22-year-old Anna Dowling, the rising star polo player from Murringo, NSW, has concluded her week of playing in Thailand for the L’Oreal Paris team in the King Power International Ladies Polo Tournament with a runner-up medal. In a thrilling final game, L’Oreal Paris was narrowly defeated by the host team King Power 10-8, with the winning goal scored in the last minutes of the fourth chukka. This experience provided Dowling, who is hoping to be selected for the Australian National Ladies team, valuable experience playing with and against some of the world’s finest female players.
The King Power team, led by patron Ploy Bhinsaeng, included eight-goal rated Lia Salvo and seven-goal rated Sarah Wiseman. Argentinian-born Salvo, 31, who scored the winning goal, is one of Dowling’s polo idols, as is her L’Oreal teammate, Elena Venot of France. Venot also scored and won the Most Valuable Player award for the contest. During the tightly fought game, the lead changed several times, but in the end, the greater experience of the King Power women made the difference.
After the match, Dowling commented, “It was an absolute honour to play alongside my teammates Danielle Lussi, Ling Ling (Saserach Thomgkhon), and Elena Venot, who is the best female player from France and among some of the best female players in the world! I learned so much playing with my teammates, and what made it even more special was that we got on so well! Likewise, it was an incredible experience to play against Ploy, Cami (Camila Aprile), Wisey (Sarah Wiseman), and Lia in what was such a clean, open, and fast-paced game. Keeping up with Lia was very difficult, but it was amazing to have the opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and play against such incredible players! I would like to thank Sarah Wiseman for inviting me and King Power for having us! Such experiences will last with me forever!”
Dowling will be playing in the two selection tournaments to be held in NSW, at Sydney’s Windsor Polo Fields, 2-3 April 2025 and the Women’s World Cup Trial Game to be held during the Polo International tournament, Sunday 6 April 2025. Then traveling to the UK in June for another international tournament in her preparation and quest to be named as part of the team for the Women’s World Polo Championships held in Punta Ala Polo Club in June.
Source: Show Jump Info press release by Katrina Bignasca
