Players came to the beachside resort of Costa Careyes located on the Pacific Ocean to celebrate the annual holiday tournament. Brazil, the Marcos Schallbach family and Gustavo Garcia Reveiro – Peru, Guillermo Li – USA, Gary Magness and the Chris Falk group – Italy, Milo Ardissone – Argentina, Nico Milan – England, Nicola Hodges and Elliot Sands – Hong Kong, Phillippe de Caraman and Mexico, the Aguilar brothers, Guillermo Steta, President of the Mexican Polo Federation, Diego Solorzano, Tomas Elliot, Raul Ramirez and Guillermo Jimenez were represented on the field.
Four teams from the 7-9 goal level and 5 chukkers played each other to gain entry to the championship final. Steta/Brazil – Steta, Schallbach, Tomas Elliot and Solorzano (9 goals) with a 3 win-zero loss record were pitted against Guadalajara/Agua Alta (7 goals) – the Aguilar brothers, Ardissone and Jimenez. Their record was 2 wins and one loss – the only loss was to the Steta team during the playoffs.
Solorzano scored the first goal right out of the first throw in and with that quick goal – looked like it might be a runaway. No one scored the second chukker but Guadalajara/Agua Alta alive and scored 4 goals in the 3rd chukkers to one for Steta/Brazil – at half time after the 3rd chukker score was 5 ½ to 2 in favor of the Guadalajara foursome. From then on Pancho Aguilar was on fire scoring 3 goals for the winners and Solorzano the same but not enough. Guadalajara ended up the champions – 10 ½ to 6. A tequila toast for all players organized by Giorgio Brignone, owner of the Careyes club, during the trophy presentation. Subsidiary was won by Magness, Li, Milan and Ramirez against De Caraman, Reveiro, Chris Falk filling in for Robert Payne who had played the first 4 games and had to leave and Henrique Schallbach.
Another tournament going on at the same time was for lower goal players. The Falk family, Katie, Chris, Josh and Sidney of Fresno, California were the winners over a 2 day tournament against Sebastian Wiliamson, Tomas Elliot, Charlotte de Caraman and Gian Carlo Brignone, grandson of the founder of Careyes, Sr. Gian Franco Brignone.
To end the visit for the out of country players –Careyes put together a match game . The 2 Aguilar Brothers with Tomas Elliot and Jimenez against Steta, Schallbach, Solorzano and Reveiro – 10 goals against 10 goals. The Aguilars, Jimenez and Elliot scored a repeat win against Schallbach, Steta, Solorzano and Reveiro – 7 to 5.
Over 40 head of horses were shipped in for the event and the remaining players were mounted by Careyes Polo Club, Hans Giebeler and the Ardissones. Careyes Club is open for polo from November through April.
Please see www.careyes.com
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