Tempest finished top of 14 teams in the 2025 edition of the Duke of Wellington Trophy. Gustav Rausing’s squad narrowly beat Rafi Bruckner’s Cool Hooves 6.5-6 in a tight game across four chukkas. Tempest had a half-goal on handicap as Cool Hooves’ Nacho Gonzalez had seen his handicap rise to four goals in the mid-season handicap changes and it was this half-goal that won Tempest the game!

Thanks to some lovely play from Santiago Araya  and Segundo Darritchon, Cool Hooves had secured a narrow, 2 – 1.5 advantage at the end of the first chukka. Simon Prado, who was later named the Most Valuable Player and his patron, Rausing, fired through a goal apiece in the second to take the lead. Meanwhile Gonzalez kept Cool Hooves’ hopes very much alive with a lovely goal just before the half-time bell.

With still all to play for the second half was equally competitive. Prado scored again early into the third. A Tempest penalty added a bit of air into the score only for Darritchon to get free and closed the gap. He followed this up with a huge hit to goal, just seconds before the bell to ensure that the scoreboard was reading 5.5-5 going into the final chukka. However with both teams finding the flags in this final chukka t was Tempest that ran out the winners.

Prado’s mare Cristal was named the Polo Times Best Playing Pony. They received their prizes from The Hon Eleanor Wellesley, granddaughter of the eighth Duke of Wellington, a founding Member of Guards Polo Club, after whom this trophy is named.

The sub final delivered a more clear-cut result. Andrew Dechet’s Ainsley Saddlery defeated Benn Shepherd’s Oriflamme 8-2.

Tempest: Gustav Rausing (1), Florencio Lanusse (1), Simon Prado (6), Ryan Pemble (4). Cool Hooves: Rafi Bruckner (1), Segundo Darritchon (4), Santiago Araya (4), Nacho Gonzalez (4).

Ainsley Saddlery: Andrew Dechet (1), Sebastian Dawnay (2), Lachlan Gilmore (4), Manul Plaza (5). Oriflamme: Benn Shepherd (0), Jason Warren (3), Ollie Cork (4), Jack Hyde (5).

Images copyright Images of Polo