USA

By: Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by: ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, April 10, 2021— Tamera beat Richard Mille 14-6 on Sunday, April 4, while Orea took down Pampa Norte 13-9 on Monday afternoon and Casablanca squeezed by White Birch 13-12 on Thursday as play continued in the Triple Crown of Polo.

Last Sunday afternoon, Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo Mac. Donough, and Paco de Narvaez) faced off against Tamera (Salvador Lockey, Santi Torres, Diego Cavanaugh, and Jejo Taranco) as play continued in the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Both teams were rated 26 goals.

Diego Cavanaugh ran the ball downfield to put the first goal on the board at 6:28 while Pablo MacDonough converted a Penalty 2 to score Richard Mille’s first goal of the day. An answer came from Santi Torres and Jeta Castagnola responded with final goal from the field to end the chukker 2-2. Tension grew during the second chukker as Richard Mille gained the advantage. MacDonough got out in front to put the ball through at 4:30, while Tamera was unable to get on the board. The chukker ended with Richard Mille leading 3-2 but the tables were turned during the next period. Richard Mille was unable to score while Santi Torres converted a Penalty 2 for Tamera. After a fierce defensive battle, the half ended in a 3-3 tie.

Jejo Taranco started the fourth chukker with a lofted shot on goal at 6:25, putting Tamera in the lead. Santi Torres converted a Penalty 2 and with 3:52 on the clock, Diego Cavanaugh battled through a crowd in front of the goal to put the ball through the posts. With 2:32 left to play, he picked up a ball left behind by Torres and made a neck shot on goal, taking the score up to 7-3.  With Richard Mille on the back foot, Castagnola was able to convert a penalty and score, but Torres ended the chukker with a goal at 9 seconds on the clock that put Tamera ahead 8-4. In the fifth chukker, Richard Mille battled to get by the Tamera defense, but the pressure was starting to show. Tamera converted three penalties and Santi Torres also scored from the field, putting the team ahead 12-4 at the end of the period.

Richard Mille came back stronger in the final chukker, and the teams alternated goals. Pablo MacDonough scored first, but Santi Torres came back with the answer. Marc Ganzi made a great shot to put another goal on the board for Richard Mille, but the response by Diego Cavanaugh saw Richard Mille go down to Tamera 14-6. Santi Torres was the high scoring player with 8 goals to his credit. Salvador Lockey was named the Most Valuable Player while Lady Blue, owned by Santi Torres, was the Best Playing Pony.

On Monday, Orea (Sugar Erskine, Justin Daniels, Torito Ruiz, and Nacho Novillo Astrada) met Pampa Norte (Waqqas Al Siddiq, Santiago Loza, Magoo Laprida, and Pedro Falabella). Orea, a 23-goal team, ceded one goal on handicap to 22-goal rated Pampa Norte.

The match began with both teams feeling each other out, and each scored their first goal from the penalty line on a Penalty 2. Back-to-back goals from Toro Ruiz, always an exciting player to watch, put Orea in the lead 3-2 at the end of the first chukker. Pampa Norte put up a struggle in the second period, with several near misses, and couldn’t penetrate Orea’s defense to make it to the uprights. Sugar Erskine put the first ball between the posts, with Ruiz adding another goal to take the score up to 5-2 with Orea in the lead. They started to run away in third period, again with Erskine scoring first followed by Ruiz, who also converted a Penalty 6. Magoo Laprida successfully shot from the penalty line to put another goal on the board for Pampa Norte, who had yet to score from the field. The half ended with Orea leading by 8-3.

Pampa Norte came back in the fourth period obviously rejuvenated, with Magoo Laprida scoring two goals from the field. Orea, however, lost a bit of steam and managed only one goal from a Penalty 4. This slight lapse in energy disappeared in the fourth period as Toro Ruiz exploded into action with three goals from the field and one from the penalty line. Magoo Laprida, doing all the heavy lifting for Pampa Norte, converted a Penalty 3 and added a goal to end the period with Pampa Norte trailing Orea by six goals, at 13-7. They rallied with a strong defense in the final chukker to keep Orea off the board, and Laprida took another two balls through the uprights. Unfortunately, it was too late and Orea’s lead was too large. Orea defeated Pampa Norte by 13-9. Toro Ruiz was the high scoring player, responsible for 10 of his team’s 13 goals, while Magoo Laprida scored 8 of Pampa Norte’s 9 goals.

Thursday afternoon White Birch (Chris Brant, Facu Llorente, Mariano Aguerre, and Santi Tocalino) took to the field against Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Barto Castagnola, and Juan Martin Nero). Casablanca, a 26-goal team, ceded three goals on handicap to White Birch.

Casablanca started the match on a hot streak, with three goals from Barto Castagnola and one from Juan Martin Nero, all from the field. White Birch made no headway against Casablanca’s defense and the period ended 4-3. The teams alternated scoring in the second period, with Santi Tocalino take two balls through the uprights for White Birch while Nero and Juancito Bollini scored to keep Casablance in the lead 6-5. The third chukker saw more back and forth play with lesser result. Chris Brant scored from the field while Grant Ganzi converted a Penalty 2 to end the half with Casablanca still one goal in the lead at 7-6.

White Birch came back in the second half determined to turn the tables on Casablanca. Their defense was effective, keeping the team in black off the board, while Santi Tocalini converted a pair of Penalty Twos to put White Birch in the lead for the first time. Another goal from Brant early in the fifth chukker put White Birch in the lead by 2. Casablanca, sensing the threat, redoubled the offense. While Facu Llorente was able to score again for White Birch, Juancito Bollini contributed a pair of goals from the field while Castagnola and Nero also found the posts to take back the lead at 11-10. Castagnola ran the ball to goal to take the score up to 12-10 early in the final chukker but a pair of goals from Brant tied things up again. Barto Castagnola knocked in the final shot to win the match for Casablanca at 13-12. Castagnola was the high scorer of the match with 5 goals to his credit.

 


 

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Sunday 4/11
10am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
1pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
11am Seminole Casino Coconut Creek vs Tamera

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

 

Wellington, FL – April 8, 2021 – The first game of elimination play in the 2021 CaptiveOneU.S. Open Polo Championship® featured a play-off between Aspen/Dutta Corp and Santa Clara, with the winner advancing to a quarterfinal match-up against Pilot on Sunday. After an evenly matched first half, Aspen/Dutta Corp shot an accurate 67% in the second half to pull ahead and defeat Santa Clara 9-6, securing their place in the quarterfinal.

A defensive game was seen between Aspen/Dutta Corp and Santa Clara as they did not concede anything easily in the must-win game. Inaccurate shooting plagued both teams in the opening half, but it was Aspen/Dutta Corp that excelled in the second half, led by the combination of Timmy Dutta and Gringo Colombres. Despite not scoring from the field, Colombres assisted on three goals in the second half, passing effectively to goal, while Dutta finished accurately to lead the team with four goals. Stewart Armstrong played an outstanding back position, limiting the opportunities for Santa Clara to break way for open runs to goal and help push Aspen/Dutta Corp into the quarterfinal with their first win of the tournament.

In the opening chukker, Aspen/Dutta Corp looked to strike first, attacking the goal in the opening minutes but were unable to convert their chances from the field. The pressure left Santa Clara on the defensive and they ultimately committed a foul that led to a Penalty 2 conversion for Colombres in the first goal of the game. Santa Clara’s Miguel Novillo Astrada provided a quick response for Santa Clara, scoring his first goal of the game and tying the score at 1-all. Missed opportunities around goal for both teams resulted in zero field goals for the remainder of the first half as the only offense came from the penalty line where Vercellino and Colombres traded penalty conversions to end a low-scoring first half at 2-2.


Of the Aspen/Dutta Corp team, Timmy Dutta scored the most goals with five of the team‘s nine. ©Alex Pacheco

With a spot in the quarterfinals on the line, Santa Clara came out of halftime led by 9-goaler Astrada, who scored back-to-back goals, giving his team their first two-goal advantage of the game. However, after recording zero field goals in the first half, Aspen/Dutta Corp finally broke through before the conclusion of the chukker, receiving two quick field goals from Lucas Diaz Alberdi and Dutta, restoring the tie at 4-4. With the momentum on their side, Aspen/Dutta Corp pushed forward and controlled the fifth chukker due to the play of Dutta. Converting a pass from Colombres for his second goal, Dutta then worked the ball in front of goal and a lay-off for Armstrong was sent through the posts to give Aspen/Dutta Corp the 6-4 lead entering the final chukker. A Penalty 2 conversion from Colombres began the sixth chukker and was quickly followed by another goal from Dutta, ending a run of six consecutive goals that left Santa Clara facing a significant four-goal deficit. Astrada continued to try and pull Santa Clara within reach, playing well on both sides of the ball but his sixth chukker goal was not enough to overcome the second-half performance from Aspen/Dutta Corp, falling in the 9-6 defeat.


Aspen/Dutta Corp‘s second-half performance kept them at the top of the scorecard to advance in the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship®. ©Alex Pacheco

The quarterfinals begin on Saturday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach with Coca-Cola facing La Indiana at 10 am ET, while Cessna will take on Park Place at 4 pm ET.

Polo matches at IPC are not open to the general public except for ticketed Sunday brunch. Sunday brunch will now be available through May 9, Mother‘s Day, thanks to the addition of three new Sunday game dates. 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 – April 5, 2021 – The final game of bracket play in the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship® resulted in Scone returning to the win column, defeating Coca-Cola 10-7 on Field 3 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC).

Pulling away in the second half, Scone held Coca-Cola to just one goal over a three-chukker stretch, controlling possession to build a significant lead. Producing twice as many shots at goal, Scone was led by the six-goal performance of Peke Gonzalez and the play of Sayyu Dantata Jr., who proved to be an effective substitute for David Paradice, scoring two goals in the victory. Coca-Cola stayed even in the early stages behind the play of Nico Pieres, but a strong Scone defense changed the momentum of the game, while the few fouls Coca-Cola did commit resulted in penalty conversions for Adolfo Cambiaso and Gonzalez, leading to the 10-7 outcome in favor of Scone.


Scone was led by the six-goal performance of Peke Gonzalez and the play of Sayyu Dantata Jr., who substituted for David Paradice. ©Alex Pacheco

Gillian Johnston opened the game with a goal for Coca-Cola, striking first against a Scone team looking for their first win of the tournament. After Gonzalez tied the score, a Penalty 4 conversion for Pieres pushed Coca-Cola back into the lead as they provided a determined attack in the opening chukker. Making an early impact, Dantata Jr. ended the first chukker with a goal, tying the game at 2-2. Trading goals throughout the second chukker, Scone generated their offense from the penalty line while Coca-Cola responded from the field, but the result was the score remaining tied with neither team able to pull ahead. A fast-paced end to the first half saw no whistles and nine shots between the two teams, but Scone was the only team to find the goal on a field goal from Gonzalez to take the narrow 5-4 lead into halftime.


A fast-paced end to the first half saw no whistles and nine shots between the two teams. ©Alex Pacheco

Scone began the second half controlling possession and keeping Coca-Cola in their defensive end as they held them to zero shots over the fourth and fifth chukkers. Adolfo Cambiaso increased his presence in the game, receiving a Penalty 1, converting a safety and assisting on a Gonzalez field goal in a span of minutes to give Scone the commanding 8-4 lead. Coca-Cola’s comeback hopes were dashed in the fifth chukker, extending their goalless streak from the field to over 20 minutes. Dantata Jr.’s second goal completed a run of six unanswered goals that left Coca-Cola facing a 10-4 deficit on the scoreboard. Pieres fought to try and bring Coca-Cola within reach, scoring the final three goals of the game, but ultimately Scone’s performance led to the 10-7 victory.

Play resumes on Thursday when Aspen/Dutta Corp faces Santa Clara in a playoff game to determine the final spot in the quarterfinals, beginning on Saturday, April 10 at IPC.


Scone began the second half controlling possession and keeping Coca-Cola in their defensive end. ©Alex Pacheco

Polo matches at IPC are not open to the general public except for ticketed Sunday brunch. Sunday brunch will now be available through May 9, Mother‘s Day, thanks to the addition of three new Sunday game dates. 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 – April 4, 2021 – Two games in the 2021 CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship® highlighted Easter Sunday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach, beginning with Pilot producing a sixth chukker comeback to defeat Santa Clara 13-12. In the feature game of the week on the Home of the U.S. Polo Assn – Field 1, Tonkawa faced a difficult challenge from Cessna but scored five of the final six goals in the game to secure the 14-12 victory and join Pilot with a 2-0 record.

An exciting opening game at Valiente came down to the final seconds between Pilot and Santa Clara, with Facundo Pieres completing one of his best performances of the season, scoring 10 goals including the game-winning penalty conversion, while also adding three assists to contribute on all 13 Pilot goals. Santa Clara produced one of their strongest showings of the season, converting 67% of their shots from the field and all four penalties attempts in an efficient performance, but sixth chukker foul trouble ultimately allowed Pilot to grab the lead inside the final minute to remain undefeated with the 13-12 victory.

Winning the open throw-in, Miguel Novillo Astrada found Felipe Vercellino to score on the first play of the game, giving Santa Clara the quick 1-0 lead. Pilot reorganized and controlled the remainder of the first chukker, led by Facundo Pieres’ field goal, assist and penalty conversion from over 80 yards away to give his team the 3-2 lead. Despite being heavily outshot 13-3 in the first half, Santa Clara was able to keep pace with Pilot due to the accurate penalty shooting of Vercellino, who finished a perfect 4 for 4 from the penalty line. Converting just two of their final eight shot attempts in the half, Pilot continued to work their two-man game with Facundo and Gonzalito Pieres but were unable to pull away by halftime, tied at 7-7.

Pilot’s shooting struggles carried into the second half as they were held without a field goal in the fourth and fifth chukker, including some crucial blocks in front of goal by the Santa Clara defense as they stood tall against the pressure of Pilot’s attack. One goal each from Vercellino and Johnston, along with assists from Astrada and Escobar in the fourth chukker highlighted the complete Santa Clara team performance that pushed them into the narrow one-goal lead. Transitioning from passing to scoring, Astrada and Escobar each took advantage of their one opportunity at goal to extend their lead to two and leave Pilot in danger of their first loss of the tournament. Trading goals in the opening moments of the sixth chukker, time was running out for Pilot but Facundo Pieres scored back-to-back goals, leaving the score tied at 12-12. With one minute left, Vercellino got caught on an uneven ride-off, sending Pieres to the penalty line for a chance to win the game, and he sent the ball through the posts to complete the hard-fought 13-12 victory.


Curtis Pilot and Facundo Pieres celebrate the team‘s win. ©Alex Pacheco

A second comeback was seen in the feature game of the week as Tonkawa fought back from two goals down in the fifth chukker to remain undefeated.  An efficient game on both sides of the ball resulted in 56% and 63% shooting from the field respectively for Tonkawa and Cessna, with the difference ultimately coming down to the penalty line, where Tonkawa’s Sapo Caset converted four of his five penalty attempts. In a game that was tied on five different occasions, Caset proved why he was the scoring leader in the Gauntlet of Polo®, scoring 10 goals in the narrow victory as the teams turn their attention to the quarterfinals of the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship®.

Early pressure from Tonkawa forced Cessna into two early fouls and a Penalty 3 conversion for Caset that was quickly followed by a goal from the field on the following play. Withstanding the initial surge from Tonkawa, Cessna responded with Jared Zenni effectively manning the back of the game and assisting on two goals as part of a three-goal run for Cessna that gave them the 3-2 lead. Carrying that strategy into the second chukker, Zenni’s third assist of the game resulted in a goal for Mariano Obregon Jr. and a two-goal advantage for Cessna. Ferrario’s second goal ended a three-goal run for Cessna, but wanting to avoid a deficit at halftime, Caset took over, scoring four goals on two penalty conversions and perfect shooting from the field to turn a three-goal deficit into a two-goal lead in a matter of minutes.


The game was close with five instances of a tie score, but Tonkawa prevailed over Cessna. ©Alex Pacheco

Cessna exited the tent refocusing on a four-man attack that led to instant success to begin the second half. Camp Campbell led the way with two goals at the front of the game as Cessna shot at goal eight times in the fourth chukker alone to retake the lead at 11-9. The back-and-forth game saw its fifth tie as Tonkawa worked its way back even at 11-11, receiving one goal each from Lucas Escobar and Jeff Hildebrand in a crucial chukker that left the two teams deadlocked entering the final seven minutes. Tonkawa struck first with Elizalde setting up Caset and then following up with a goal of his own to build a two-goal lead. Obregon Jr.’s fifth goal of the game cut the lead in half, but it was as close as Cessna could come as Caset’s tenth goal sealed the 14-12 victory for Tonkawa.

Cessna’s Camp Campbell was awarded Most Valuable Player, finishing with three goals, while Sapo Caset’s Machitos Francisca captured Best Playing Pony honors. The final game of round two in the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship® is Monday at 4 pm ET as Coca-Cola takes on Scone.


Pictured with Olga Hartsock of CaptiveOne Advisors, Tonkawa is undefeated in the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship®. ©Alex Pacheco

Polo matches at IPC are not open to the general public except for ticketed Sunday brunch. Sunday brunch will now be available through May 9, Mother‘s Day, thanks to the addition of three new Sunday game dates. 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, April 3, 2021— Seminole Casino Coconut Creek overcame Santa Rita 15-9 yesterday while White Birch beat Pampa Norte 12-11 in overtime play.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, and Adolfo Cambiaso) met Santa Rita (Robert Strom, Nacho Figueras, Clemente Zavaleta, and Horacio Llorente) Friday morning as play continued in the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Seminole Casino, with a team handicap of 26 goals, ceded two goals to Orea, a 24-goal team, on handicap. Adolfo Cambiaso subbed for Juan Martin Zubia.

Although Santa Rita started the match with a two-goal advantage, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek made short work of that lead. Melissa Ganzi scored the first goal of the day and Alejandro Novillo Astrada followed up with another. With 4:58 left on the clock, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek took the ball from the throw-in and Nic Roldan put the ball through the posts with an assist from Ganzi. Clemente Zavaleta made a shot from 80 yards to end the chukker in a 3-3 tie.

Nic Roldan put Seminole Casino back in the lead early in the second period, and Novillo Astrada backed Ganzi to finish a goal when her ball bounced off a pony. Roldan knocked in two more goals to firmly establish Seminole Casino Coconut Creek‘s lead at 7-3, with Santa Rita failing to score in the period. Nacho Figueras broke Santa Rita’s dry spell seconds into the third chukker, but forty seconds later Adolfo Cambiaso took the ball from the bowl-in and passed it to Roldan, who made one of his epic long shots to goal. With another goal from Novillo Astrada, the half ended with Seminole Casino leading by 9-4.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek was off to an auspicious start to the second half of the match, with each member of the team scoring as Santa Rita continued to struggle. With a 13-5 lead going into the fifth chukker, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek eased off on the pressure. Melissa Ganzi scored one goal, while Santa Rita played their best chukker of the match. With 1:45 on the clock Horacio Llorente took the ball through the uprights, and Nacho FIgueras finished the period by scoring a goal with 55 seconds left to play. Santa Rita fought back in the final chukker with Frenchman Robert Strom contributing back-to-back goals to take the score up to 9-14, but in the last seconds of the game Melissa Ganzi scored to end the match with Seminole Casino Coconut Creek winning by 15-9. Nic Roldan was the high scoring player with six goals to his credit.

Action continued at in the afternoon when White Birch (Chris Brant, Facundo Llorente, Mariano Aguerre, and Santi Toccalino) met Pampa Norte (Waqqas Al Siddiq, Santiago Loza, Magoo Laprida, and Pedro Falabella). White Birch, a 23-goal team, ceded one goal to Pampa Norte, a 22-goal team.

The match started with a foul in favor of Pampa Norte, and Magoo Laprida converted a Penalty 2. Both teams were battling ferociously, and Pampa Norte gave up two goals on penalties with Santi Toccalino going to the line. With 2:33 on the clock Toccalino made a superb run to goal, taking the score to 3-2, and in the last minute of play Chris Brant took a shot from the near side to end the chukker 4-2 with White Birch in the lead.

Neither team was able to score from the field in the second period, and all the goals were made from the penalty line – one by Toccalino on a Penalty 4 and two by Magoo Laprida. Magoo Laprida took the ball through the posts after 20 seconds of play, evening the match up at 5-5, but Toccalino found the uprights again to keep White Birch ahead by 6-5 at the half.

Both teams were firing on all cylinders in the second half, and it was nip and tuck all the way through, making for an exciting game. Santi Toccalino started the fourth chukker by converting a Penalty 3, while Loza sank an impressive under-the-neck cut shot. Pampa Norte cut loose with everything they had in the fifth chukker. They played a strong defense that kept White Birch down to only a Penalty 3 by Mariano Aguerre, wihile Loza scored two goals and Magoo Laprida contributed a goal from the field and one from the penalty line.

Down by 10-8 at the beginning of the final chukker, White Birch knew they had a fight on their hands. Facundo Llorente came through for the team, knocking in two goals to even the score at 10-10, and with 2:31 remaining Santi Toccalino converted a Penalty 2 to put White Birch ahead by 11-10. It was too early to celebrate though, as a whistle at 18 seconds sent Magoo Laprida to the penalty line to tie the score and send the game into overtime. Less than a minute into the seventh chukker, Facundo Llorente scored to win the match for White Birch. Santi Toccalino and Magoo Laprida were the high scoring players with seven goals each.

Photos by ChukkerTV

 


 

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Sunday 4/4
4pm Tamera vs Richard Mille

Monday 4/5
11am Pampa Norte vs Orea Polo Team

Thursday 4/8
4pm White Birch vs Casablanca

Friday 4/9
11am Tamera vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

Sunday 4/11
11am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
4pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

 

 

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, April 1, 2021— Casablanca defeated Orea Polo Team by 13-12 today in overtime as Bracket A play began in the Triple Crown of Polo.

Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Barto Castagnola, and Juan Martin Nero) took on Orea Polo Team (Justin Daniels, Sugar Erskine, Torito Ruiz, and Nacho Novillo Astrada) in the first Bracket A match of the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Casablanca, with a team handicap of 26 goals, ceded three goals to Orea, a 23-goal team, on handicap.

Orea Polo Team started the game with three goals on the board but committed a pair of fouls off the bat that let Barto Castagnola convert two penalties in as many minutes of play. Castagnola followed up with a goal from the field, eroding Orea’s advantage on handicap and tying the score at 3-3. Justin Daniels converted a Penalty 2 and just as the horn sounded, Juan Martin Nero took the ball through the posts to end the first period in a 4-4 tie.

Orea came out strong in the second chukker, managing to contain Casablanca as they struggled to replicate their performance in the first period. Justin Daniels scored Orea‘s first goal from the field, with Nacho Novilla Astrada taking the ball through the posts barely a minute later. Juan Martin Nero fought back with a goal at 2:22, cutting Orea’s lead to one, but Toro Ruiz converted a Penalty 6 to put Orea back in the lead by two goals.

Barto Castagnola went to the penalty line after 30 seconds of play in the third chukker, startling both himself and his teammates as a Penalty 2 went wide. Toro Ruiz took control of the ball, making a spectacular angled neck shot from 90 yards and followed up with a second goal to take the score up to 9-5 in Orea’s favor Castagnola took another Penalty 2 shot, this time putting the ball through to end the half at 9-6.

Casablanca got their mojo back in the fourth chukker, playing a determined defense and scoring three unanswered goals. Juancito Bollini picked up a pass from Grant Ganzi to take the ball through the uprights at 6:48, followed by another Penalty 2 from Castagnola. A goal from Nero ended the chukker with the score even at nine goals apiece. The fifth chukker was a battle of attrition, with both teams fighting to get on goal with relatively little success. Torito Ruiz converted a Penalty 4, while Castagnola scored an equalizer with 31 seconds left to play.

The final chukker began with a 10-10 tie on the board. Following a nice approach by Ruiz, Justin Daniels picked up the loose ball and knocked it in, putting Casablanca slightly on the back foot. With 4:54 on the clock, Sugar Erskine got a length-and-a-half lead on Juancito Bollini and made a brillian neck shot at speed, putting Orea ahead at 12-10. However, with a team like Casablanca there’s no room for overconfidence. Erskine managed to hook Bollini on a play, but Nero was left open, which is always dangerous. He took the ball to goal, and with 2:08 left to play Barto Castagnola evened the score at 12-12.

Orea attempted to sustain the pressure but the buzzer sounded with the game still tied. Play went into overtime and it took Juan Martin Nero only 12 seconds to run the ball to goal and secure the win for Casablanca. Barto Castagnola was the high scoring player of the day with seven goals.

 


 

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Thursday 4/1
10am Casablanca vs Orea Polo Team

Friday 4/2
11am Seminole Casino Coconut Creek vs Santa Rita
4:30pm White Birch vs Pampa Norte

Sunday 4/4
4pm Tamera vs Richard Mille

Monday 4/5
11am Pampa Norte vs Orea Polo Team

Thursday 4/8
4pm White Birch vs Casablanca

Friday 4/9
11am Tamera vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

Sunday 4/11
11am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
4pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

 

 

                     

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, April 1, 2021— Richard Mille defeated Seminole Casino Coconut Creek by 14-13 while Tamera beat Santa Rita 10-6.

Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo MacDonough, and Paco de Narvaez) met Seminole Casino (Melissa Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, and Juan Martin Zubia in the first match of the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Richard Mille, with a team handicap of 26 goals, ceded two goals to Santa Rita, a 24-goal team, on handicap.

Barely thirty seconds into play, Marc Ganzi got out in front to score the first goal of the day and narrow Seminole Casino’s advantage to one goal. With rain bucketing down, there was some question as to whether play could continue. Unperturbed by the foul weather, Nic Roldan slammed a long shot through the posts and followed up by taking the ball downfield straight to the goal. Marc Ganzi converted a Penalty 2 and the chukker ended with Seminole Casino leading 4-2.

Fortunately, the rain came to a halt, allowing play to continue. Less fortunately, Seminole Casino’s ability to score also came to a halt during the second period. Each member of Richard Mille contributed a goal, and by the end of the chukker Richard Mille had taken a 6-4 lead. At the start of the third chukker, Nic Roldan took the ball from the bowl-in to the goal within 12 seconds, giving Seminole Casino a shot in the arm, and in the next 40 seconds finished on a pass from Juan Martin Zubia to tie things up. Later in the period Roldan completed a hat trick, but a pair of penalty conversions ended the half with Richard Mille leading by 9-7.

In the fourth chukker, it was Pablo MacDonough who scored the hat trick, starting with an easy penalty conversion and adding two more goals. Seminole Casino once again failed to get past Richard Mille’s defense and score. Early in the pentultimate chukker, Pablo MacDonough made an impressive coast-to-coast run and passed the ball to Marc Ganzi for the finish. Seminole Casino’s Juan Martin Zubia roared to life in this chukker, scoring a hat trick of his own with a goal from Roldan as well. The final chukker saw Seminole Casino giving their all as they managed to keep Richard Mille away from the posts while Roldan and Zubia both scored. Had the team managed to capitalize on a few lost opportunities, the match might have gone to Seminole Casino. In the end though, Richard Mille won by a narrow 14-13. Marc Ganzi and Nic Roldan were the high scoring players, each with 7 goals to his credit.

In the second match of the day, Tamera (Ale Poma, Santi Torres, Diego Cavanaugh, and Jejo Taranco) took on Santa Rita (Robert Strom, Nacho Figueras, Clemente Zavaletta, and Horacio Llorente). Twenty-five goal Tamera ceded one goal to Santa Rita on handicap.

Tamera dominated play from the get-go, keeping Santa Rita away from the uprights while Ale Poma scored the first goal of the day and Santi Torres converted a Penalty 3. In the second period, Diego Cavanaugh left two Santa Rita defenders behind and made an impressively angled shot to score for Tamera. He followed up with another two minutes later to put his team in the lead at 4-0. With 40 seconds remaining to play, Clemente Zavaleta hit a neat neck shot and put Santa Rita’s first goal from the field on the board, ending the chukker at 4-2. Although Santa Rita started to play a better game in the third chukker, they were still unable to make it on goal. Tamera couldn’t score from the field either but added two goals from penalties to end the half 6-2.

The teams were back and forth for almost three minutes before Jejo Taranco gained three lengths on a pursuing Horacio Llorente and scored for Tamera. Santi Torres picked up a loose ball and put it through the uprights to take Tamera up 8-2. Clemente Zavaleta scored for Santa Rita with a successful Penalty 3 conversion, putting their third goal on the board. Tamera continued to play exceptionally well in the fifth chukker and put the score up to 10-3. Santa Rita’s Nacho Figueras battled his way to the goal to end the chukker with Tamera leading 10-4. In the final period of play, Santa Rita finally found their rhythm, keeping Tamera away from the goal. Llorente and Figueras both scored but it was too little too late, and Tamera carried the day by 10-6. Santi Torres was the high scoring player with five goals for Tamera.

 


 

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Thursday 4/1
10am Casablanca vs Orea Polo Team

Friday 4/2
11am Seminole Casino Coconut Creek vs Santa Rita
4:30pm White Birch vs Pampa Norte

Sunday 4/4
4pm Tamera vs Richard Mille

Monday 4/5
11am Pampa Norte vs Orea Polo Team

Thursday 4/8
4pm White Birch vs Casablanca

Friday 4/9
11am Tamera vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

Sunday 4/11
11am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
4pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

 

 

Wellington, FL – April 1, 2021 – The final two teams, Tonkawa and Scone, made their debuts in the 2021 CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship® on Thursday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach as four teams jostled for positions in their brackets. In the opening game of the day, Tonkawa faced a second-half push from Aspen/Dutta Corp but stood tall in the final two chukkers to claim the 11-9 victory. After splitting their first two meetings, Park Place got the best of USPA Gold Cup® champions Scone, holding on for an exciting 9-8 victory.

Setting their sights on reaching a second consecutive final in the Gauntlet of Polo®, Tonkawa began their tournament with a hard-fought victory on perfect 4 for 4 penalty shooting from Sapo Caset and a passing attack that overwhelmed Aspen/Dutta Corp in the first half. Assisting on all seven of their field goals in the game, Tonkawa effectively passed to goal, but Aspen/Dutta Corp produced a run of five goals that changed the momentum of the game that ultimately left them just short of the comeback in the narrow two-goal defeat.

Controlling possession throughout the first half, Tonkawa had their opportunities to build a large lead but converted just three of their 14 shot attempts. However, the constant pressure from Tonkawa kept the ball in the attacking half and produced a 3-0 chukker in favor of the team in green, with two goals coming off the mallet of Caset. After a Penalty 4 conversion from Caset extended the lead to four, Aspen/Dutta Corp ended their drought when Stewart Armstrong came forward in the game for his team’s first goal. While continuing to prevent Aspen/Dutta Corp from scoring, Tonkawa struggled to add to their lead after missed chances around goal, leaving the score at 5-2 entering halftime.

A renewed focus to start the second half resulted in three Tonkawa goals in a span of minutes that put them ahead 8-2 and left Aspen/Dutta Corp facing a big hill to climb. Despite their early struggles offensively, Aspen/Dutta Corp came alive for the rest of the fourth chukker, starting with a run from Timmy Dutta. A Penalty 1 goal awarded to Gringo Colombres was quickly followed by another field goal as Aspen/Dutta Corp scored three goals in a span of one minute and 45 seconds to change the game. Another goal each from Colombres and Dutta brought Aspen/Dutta Corp within one, trailing 8-7 entering the fifth chukker. Returning to a possession-based attack, Francisco Elizalde pushed the lead back to four on consecutive goals, but Aspen/Dutta Corp provided one final push to try and send the game to overtime. In a final attempt, Colombres and Armstrong scored to threaten Tonkawa’s victory, but time ran out as they were ultimately defeated 11-9.


Though Aspen/Dutta Corp made up ground in the second half, Tonkawa stayed on top to win 11-9. ©Alex Pacheco

A tale of two halves, Park Place and Scone battled until the final seconds despite Park Place scoring the first seven goals of the game. Building a 7-0 lead on the reigning USPA Gold Cup® champions, Park Place looked to have the win secured but were held to just two shots in the second half as Scone fought their way back into the game on four penalty conversions from Peke Gonzalez. The potent Scone attack was held to just eight goals, four goals below their season average as their first-half struggles ultimately made the difference in the 9-8 defeat.

Goals proved to be hard to come by in the first chukker as a Penalty 4 conversion from Hilario Ulloa provided the only offense in the opening seven minutes. The momentum swung in Park Place’s favor at the start of the second chukker after a run from Andrey Borodin was finished by an impressive shot to goal, extending Park Place’s lead to two. Scone was held scoreless through two chukkers, a rarity for the Cambiaso-led offense, allowing Park Place to build a significant seven-goal lead in a dominant third chukker by Ulloa. A goal from Poroto Cambiaso ended the half but left Scone facing a difficult task to come back from a 7-1 deficit.


Hilario Ulloa scored five of Park Place‘s nine goals. ©Alex Pacheco

Beginning to chip away at the lead, Scone prevented Park Place from attempting a shot at goal and found a rhythm offensively, receiving a Penalty 2 goal from Gonzalez and a second field goal from Poroto Cambiaso. Still holding a comfortable four-goal lead, Park Place continued to limit the Scone attack, but their opponents slowly closed the gap behind the young duo of Gonzalez and Poroto Cambiaso. Gonzalez’s third penalty conversion brought Scone within two, but an impressive response from Park Place saw a long pass from Juan Britos picked up on the nearside by Matt Coppola and finished for a goal to extend the lead back to three. Sent to the penalty line again, Gonzalez converted, leaving two minutes for Scone to tie the game. Running into Park Place territory, Scone was unable to score just feet from goal as a game-saving backhand from Ulloa secured the 9-8 victory.


The game came down to the final seconds, but Park Place earned a 9-8 victory over Scone. ©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 31, 2021 – Capturing the U.S. Open Polo Championship® nearly two years ago, Pilot finally began the defense of their title, and the third leg of the Gauntlet of Polo®, on Thursday, traveling to the fields at La Indiana. For the second time in four games, overtime was needed, and it was Pilot that emerged as the victor, defeating La Indiana 14-13 on a neckshot from distance by Facundo Pieres.

A match-up featuring three Pieres 10-goalers, it was brothers Facundo and Gonzalito who ultimately came out on top over Polito, thanks to accurate five for six penalty shooting in the second half. Shooting at goal more often in the first half, Pilot changed their strategy towards the end of the game, pressuring the La Indiana defense to work their way onto the penalty line. La Indiana won the battle in open play and had their opportunities to grab the victory in the thrilling final moments of the game, but after withstanding a late push by La Indiana, Pilot’s Facundo Pieres converted a neckshot for the golden goal to open their tournament with a victory.

Just 13 seconds into play, Pilot’s Facundo Pieres drew a foul and converted the Penalty 3 attempt to open the scoring. Making an immediate impact for their respective teams, all three Pieres’ scored in the first chukker with Polito Pieres adding two goals to leave the game tied at 2-2. There was little doubt about the high-level of play displayed between the two teams as they continued to battle stride-for-stride throughout the first half, beginning with Pilot taking a slim one-goal lead after finishing the second chukker with back-to-back goals from Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres. After finding early success from the field, Pilot was unable to convert any of their six shot attempts in the third chukker, opening the door for La Indiana to take the lead. Behind a balanced team attack, La Indiana scored three consecutive goals, one each from Michael Bickford, Nico Escobar, and Polito Pieres to retake the lead and exit the first half with a 7-5 advantage.


The two teams battled stride-for-stride throughout the first half, beginning with Pilot taking a slim one-goal lead after finishing the second chukker with back-to-back goals from Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres. ©Alex Pacheco

A lightning-quick start to the second half featured Pilot’s exceptional two-man game producing four goals on perfect two-for-two shooting from the field and penalty line, but La Indiana was still able to hold on to their lead. Two goals and an assist from Polito Pieres kept La Indiana ahead by just one goal in an exciting stretch of seven goals in seven minutes. The offense continued to come for both teams in the high-powered match, with Pilot working their way back into a tie on a Penalty 1 and Penalty 2 conversion in the fifth chukker. A clutch Penalty 4 conversion for Facundo Pieres left two minutes for La Indiana to force overtime and fighting through the mallet of Facundo Pieres, it was Nico Escobar who tied the game at 13-13. With time ticking down, Polito Pieres broke out of the throw-in for a breakaway with a chance to win the game, but the ball went just wide as time ran out, sending the game into overtime.


Facundo Pieres secured the thrilling victory for PIlot on a neckshot during overtime. ©Alex Pacheco

Picking the ball up at the half, Facundo Pieres worked the ball down to the 60-yard line just 45 seconds in and hit a neckshot that sailed just inside the post. After a review to determine whether the goal would count, the goal was confirmed and Pilot secured the thrilling 14-13 victory.

Play resumes Thursday with Aspen/Dutta Corp facing Tonkawa at 10 am ET, followed by Park Place against Scone for the third time this season at 4 pm ET.

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 29, 2021 – The USPA Gold Cup® concluded on Sunday with Scone’s victory over Tonkawa, but the Gauntlet of Polo® carries on as the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship® kicked off in full force with two games on Monday. Showcasing the elite level of play that the tournament provides, Coca-Cola defeated Park Place 11-10 in overtime, while Cessna captured their first win of the season, defeating Aspen/Dutta Corp 14-6 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Few games have been decided by smaller margins than the second game of the CaptiveOne U.S. Open Polo Championship® between Coca-Cola and Park Place. Shooting nearly identical percentages from the field and penalty line, the only difference proved to be the golden goal by Mackenzie Weisz one minute and 45 seconds into overtime. All eight players found the scoresheet, including four goals from Nico Pieres in his return to play for Coca-Cola, as Coca-Cola emerged as the winner in the hard-fought match.

Trading penalty conversions to start the game, the remainder of the first chukker resulted in the two teams matching each other stride-for-stride, tied at 2-2 after field goals from Gillian Johnston and Matt Coppola. Coca-Cola had their opportunities to take the lead, winning all five throw-ins in the first chukker, but could not utilize the extra possessions against a tough Park Place defense. Ulloa and Coppola played well off each other in the final two chukkers of the first half, combining for four goals, letting Britos lead them to goal with the pass to pull ahead by one, holding a narrow 6-5 lead at halftime.

Making their first run of the game, Coca-Cola came out of the tent playing a complete team game to produce a three-goal chukker, while more importantly keeping Park Place scoreless. Two field goals from Pieres along with one from Johnston highlighted Coca-Cola’s strong chukker, with de Lusarreta and Weisz both collecting assists. As was the case throughout the game, a swift response was seen from their opponent when Park Place scored three goals of their own, led by 10-goaler Ulloa. Scoring two goals, Ulloa also found Andrey Borodin for his first goal, bringing the game even once again. Britos opened the scoring in the sixth chukker as Park Place had their sights set on the victory but inside the final minute, Johnston worked the ball downfield and scored her third goal to send the game into overtime. After a foul call against Park Place gave possession back to Coca-Cola, a long pass downfield from Pieres found Weisz and he was able to hit the ball just inside the post for the game-winning goal and the 11-10 victory.


All four of Coca-Cola‘s players found the scoresheet to contribute to the win. ©Alex Pacheco

The second game saw Cessna face Aspen/Dutta Corp for the second consecutive game and they were able to avenge their loss in the USPA Gold Cup® in a dominant 14-6 win. Seven goals from Mariano Obregon Jr. highlighted a proficient Cessna attack that led from start to finish, shooting above 50% from the field and converting all but one of their six penalty attempts. Colombres was the only scorer for Aspen/Dutta Corp, responsible for all six goals, but their defense could not slow a determined Cessna offense in the defeat.

The tone was set in the opening chukker by Cessna, building a 3-0 lead on goals from Ferrario, Zenni and Obregon Jr. by completing accurate runs to goal. Despite the slow start, Aspen/Dutta Corp stormed back in the second chukker behind the play of Colombres. After adding a goal from the field and penalty line, Colombres lined up a shot from distance with time running out in the chukker and finding the goal to pull his team within one, trailing 4-3. Foul trouble to end the half for Aspen/Dutta Corp pushed the possession back to Cessna and they capitalized with a three-goal chukker, two coming from the penalty line to restore control of the game, holding a four-goal advantage at halftime.


Cessna captured their first win of the season, defeating Aspen/Dutta Corp 14-6. ©Alex Pacheco

Continuing to dominate possession, Cessna quickly added to their lead in the opening minutes of the second half, receiving a field goal and penalty conversion from Obregon Jr. Completing a run of six unanswered goals, Ferrario extended Cessna’s lead to seven as Aspen/Dutta Corp struggled to generate offense from the field, producing just one field goal over the final four chukkers. Colombres continued to battle hard, bringing his goal total to six, but the well-rounded attack of Cessna proved to be too much in the game. Camp Campbell, Zenni, and Obregon Jr. added one more goal each in the sixth chukker to complete the impressive 14-6 victory.


Camp Campbell and Jared Zenni celebrating Cessna‘s victory. ©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®.

 

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