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Wellington, FL – January 3, 2021 – The opening day of the 2021 season arrived at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC), beginning with the Bobby Barry Cup final between Palm Beach Equine and Beverly Equestrian on the Home of the U.S. Polo Assn – Field 1. Played under a different environment without the usual packed grandstand, Palm Beach Equine emerged victorious, defeating Beverly Equestrian 13-11 and capturing the Bobby Barry Cup title.

Conceding two goals on handicap to Beverly Equestrian, Palm Beach Equine received an impressive performance from Gringo Colombres, leading all players with six goals as part of an efficient attack alongside Robi Bilbao and Costi Caset. Scott Swerdlin was effective in the back position for the Palm Beach Equine defense that prevented any significant runs from their opponent. The momentum of the game changed at the beginning of the second half as Palm Beach Equine scored six of the first eight goals to build a large enough lead and withstand a late push from Beverly Equestrian to complete the two-goal victory.

Building on their two-goal advantage, 16-goal Beverly Equestrian extended their lead to three at the end of the first chukker after two goals from Tolito Ocampo, pressuring Palm Beach Equine in the early stages of the match. A tightly marked defensive game was seen for the remainder of the first half with little space given to each team, resulting in a few fouls that favored Palm Beach Equine. Unable to capitalize on the extra possessions from three Beverly Equestrian fouls in the second chukker, Palm Beach Equine stayed three behind on the scoreboard after Hilario Figueras and Bilbao traded goals for their respective teams. Finding their pace in the final chukker of the half, Palm Beach Equine kept Beverly Equestrian in their own half, converting a Penalty 2 as well as receiving a Penalty 1 to reduce the deficit to one and trail 6-5 at halftime.

Breaking through in the opening moments of the second half, Palm Beach Equine took their first lead of the game on Colombres’ third goal, which ignited a dominant fourth and fifth chukker. After being held scoreless in the first half, Costi Caset made an immediate impact, scoring two goals for Palm Beach Equine, extending their lead to 9-7. A back and forth fifth chukker saw Beverly Equestrian battle to reclaim the lead on goals from Figueras and Lucas Diaz Alberdi, but Palm Beach Equine’s offense continued to produce thanks to the efforts of Colombres. Adding two goals to his total, Colombres left Palm Beach Equine holding a four-goal advantage with just one chukker between them and the victory. Another Colombres goal pushed the lead to four, leaving Beverly Equestrian with a difficult task with time running out. Despite conceding field goals to Ocampo and Figueras, Palm Beach Equine completed the strong opening day performance, capturing the exciting 13-11 victory.

Leading scorer Gringo Colombres was awarded Most Valuable Player while his pony Dolfina Niniera received Best Playing Pony Honors. Palm Beach Equine and Beverly Equestrian will meet again on Wednesday at IPC to begin play in the Joe Barry Memorial.


Robi Bilbao of Palm Beach Equine helped the team to victory with multiple goals. ©Alex Pacheco

Palm Beach Equine‘s Gringo Colombres was the Most Valuable Player of the game. ©Alex Pacheco

Click here to view the full 2021 High Goal Polo Schedule.

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Click here to learn more about the GAUNTLET OF POLO®.

Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club will host its first Ladies Charity Cup on 02nd November 2019 in partnership with its title sponsor, U.S. Polo Assn. and in association with Pink Caravan, a Pan UAE breast cancer initiative. The Exhibition Cup brings together the strength of women in the Sport of Kings in support of breast cancer awareness.

The afternoon will be filled with activities for everyone to enjoy –  two polo matches featuring some of the region‘s well-known polo players, charity lunch and auction, fun activities, competitions with amazing prizes, food and entertainment for all.

Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Habtoor Group says, „Hosting our first-ever Ladies Charity Cup is a proud moment for us. Through the collective support of the playing teams, our staff and all the guests joining us on the day, we give our contribution to breast cancer awareness advocacy on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of women who are diagnosed with every year.“

“We love that we can use the beautiful sport of polo to bring fans together at this exciting event while supporting a cause that impacts so many of us and our families,” added J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, the exclusive worldwide licensor for the USPA’s global licensing program and parent organization to the U.S. Polo Assn. brand. “Today, women are making such a huge, positive impact on both the sport and on our brand, so we are supporting events such as this around the world as part of own Women’s Initiative Program.”

Dr Sawsan Al Madhi, Director General of FOCP and Head of the Pink Caravan‘s Medical and Awareness Committee said: “As an organisation dedicated to promoting and raising cancer awareness in the UAE, we believe in the power of partnerships to expand the scope of our work to improve the standards of breast cancer screening and treatment within the UAE, and highlight the critical importance of early detection.

“We are delighted to be joining hands with well-known U.S. Polo Assn. to further our goals for this worthy cause and extend the benefits of our work to a larger population across the UAE. Such meaningful collaborations reflect on our nation’s humanitarian spirit, and will boost our efforts in bringing early detection to the forefront and to serve as a key resource for cancer patients, their families and caregivers.”

A portion of the proceeds raised will be donated to benefit Pink Caravan under the non-profit organization Friends of Cancer Patients.

 

About Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club

The Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club is a state-of-the-art polo and equestrian community devoted to equine sports and is the home ground for the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series. Check out the Polo and Riding School 2019 – 2020 calendars for upcoming international-standard tournaments, competition and events. For more information: contacts@alhabtoorpoloclub.com | +971 4 4362222

 

About U.S. Polo Assn.

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States founded in 1890, making it one of the oldest sports governing bodies.  With a global footprint of $1.7B and worldwide distribution through 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories, footwear, travel and home goods in 180 countries worldwide.

About Pink Caravan

Pink Caravan, a Pan UAE breast cancer initiative that falls under Friends of Cancer Patients’ umbrella “Kashf” for early detection of cancer. Launched in 2011 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Pink Caravan has garnered widespread recognition locally, regionally, and internationally, and therefore, has appointed ambassadors from different walks of life to promote and advocate its mission.

About Friends of Cancer Patients

Friends of Cancer Patients is committed to help cancer patients and their families get through their long and arduous journey of cancer treatment. Since its inception, FoCP has delivered moral and financial support to cancer patients and their families, irrespective of their nationality, gender, age, religion or ethnicity.

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