WELLINGTON, FL, April 6, 2021— Newport defeated Ellipse by 17-13 on Sunday to take the Top Pony 12-Goal title.
Newport (Gene Goldstein, Milo Dorignac, Michel Dorignac, and Nick Manifold) met Ellipse (Jack Whitman, Toly Ulloa, Robi Bilbao, and Louis Devaleix) Sunday morning to vie for the title in the Top Pony 12-Goal tournament. Newport ceded one goal to Ellipse on handicap.
The match started with a foul in the first 20 seconds of the game, setting the tone for what was a penalty-heavy match. Milo Dorignac put the first goal on the board for Newport, but Ellipse ended the chukker ahead 3-1 on penalty conversions by Robi Bilbao. Michel Dorignac converted a Penalty 2, putting Newport in striking distance, but field goals by Jack Whitman and Toly Ulloa kept Ellipse in the lead. Nick Manifold found the posts with 23 seconds on the clock and the period ended 5-4 with Newport nipping at Ellipse’s heels.
A goal by Robi Bilbao put the score up to 6 but it was quickly answered by Nick Manifold, keeping Ellipse’s lead down to one goal until Toly Ulloa converted a Penalty 2. Milo Dorignac evaded Toly Ulloa to put the ball through with 2:18 left on the clock but a final penalty conversion by Bilbao ended the half with Ellipse leading 8-6.
The penalties really started to stack up in the fouth chukker, with Ellipse adding two goals from the line. However, Newport was the greater beneficiary of penalities, with Michel Dorignac converting three penalties after starting the chukker with a goal from the field. Ellipse started the fifth chukker with a penalty conversion, but Michel Dorignac racked up another hat trick with one goal from the field and two successful penalty shots to put Newport into the lead for the first time in the match at 13-11.
Although Toly Ulloa and Robi Bilbao were able to score from the field, the continued fouling cost Ellipse the match as Dorignac converted another four penalties during the final chukker to win the match for Newport 17-13. With his baker’s dozen goals, Dorignac was named the MVP of the match. Purdon Guri Canina, ridden by Michel Dorignac and owned by Sebastian Merlos, took the Best Playing Pony award.
Images: ©Grand Champions Polo Club
