Time to play ... again

Nashauna Drummond, Lifestyle Editor

After a 21-year hiatus, the Challenge Cup Polo Charity Tournament came back with a vengeance. The Issa Trust Foundation and Chukka Foundation joined forces over the Labour Day weekend, and, on Saturday, May 24, the Chukka farms in Runaway Bay, St Ann, was the place to be.

Once you enter the Chukka property, you know it's time to play, and play they did. Everyone came out to party for a great cause and nothing was going to stop them - rain or shine. The first game for the low goal was just a warm-up between Couples Resort and the Chukka team before the challenger cup and the rain. At the end of the match, the Chukka team won three to six.

As soon as the first match ended, down came the showers, which were a blessing, not yet a dousing.

THE BIG GAME

For the challenger cup match, sponsors Appleton Estate saddled up against the Issa Chukka foundation team to go mullet to mullet. Serenity, Flirt, Sexpot and the other ponies, joined by the Chukka/ Issa Foundation team of: James Robertson, William MacLoughlin, Mark Melville and John Gilbert- Byles, got down to business against the Appleton team of Paul and Kurt Chin, Mark Melville, and Andy Vernon.

The Appleton team was given a challenge - if they scored two goals in the first two minutes, it

was free drinks for everyone. After the time had elapsed with the foundations keeping them at bay, in good faith, they opened the bar for a limited time anyway. Nothing was going to stop players or supporters, so when Gilbert-Byles and his horse went down, they got right back up, as the game must go on.

By half-time, everyone was in very good 'spirits',
which only got better as the Charleston draught horse carriage came out
on the field with a free glass of Prosecco for everyone. And as the
good times reigned, so did the rain. It came down in torrents, with the
match ending with Appleton taking home the crystal trophy, courtesy of
Bijoux, and a bottle of 21-year-old Appleton rum for each member of the
winning team. Kurt Chin got a very good birthday present, being named
MVP, and the pony, Sunami, was named most valuable
pony.

PARTY TIME

Then it was time
for DJ Bambino to really get things swinging in the after party. Before,
during, and after the rain, guests kept arriving and, from the latest
techno to Robin Thicke, the mood only intensified. Glasses met lips,
hands went into the air, the hips were engaged and the party raged on.
By the time there was a call to "show me your worst behaviour", that was
more fiercely contested than the previous game on the
field.

Among those present were Mayor of St Ann
Desmond Gilmore, custoses of Trelawny and Manchester Paul Muschette and
Sally Porteous. We also spotted Michelle Bovell, Jean Watson, Dr Heinz
Becker, Karen Lanigan, Tabitha Soren, Kevin Burke and his wife, Kaysian;
Andrew and Tricia Todd, Bobby and Indu Chandiram, Asha Issa, Jeaniene
and Chris Tribbley, Racquel Parke, Marc Melville, Dr Osmond Tomlinson
and his wife, Anna-Kay; and Joe Stewart with his son, Delisser, and his
wife, Trina.

Photos by Janet Silvera