Founders Cup

Adolfo Cambiaso named most valuable player

On a perfect day that featured sky divers, a one armed bandit, and great polo, Scone Polo team won it’s first World Polo League Tournament, The Founders Cup.

This year’s Final was set to be a hot bed of phenomenal polo talent, with players travelling from as far afield as Australia to compete for the coveted $60,000 prize money and honor of lifting the Founders Cup Trophy. Going into the match, both David Paradice’s Scone and Sayyu Dantata’s SD Farms had secured resounding victories against their Semifinal opponents, proving they were more than worthy to have trounced the other eight teams and potentially, each other. 

Going into the Final however, it was clear SD Farms had their work cut out, with legendary father/son duo of Adolfo Cambiaso and his 14-year-old son Poroto coming off of their win in the World Polo League’s first tournament, The All Star Challenge, were raring to show their powerfully intuitive play, backed up by the more than capable Diego Cavanagh and British Queen’s Cup winning David Paradice – quite the force to be reckoned with.
 
Following the first throw-in from the legendary John Payne,, the one-armed bandit, play ensued with a penalty conversion from Scone’s Cavanagh to put Scone 4-0 ahead within just 30 seconds, adding to their 3 goal handicap advantage. With a somewhat choppy beginning, it took time for the teams to settle into a rhythm, showcasing the very best of international polo talent. Cavanagh, the penalty genius, carried on building the handicap advantage, using the 3 goal spring board, with one conversion success, then another, making it 6-0. SD Farms’ Juan Martin Zubia found the uprights for their first foray onto the scoreboard, but as the chukker closed, SD Farms were flummoxed, trailing 7-1.

 

Teams:

SCONE
David Paradise – 0
Poroto Cambiaso – 4
Diego Cavanagh – 9
Adolfo Cambiaso – 10

SD FARMS
Sayyu Dantata – 2
Santi Torres – 7
Guillermo Terrera – 8
Juan Martin Zubia – 8

 

© Thomas Wirth

After a successful All Star Challenge season-opener, the World Polo League season continues Friday with the Founders Cup.

Three games will open the second tournament of the season at Valiente Polo Farm. Scone will make its season debut against J5/La Dolfina Breeding at noon on Field 3; Valiente plays Alegria at 2 p.m. on Field 2; and Seminole Casino meets Richard Mille at 4 p.m. on Field 1.

Ten teams, including new team sponsors Amaala, Scone and STM, will compete in the first of three WPL tournaments offering major prize money. Scone competed last year in the WPL‘s inaugural season.

The WPL is coming off a successful opening and fun All Star Challenge where Valiente defended its title with a new lineup.

Valiente (Bob Jornayvaz 2, Poroto Cambiaso 4, Diego Cavanagh 9, Adolfo Cambiaso 10) led for most of the game to defeat SD Farms (Sayyu Dantata 2, Santi Torres 7, Guillermo Terrera 8, Juan Martin Zubia 8), 12-10. Poroto Cambiaso, 14, the only returning player off last year‘s winning team, has now won back-to-back tournament titles. His father, Adolfo, was Most Valuable Player of the game.

„We have seen some great polo,“ WCT Commissioner Dale Smicklas said. „We have seen some thrilling games and some expected results as well as some upsets. And there is so much more ahead of us.“

Team sponsors and rosters for the Founders Cup are:

Amaala (25): Nacho Figueras 6, Tincho Merlos 7, Facu Llorente 7, Juan Bollini 5.

Alegría (25): Henry Porter 3, Matias Magrini 7, Fred Mannix 7, Nachi du Plessis 8.

Casablanca (25): Grant Ganzi 3, Rodrigo Andrade 8, Hilario Ulloa 10, Juancito Bollini 4.

J-5 La Dolfina Breeding (23): Gonzalo Ferrari 4, Isidro Strada 7, Jerónimo Del Carril 7, Robertito Zedda 5.

Richard Mille (26): Camilo Castagnola 7, TBA 2, Barto Castagnola 7, Pablo Mac Donough 10.

Scone (23): David Paradice 0, Poroto Cambiaso 4, Diego Cavanagh 9, Adolfo Cambiaso 10.

SD Farms (25): Sayyu Dantata 2, Santi Torres 7, Guillermo Terrera 8, Juan Martin Zubia 8.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (24): Melissa Ganzi 0, Lucas James 8, Alejandro Novillo Astrada 8, Nic Roldan 8.

STM (26): Robert Strom 5, Pablo Spinacci 6, Corcho Zavaleta 7, Nacho Novillo Astrada 8.

Valiente (27): Bob Jornayvaz 2, Gringo Colombres 8, Sebastian Merlos 9, Jejo Taranco 8.

Last year‘s Founders Cup winner was Grand Champions. In one of polo‘s biggest upsets, Grand Champions knocked off Valiente, 12-11, in overtime at Valiente.

In front of an overflow crowd, Argentine 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero scored the winning goal in the first two minutes of overtime to upset previously unbeaten Valiente (Bob Jornayvaz, 2, Agustin Nero, 6, Santi Torres, 6, Adolfo Cambiaso, 10). Nero was MVP.

Playing together for the first time in the  tournament, Grand Champions finished the eight-team 26-goal tournament undefeated at 4-0. Nero and teammates Rodrigo Andrade, Grant Ganzi and Juancito Bollini earned $60,000 in prize money.

 

2020 WORLD POLO LEAGUE SCHEDULE

Founder‘s Cup Feb 19 – Mar 1

Friday 2/21 12 p.m. Scone vs J5 La Dolfina at Valiente 3

Friday 2/21 2 p.m. Valiente vs Alegria at Valiente 2

Friday 2/21 4 p.m. Seminole vs Richard Mille at Valiente 1

Saturday 2/22 12 p.m. SD Farms vs Casablanca at SD Farms field

Sunday 2/23 10:30 a.m. Amala vs Winner Valiente/Alegria at GCPC 1

Sunday 2/23 4 p.m. STM vs Winner Scone/J5 La Dolfina at GCPC 2

Mar. 4-22, Palm Beach Open

Mar. 28-Apr. 18, Triple Crown of Polo

Apr. 6-12, U.S. National Mixed Doubles Polo Championship

 

© Thomas Wirth

In one of polo’s biggest upsets, Grand Champions knocked off Valiente, 12-11, in overtime to win the World Polo League Founders Cup Sunday at Valiente Polo Farm. – By Sharon Robb

In front of an overflow crowd, Argentine 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero scored the winning goal in the first two minutes of overtime to upset previously unbeaten Valiente (Bob Jornayvaz, 2, Agustin Nero, 6, Santi Torres, 6, Adolfo Cambiaso, 10).Playing together for the first time in the WPL’s second tournament of the season, Grand Champions finished the eight-team, 26-goal tournament undefeated at 4-0. Nero and teammates Rodrigo Andrade, 9, Grant Ganzi, 3, and Juancito Bollini, 4, earned $60,000 in prize money.

“I don’t know what happened, they say that we won,” joked Nero, named the Tournament Most Valuable Player. Nero also earned the Catena Watch Play of the Day for his game-winner. Andrade was selected Tato’s Game MVP. “I saw Grant was with Adolfito, I was open and went for it. I said to myself ‘I can’t miss this goal.’ I was completely alone. I was lucky to get it. This is huge for us. This is the first tournament we played together and we won. The game was really, good, it was open. We had a lot of fun.”

The stunning victory marked a successful 26-goal final debut of longtime friends and teammates Grant Ganzi, 20, and Juancito Bollini, 22. “I am at a loss for words, I can’t describe it, this is insane,” Ganzi said. “This is a huge upset. The last time Adolfo lost at this level other than last year’s U.S. Open final was a long time ago. It’s tough to beat these guys. Congrats to them, they have been playing unbelievable polo.

About World Polo League:

Co-founded by Grand Champions owners Melissa and Marc Ganzi and Valiente Polo Farm owner Bob Jornayvaz, the World Polo League is the only 26-goal polo in the world outside of Argentina. The WPL is preserving the highest level of polo and its rich, hallowed tradition in the U.S. The WPL has its own set of simpler fan-friendly rules to improve the flow and action of the game.

The WPL, with 14 tournament-quality fields to play on, includes the Feb. 19-March 3 Founders Cup, March 6-24 Palm Beach Open which gets under way on Wednesday with two games including the debut of SD Farms, and March 27-April 14 Triple Crown of Polo.

The World Polo League is open to other teams that wish to compete in one or more of the tournaments. Games are offered on the flat (Open) and on Handicap. The World Polo League has attracted a large international field of players from all corners of the world  including Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Uruguay and U.S.
 
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