Yesterday the final of the 11th Copa Julio Novillo Astrada Jaeger-LeCoultre was held at La Aguada Polo Club, in Open Door, Argentina. Las Monjitas beat Los Cocos (who received one goal on handicap) by a narrow 10-9 and won the coveted trophy. Pancho Bensadon (+8) scored the winning goal in the last seconds in extra chukka.
Las Monjitas maintained the lead in the first three chukkas and by half time they had a 6-5 advantage. However, Los Cocos put enough pressure during the second part of the match, and tied at 8-all in the fifth chukka.
In the last chukka, and with only a minute remaining in regulation time, Los Cocos and Las Monjitas were awarded with a foul apiece, that ended up in penalty conversions by Diego Cavanagh (Los Cocos) and Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr. (Las Monjitas), to tie at 9-all, and sent the game into extra chukka. Following a thrilling extra chukka, Pancho Bensadon produced a quick run to the goalposts, and sealed the 10-9 win, with only 15 seconds to go.
Las Monjitas retained the title they obtained in 2013. Las Monjitas is the second team to capture the Copa Julio Novillo Astrada for two consecutive years, after El Caburé, winners in 2011 and 2012.
In the other finals, El Milagro took the Subsidiary I, after defeating Murus Sanctus 13-9, while the Subsidiary II went to Salkeld, who took a 12-9 win over Bendabout.
The Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Association awarded Polo Sofía (Polo Tempral x Reina), bred by Alberto Pedro Heguy and ridden by Pancho Bensadon, as the Best Polo Argentino Bred. The River Slaney BPP Award went to Fax Victoria, bred by Anzorreguy, and ridden by Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario.
Pancho Bensadon took the Most Valuable Player honours and the Skeeter Johnston Fair Play Award was presented to Toto Zubillaga.
The teams:
Murus Sanctus (+22)
Corinne Ricard (0)
Facundo Sola (+8)
Lucas Monteverde (+9)
Ignacio Acuña Suero (+5)
Las Monjitas (+22)
Camilo Bautista (0)
Matías Fernández Llanos (+4)
Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr. (+9)
Francisco Bensadon (+8)
Salkeld (+22)
Nick Clarke (+1)
Jamie Peel (+3)
Miguel Novillo Astrada (+10)
Cristian Laprida Jr. (+8)
El Milagro (+22)
Federico Tomasevich (0)
Guillermo Terrera (+8)
Santiago Solari (+6)
Alejandro Novillo Astrada (+8)
Bendabout (+21)
Will Johnston (+2)
Jota Chavanne (+5)
Ignacio Novillo Astrada (+9)
Guy Gibrat (+5)
Los Cocos (+21)
Rafael Zubillaga (0)
Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario (+7)
Diego Cavanagh (+8)
Tomás Lalor (+6)
