub out their captain, Fran Elizalde, due to injury early on. His place was taken by the fearless Alejo Aramburu who threw himself into this game. Sadly such passion could not alter the trajectory of the score and Quianto Capital won the match 8-6. This team’s number four, Teodoro Lacau was named the Most Valuable Player.

--ENDS--

RESULTS:

White Crane Black: Jasmine Calvert-Ansari (0); Mackenzie Weisz (6); David Stirling (8); Felipe Dabas (6). Monterosso: Will Harper (4); Alfredo Bigatti (7); Diego Cavanagh (8); Alessandro Bazzoni (1).

Quianto Capital Polo Team: Enrico Meneghetti (0); Mark Tomlinson (5); Juan Britos (8); Teodoro Lacau (7). Shoreline: Tunde Karim (0); Ed Banner Eve (5); Guillermo Terrera (7); Fran Elizalde (8)/Alejo Aramburu (5).

Images copyright Marcos Cerdeira/Tom Jens