Valiente

North America, Polo News

Daily Racing Form seize 2018 U.S. Open Polo Championship Title

24. April 2018

Competing passionately for the most prestigious title in American polo, Daily Racing Form advanced undefeated into the U.S. Open Polo Championship® Final alongside the seemingly indomitable Valiente on Sunday, April 22, at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. Matching Valiente goal for goal, Daily Racing Form’s powerful offensive drives held a consistent one-goal lead throughout the second half, effectively derailing Valiente’s clean sweep of the Triple Crown of Polo™, to culminate the season in a 10-9 victory.

A battle between opposing 10-goalers in the first half, Hilario Ulloa held his own against the formidable duo of Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres with aggressive, fast plays. At the two-minute mark Pieres devoured the field riding Corcha to claim the first goal of the game. Ulloa answered with a breakaway field goal despite Tommy Beresford’s attempt to hook. A neckshot pass from Cambiaso to Pieres for the score gave Valiente the lead 2-1 moving into chukker two. Charging from the north end to the south end, both teams struggled to increase their tallies as possession was stolen and goal shots were deflected. Finally, with just over three minutes remaining in the second, both teams picked up a penalty conversion. Immediately responding to Pieres’ Penalty 3, Ulloa made a strong break from the throw-in and propelled straight to goal to tie the game 3-all. Opening the third with back-to-back goals from Ulloa (riding flashy grey mare Future Lituania), Daily Racing Form increased their momentum with confident plays, benefitting from Valiente’s shots falling wide to end the half leading 5-4.

Anticipating a strong uprising from Valiente, Daily Racing Form played with relentless strength and well-executed team strategy in the second half. Each team adding one goal in the fourth, Daily Racing Form remained on top. The fifth began aggressively as both teams fought for possession. A backshot from Valiente mistakenly struck Ulloa in the face early in the chukker. The team captain was down for several minutes as fans and players worried he may be substituted. Ulloa persisted however, and despite a deep cut and bruise on the side of his right eye, he remounted homebred mare Lavinia Castellana to finish what his team had started. “I told them the next two minutes after Hilario had gotten hurt were the two most important minutes of the game,” said Julio Arellano, Daily Racing Form Coach. “I said, ‘you cannot let that team [Valiente] score two goals on you right now when you guys lose focus. These two minutes right now will determine whether or not you win the game.’”

Once play resumed, Valiente kept the game close, unwilling to let their opponents gain a significant advantage. Matching every goal in the fifth, after two field goals and a penalty conversion from each team the lead remained unchanged. For an unprecedented third chukker in a row Daily Racing Form maintained the advantage, the score standing at 9-8. Still anybody’s game, both teams made strategic offensive moves in the sixth, Mariano Obregon’s efforts to score narrowly missing the target twice. Completing a beautiful shot on goal from distance, Jared Zenni* sent the ball soaring through the air with only a few minutes left for Valiente to recover. A final Penalty 2 conversion by Pieres was not enough to shake DRF’s persistent lead, the 30-second horn signaling a new champion, with a final score 10-9.

Showcasing exceptional discipline and skill on defense, and securing two field goals for Daily Racing Form, Zenni was named Most Valuable Player. The first Team USPA member to garner a U.S. Open title the 22-year-old beamed, “for me it’s a dream come true, really surreal.” Best Playing Pony honors were presented to Milenaria, an 8-year-old dark bay Argentine mare trained by Javier Canton and owned and ridden by Mariano Obregon in the first and sixth chukkers. “It’s amazing, it’s the best prize you can get,” said Obregon. “I would rather have this than an MVP, because this is what you work for your whole life.”

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North America, Polo News

Valiente defends title at the USPA Gold Cup at IPC Palm Beach

4. April 2018

Valiente defends title at the USPA Gold Cup against Flexjet with 12-11. Driven by an ambitious desire to sweep the Triple Crown of Polo, powerhouse Valiente rode for the second consecutive year into the USPA Gold Cup® Final on Sunday, April 1, at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. Untouchable throughout tournament play, Valiente faced a strong offensive drive by Flexjet in their second matchup, but ultimately defended their title 12-11.

Claiming two immediate goals in the first, Facundo Pieres set the pace for a fast, competitive final. As the first half progressed, both teams relentlessly traded goals back and forth, Flexjet strategically taking every available opportunity to intercept the ball and capitalize from the penalty line. Demonstrating excellent control, Adolfo Cambiaso propelled the ball downfield, expertly weaving it between Flexjet’s defenders to pick up his first goal in the second. Staying in position and making key plays happen, Valiente’s optimal teamwork secured two additional goals, keeping them ahead by two at the end of the second. “I was mainly playing back on Flexjet’s hit-ins and trying to push forward on our plays,” Tommy Beresford revealed. “I tried to make space for Adolfo and Facundo and since those two are the best they can usually pull through with that.” Missing several opportunities to score, Flexjet allowed Cambiaso to get on another breakaway to goal, doubling the scoreboard. Just before Facundo Pieres could score another goal, Rodrigo De Andrade managed to steal the ball and move it downfield, ending the half 6-3 in favor of Valiente.

Benefiting from gaining possession from the initial throw-in at the start of the fourth, Flexjet’s De Andrade made an effective team play with Nico Pieres for a fast field goal. As both teams began to play a more open style of polo, the goals also began to stack up with increasing speed. Valiente acted quickly in retaliation with a goal each by Cambiaso and Beresford, preventing Flexjet from making up any ground and maintaining a three-goal lead. Explosive in the fifth, Nico Pieres played his strongest chukker yet, hitting a giant neckshot to goal and converting a Penalty 4 and 6 in an effort to derail Valiente in the second half. Consistent throughout, Valiente anticipated the plays and followed through with their team strategy, using Beresford to protect Facundo Pieres and allowing him to have the open shots to goal.

Valiente still in the lead 11-9 as the final chukker began, Cambiaso grabbed his fifth goal of the game, determined to prevent another uprising from Flexjet. Charging up and down the field, De Andrade finally managed to score two consecutive goals bringing his team within one, but the 30-second horn ended Flexjet’s final drive. Valiente claimed their second consecutive USPA Gold Cup® with a final score of 12-11.

Responsible for seven out of 11 goals, five from the penalty line and two from the field, Nico Pieres was named Most Valuable Player. Best Playing Pony honors were awarded to Macarena, a grey mare owned by Mariano Gonzalez and played by Adolfo Cambiaso in the third chukker. “Macarena is an amazing, fantastic horse that can run as long as I need her to,” Cambiaso said. “She will rest for a bit now then go to Argentina to play the Argentine Open with me.”

Looking forward to participating in the prestigious U.S. Open Polo Championship®, Bob Jornayvaz recognizes the steep competition Valiente will have to face in the final 26-goal tournament of the season. “Now the hard work begins, we can’t lose focus so we need to stay healthy and keep the horses healthy” Jornayvaz said. “You have to go out on the field with a game plan, execute it, and stay disciplined. Flexjet came within one goal and that’s when we need to fall back on our game plan because that’s what a good organization is all about.”

Valiente defends title at the USPA Gold Cup against Flexjet with 12-11. Driven by an ambitious desire to sweep the Triple Crown of Polo, powerhouse Valiente rode for the second…

North America, Polo News

Battle for the Butler Handicap Final

8. March 2018

Established in 1954, the Butler Handicap has steadily gained back its initial prestige since its re-launch at the Greenwich Polo Club (Greenwich, Connecticut) in July 2016. Incorporated into the 26-goal lineup last year at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) in Wellington, Florida, this year’s competition featured a four-team single-elimination format. While superficially the teams remained unchanged from the C.V. Whitney Cup, many player variations took place for similar, yet fresh, tournament play. Despite these shifts, the semifinal double-header on Wednesday, March 7, yielded a repeat final as Colorado defeated Daily Racing Form – DRF Bets 14-11 and Valiente overtook Grand Champions Polo Club 9-6.

Colorado Earn First Spot in Butler Handicap Final
Daily Racing Form – DRF Bets (DRF) entered the Butler Handicap with the same lineup from last week’s C.V. Whitney Cup, eager for a second opportunity to overcome a Valiente organization and make it to a 26-goal final. They were met by Colorado who reinstated Rob Jornayvaz and Juan Britos from earlier 20-goal tournament play. With a team handicap of 25 goals, Colorado was awarded one goal to start the game. DRF began the match firing on all cylinders as 10-goaler Hilario Ulloa made three consecutive goals. DRF ultimately shut Colorado out of the first with a solid 4-0 score. Colorado’s first goal of the game came early in the second off of a Penalty 2 conversion by Diego Cavanagh. DRF countered with an incredible effort, scoring three consecutive goals to gain a notable lead over their opponents 7-2. A quick downpour did not slow down play as a nearly opposite third chukker ensued. Colorado got their feet underneath them and scored three of their own, shutting down DRF to narrow the gap 7-5 at halftime.

Colorado came back in the fourth with renewed energy, eventually overcoming the early DRF onslaught to lead 9-8 at the end of the period. Riding exceptional horses and displaying amazing teamwork, Colorado slowly pulled away from their rivals in the fifth scoring three goals to DRF’s one. An aggressive and hard-fought final chukker, two goals apiece were traded in the last minutes of regulation time and Colorado walked away victorious with a final score of 14-11.

Valiente Maintains Winning Streak to Secure Second 26-goal Final
At the pristine Valiente Farm, a newly-structured Grand Champions Polo Club (GCPC) team, now including U.S. Polo Assn. Brand Ambassador Juancito Bollini and 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero, took on recent C.V. Whitney Cup champions, Valiente, headed by Bob Jornayvaz. Rated cumulatively at 24 goals, GCPC received two goals in handicap versus 26-goal Valiente. The two Valiente 10-goal former rivals showcased their skills early. Adolfo Cambiaso chipping away at Grand Champions’ initial lead with the only goal of the first chukker. In the second, Facundo Pieres took over the scoring with a field goal, followed by two penalty conversions to take the lead 4-3 over GCPC. Trading goals, the teams remained close moving into the half, maintaining the gap 5-4. Grant Ganzi pulled through for GCPC in the second half scoring two goals, but Valiente laid down the hammer in the fourth and fifth chukkers with four goals, each player contributing to the final tally. Valiente secured their second final appearance defeating Grand Champions Polo Club 9-6.

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Photo: David Lominska/USPA

North America, Polo News

Valiente secures first leg of the Triple Crown of Polo

5. March 2018

Valiente wins the C.V. Whitney Cup at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Fresh off their recent win in the Ylvisaker Cup, defending C.V. Whitney Cup champions Valiente kept the momentum going, landing Colorado in the final Sunday, March 4, at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. Putting their new rosters to the test for the first 26-goal tournament of the season, both teams created fresh dynamics on the field, but Valiente rode away with their second consecutive tournament title 9-4.

Valiente’s unprecedented final featuring the two top 10-goalers in the world and rivals, Adolfo Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres, was a display of incredible skill and teamwork. Executing a beautiful 70-yard shot to goal quickly followed by a deep neckshot in the first chukker, Pieres unleashed a strong offensive force Colorado could not stop. Expertly setting up his forward, Adolfo Cambiaso worked the ball down field, leaving it for Rob Jornayvaz* who picked up the only goal of the second. As play progressed, Colorado experienced many missed opportunities throughout the game as players repeatedly were unable to connect and overrode, leaving the team scoreless in the first half. Taking full advantage of broken plays and costly mistakes, Cambiaso ended the half 5-0 in favor of Valiente.

Fighting to get his team in the game, Diego Cavanagh charged through the formidable blue jerseys to finally score two goals in the fourth effectively outscoring Valiente by one in the chukker. Cambiaso opened the fifth with a field goal, but was then answered by Cavanagh who hit a neckshot through traffic to goal. Completely in sync and dominating the field, Pieres and Cambiaso completed two additional plays to triple Colorado’s score 9-3 headed into the final chukker.

As precious minutes ticked by, the ball was passed back and forth across the field numerous times, finally crossing between Colorado’s goal posts and giving Magoo Laprida his first goal of the game. Despite a valiant effort in the last two chukkers, Colorado could not rival Valiente’s momentum. Valiente claimed their second consecutive 2018 C.V. Whitney Cup with a final score of 9-4. Reflecting on the tournament Tommy Beresford said, “The horses are getting fitter and I’m playing a little faster. It is becoming a bit easier as we are getting to know each other. We feel great and are looking forward to the next tournament.”

Responsible for five of Valiente’s nine goals, four from the field and one Penalty 3, Pieres was named Most Valuable Player. “Every game we are going to get a little bit better as a team,” Pieres said. “Today we were better with passing the ball between each other. Our last game was more difficult from the beginning and we had some pressure because it was our first together, but today was much better.” Best Playing Pony honors were awarded to Mentolada, owned by J5 Equestrian and ridden by Adolfo Cambiaso in the third chukker.

www.uspolo.org

Photo: David Lominska