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Going up against the only undefeated team in the tournament captained by the formidable Adolfo Cambiaso, Park Place (Matt Coppola*, Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos, Jack Whitman*) knew there could be no margin for error in the C.V. Whitney Cup® Final against Scone (David Paradice, Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, Peke Gonzalez*). Meeting on Sunday, March 7, on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field 1, the two teams found themselves locked in a tight and passionate game from start to finish, never separated by more than a goal each chukker. Forcing the game into overtime with under a minute remaining, Park Place relentlessly fought to score the golden goal, claiming not only the title 11-10 and $100,000, but their place as the only 2021 GAUNTLET OF POLO® contenders.

“This win means the world to us, it’s literally a dream come true. I wish Andrey [Borodin] could have been here today. He’d be so proud of his team.” – Ashley Price, Park Place Team Manager

Firing at Park Place’s goal within the first couple minutes, Scone looked to establish a lead early on, igniting a defensive battle throughout the first half. Receiving a nearside neckshot pass from Adolfo Cambiaso, Gonzalez made a breakaway to score the first field goal of the day. Winning the next throw-in and answering back with an immediate goal, Whitman’s quick response proved to be a precursor of the back-and-forth action to come.

Playing halfway through the second without a goal from either side, Scone added one to the tally to break the tie for the first time 3-2. Exercising precision from the Penalty 4 line, Adolfo Cambiaso’s third chukker goal was met by a strong offensive force led by Ulloa. “We tried to keep possession of the ball and keep it away from Cambiaso, but I think we were playing a bit slowly at the beginning,” Ulloa commented. “Chukker by chukker we found a way to open up the game, hit long shots and run a bit more.” Relying on his young teammates who took out the defenders, Ulloa claimed two impressive goals to once again level the playing field 4-all in the final minute before halftime.

As the intensity of the game increased with each successive chukker, both sides continued to trade goals but were unsuccessful in creating much of a lead in the second half. Sticking to his man, Whitman held off Scone long enough for Ulloa to take the ball around the pack and score in the fourth. Positioned to make the assist, Adolfo Cambiaso hit the ball up to his son who made a strong cutshot to regain the advantage.

Claiming three consecutive goals in the fifth, Park Place played with offensive prowess, Britos stealing possession from Poroto Cambiaso to pick up his first goal of the game. Entering the sixth 8-7, Park Place’s lead quickly evaporated by an opening goal from Adolfo Cambiaso. Closing in on the final two minutes of regulation time, Gonzalez made a run to goal which put the pressure on Park Place to act fast. Supreme under pressure, Ulloa hit the ball through traffic to tie the game up 10-all with 10 seconds to spare.

The electrifying overtime chukker proved to be just as heated as regulation, both sides coming close to their mark. Nearing the end of the seventh, Park Place’s Ulloa hit a deep neckshot out of the pack to Whitman who ran the golden goal between the posts with 2:40 on the clock. “To be honest, I wasn’t thinking at all!” Whitman shared. “Hilario [Ulloa] hit the pass down the boards and I just went for it!”

“Goal of a lifetime, game of a lifetime, opportunity of a lifetime!” – Jack Whitman

In addition to the title, Park Place received $100,000 in prize money while Scone was awarded $25,000 as the runners-up. This year’s GAUNTLET OF POLO® in partnership with USPA Global Licensing embraced the spirit of giving with non-profit charities chosen by the finalists also receiving a donation. Park Place chose to divide the $5,000 between Polo Players Support Group (PPSG) and Relay Polo while Scone contributed their total $5,000 to PPSG.

Competing for Park Place in the English season, Ulloa has wanted this win for several years. “I’ve been working with Park Place for four years,” Ulloa said. “We lost two finals of the Cartier Queen’s Cup and it was tough for me. I wanted to win a tournament with Park Place and luckily after putting in the hard work the results came. I want to thank Andrey [Borodin] for trusting me, he has been a big support in my career.” “This is our third season in the United States,” Price said. “Year one every single horse was playing their first season, then year two everything was canceled due to COVID-19 and we unfortunately had a few injuries. Now we’re in year three and off to a fantastic start.”

An impressive team effort, Park Place’s win was made possible in large part to their strong team chemistry. “We believed in our organization, teammates and the system we wanted to play and today it paid off for us,” Britos said. “It was a very physical final and Scone did a great job, so I think it was one of the best games of the entire tournament, no doubt. It was anyone’s game, but we got a bit luckier at the end.” 

Substituting for team owner Andrey Borodin, 16-year-old Whitman received the opportunity of a lifetime when Ulloa invited him to play for Park Place. “I was a little nervous! Just to play in the C.V. Whitney Cup® is an amazing opportunity, but to make it to the final is incredible!” Whitman said. “The organization, our coach Julio Arellano and everyone from Park Place has been so supportive. Andrey [Borodin] has also been amazing helping me with everything and I want to thank him for giving me this unbelievable opportunity.”

Responsible for the game-winning goal, Jack Whitman was named Most Valuable player. “Goal of a lifetime, game of a lifetime, opportunity of a lifetime!” Whitman exclaimed. “He played amazing the whole tournament, not just in the final, and he was very grateful for the opportunity,” Britos added about Whitman. “He’s a great kid all around, he rides well, plays well—he’s the whole package. Today he scored a goal which I’m sure he’ll never forget for the rest of his life.”

Best Playing Pony honors were presented to eight-year-old Lavinia Heroica (Lavinia Naipe x Lavinia Heroina), an Argentine homebred chestnut mare owned and played by Hilario Ulloa in the fourth and seventh chukkers. “I played her [Lavinia Heroica’s] grandmother when I was 1 goal until I was 9 goals,” Ulloa said. “I played her for nine consecutive years in the Open and then I played her daughter for four or five years in the Argentine Open. This is the third generation I’m able to play so my family and I are really happy. Lavinia Heroica made her 22-goal debut this season and she has continued to improve game after game.”

Having close to one hundred horses in work, Park Place has continued to build and refine their strings to be competitive as an organization. “It’s literally a dream to win this tournament and to beat a team like Scone,” Price said. “It’s an unbelievable team and they’re really well mounted! We’ve been working every year to improve our horsepower.”

Whitman will begin the USPA Gold Cup® with Park Place until Borodin arrives in the coming weeks, but he has already learned so much. “It’s incredible how fast these top players think and the speed at which they play,” Whitman shared. “I’m playing two of my horses and honestly it’s amazing to know that they are able to play a game like this and are able to keep up!”

Moving forward with the ultimate goal of being named GAUNTLET champions, Park Place is focusing on the long game. “This is just the beginning,” Ulloa said. The teams will come back stronger in the USPA Gold Cup® including many good teams that didn’t have the chance because of the shootout. We know it’s still a long road ahead and we have to focus game after game, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.” 

The GAUNTLET OF POLO® continues with the USPA Gold Cup® beginning Monday, March 8, with Coca-Cola taking on Santa Clara at 3:00pm ET. All games will be livestreamed on Global Polo TV.

*Peke Gonzalez and Jack Whitman are Active Team USPA Members. Matt Coppola is a Graduating Team USPA Member. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.

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Wellington, FL – March 7, 2021 – The highly-anticipated conclusion of the 2021 C.V. Whitney Cup® did not disappoint on the Home of the U.S. Polo Assn – Field 1 as Park Place and Scone battled into overtime to determine the champion of the first leg in the Gauntlet of Polo® and the $100,000 prize. In a hard-fought, physical game where each team had their opportunities to raise the trophy, it was Hilario Ulloa who found Jack Whitman on the sideboards as he raced past David Paradice to send the ball through the goal and begin the exhilarating celebration for Park Place with the memorable 11-10 victory.

Scone entered the final with an undefeated 4-0 record but ran into a determined Park Place team that made them fight for each possession in an evenly matched contest. With the score never more than one goal apart after each chukker, the final was destined to go into overtime between Scone and Park Place, sporting nearly identical stats. Ulloa led Park Place offensively with seven goals while Scone received four goals each from Adolfo Cambiaso and Peke Gonzalez, but the game was ultimately decided by the smallest of margins in a classic at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC).

A Penalty 4 conversion for Ulloa set an early tone for Park Place as they looked to hand Scone their first loss, matching the Cambiaso-led team stride for stride in the opening chukker. Whitman provided a response to Gonzalez’s first goal, leaving the teams tied at 2-2 after the first seven minutes. Defense was a key component of both team’s journey to the final and it was on display early as Scone held Park Place off the scoresheet in the second chukker, while Poroto Cambiaso accounted for the only goal to inch Scone ahead. After successfully keeping Scone off the penalty line in the first two chukkers, Place Place conceded their first Penalty 4 to Adolfo Cambiaso, as they faced their first two-goal deficit of the game, but before the end of the half, Hilario changed the momentum heading into halftime, scoring back-to-back goals to tie the game at 4-4.

Throughout the game, the teams were always within one goal of each other to make for an exciting final match-up. ©Alex Pacheco

Each push Scone made in the game was met by a resilient Park Place team that wouldn’t let Scone’s lead grow, despite the best efforts of their three-pronged attack of Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso, alongside Gonzalez. Asserting himself in the opening stages of the second half, Adolfo Cambiaso scored and then set up son Poroto for a two-goal fourth chukker that restored their one-goal advantage. In arguably their best chukker of the game, Park Place applied relentless pressure with Juan Britos scoring his only two goals of the game in a crucial run of three unanswered goals that left them ahead by one with one chukker remaining. With everyone on the edge of their seats, the final chukker displayed the elite level of play seen throughout the final, trading goals back and forth until Gonzalez picked up the ball on the nearside and put Scone ahead by one with 50 seconds left. In desperate need of a goal, Ulloa won the throw-in and drove downfield against a Scone defense that was desperately trying to complete the victory. Placing the ball in front of goal, Britos left it for Ulloa and he converted the neckshot with time expiring to send the game into overtime.

Park Place secured the win thanks to an overtime goal that pushed the score to 11-10. ©Alex Pacheco

A thrilling overtime chukker carried on for nearly five minutes with each team having their opportunities to claim victory. Scone had the first chance on a run to goal from Poroto Cambiaso, but the shot attempt went just wide as Park Place reorganized. Producing a chance of their own, Park Place’s Matt Coppola worked the ball in front of Scone’s goal but the ball rolled just outside the post, leaving the tense overtime chukker to continue. After thwarting another Scone attack, Ulloa found Whitman downfield and a perfectly hit shot from Whitman placed the ball in front of Scone’s goal. Racing past his defender, Whitman confidently hit the ball through and began the Park Place celebration as they were crowned the 2021 C.V. Whitney Cup® champions.

For his overtime heroics, Whitman was awarded Most Valuable Player, while Best Playing Pony went to Hilario Ulloa’s Lavina Heroica. Crio Polo Argentino (Argentine Bred) Best Playing Pony was given to Mega Big Bay, owned by Lerin Zubiaurre and played by Juan Britos.

Park Place‘s Jack Whitman, pictured with Stewart Armstrong, Chairman of the United States Polo Association, was awarded Most Valuable Player. ©Alex Pacheco

Polo matches at IPC are not open to the general public except for ticketed Sunday brunch. Online viewing is available with a subscription at globalpolo.com.

Click here to view the full 2021 High Goal Polo Schedule.
Click here to learn more about the International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Click here to learn more about the GAUNTLET OF POLO®.

Wellington, FL – March 3, 2021 – Four teams remained in the semifinals of the 2021 C.V. Whitney Cup® as Coca-Cola, Park Place, La Indiana, and Scone battled for a spot in the final and a chance to claim the $100,000 prize. In the first semifinal, Park Place dominated the middle of the game, going on an 11-1 run against Coca-Cola to cruise to the 13-9 victory. In a match-up between the two undefeated teams in the tournament, Scone handed La Indiana their first loss of the season, capturing the 13-8 victory to meet Park Place in the final.

A well-rounded Park Place performance saw them control possession in open play, outscoring Coca-Cola 10-2 from the field over the first five chukkers while also playing disciplined polo, keeping Coca-Cola off the penalty line. The transition from defense to offense for Park Place, led by a strong passing attack from Hilario Ulloa and Matt Coppola continued to keep Coca-Cola pinned in their own half, while Coca-Cola managed just 20% shooting up until the final chukker in the 13-9 defeat.

A competitive first few minutes saw Nico Pieres and Juan Britos trade early field goals to leave the score tied, until Pieres struck again for Coca-Cola on a Penalty 2 conversion. Both teams had their opportunities to score in the remainder of the first chukker, but the final four shots of the chukker were missed, leaving the score at 2-1 in favor of Coca-Cola. The momentum switched to Park Place due to the play of Ulloa, who scored three consecutive goals for Park Place while a team effort held Coca-Cola off the scoreboard and pressured Nico Pieres on the ball. Building a 4-2 lead, Park Place extended it further to a three-goal advantage before the end of the half as Pieres was the only goal scorer for Coca-Cola, scoring his third. Adding a Penalty 4 conversion along with a field goal from Britos, Park Place held the 6-3 lead at halftime.

Matt Coppola contributed to the victory by leading Park Place‘s defense and scoring three goals. ©Alex Pacheco

Park Place’s defense became a key factor in their dominant stretch to begin the second half, scoring the first six goals to leave Coca-Cola trailing by nine. Coppola was a standout player for Park Place, anchoring the defense while finding his opportunities to come forward, scoring all three goals in the fourth chukker. Held without a field goal for the second consecutive chukker, Coca-Cola ended the 11-1 run on back-to-back Penalty 3 conversions from Pieres, but it still left them facing a seven-goal deficit with one chukker remaining. One goal from each Coca-Cola player in the sixth chukker brought them within four, but Park Place’s impressive performance pushed them into the final, awaiting the winner of the second semifinal.

Two of the top offenses in the tournament in La Indiana and Scone met to decide the final spot in the final in a highly anticipated match that was ultimately controlled by Scone. Holding the strong La Indiana attack to 18% shooting in the second half and 10-goaler Polito Pieres to just two goals, Scone used their trio of Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, and Peke Gonzalez in a persistent attack that never let up. Gonzalez finished with a game-high seven goals, on the receiving end of accurate passes from Adolfo Cambiaso, while Scone took advantage of all four opportunities from the penalty line to capture the 13-8 victory.

Scone and La Indiana possess two of the strongest offenses in the tournament. ©Alex Pacheco

Breaking through on the first play of the game, Nico Escobar gave La Indiana the 1-0 lead, but it would ultimately be their only lead of the game as Scone responded with a goal and an assist from Poroto Cambiaso as part of a three-goal first chukker to hold the 3-1 advantage. With Adolfo Cambiaso effectively directing play from the back, Poroto Cambiaso and Gonzalez continued to charge forward, adding another goal each as La Indiana was unable to pull closer, remaining down by two after goals from Escobar and Pieres. Averaging 15.5 goals through their first two games, La Indiana was limited to just four goals in the first half as Scone controlled possession in the attacking half and relied on the offense of Gonzalez, who added his fourth and fifth goals to give Scone the 7-4 lead.

In need of offense, La Indiana produced a determined effort towards Scone’s goal but struggled with inaccurate shooting in the opening stages of the second half, unable to convert any of their six attempts at goal. Slowly extending their lead, Adolfo Cambiaso made a significant impact for Scone by adding two goals in the fourth chukker and headlining a four-goal fifth chukker that proved to be the decisive moment of the game. Gonzalez brought his goal total to seven in one of his best performances of the season, while Scone continued their strong debut in the Gauntlet of Polo®, keeping La Indiana at a distance in the final chukker to remain undefeated with the 13-8 victory.

Scone used their trio of Adolfo Cambiaso (above), Poroto Cambiaso, and Peke Gonzalez to secure the victory over La Indiana. ©Alex Pacheco

Polo matches at IPC are not open to the general public except for ticketed Sunday brunch. Online viewing is available with a subscription at globalpolo.com.

Click here to view the full 2021 High Goal Polo Schedule.
Click here to learn more about the International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Click here to learn more about the GAUNTLET OF POLO®.