Ylvisaker Cup

Photography by David Lominska La Fe’s Robi Bilbao eyes up the ball

Nail-Biting Final Chukka Clincher

Magrini & Panelo family success

The Ylvisaker Cup was established in 2003 and is played annually in memory of William T. “Bill” Ylvisaker, the polo pioneer responsible for the development of high goal polo in Wellington, Florida in the 1970s and 1980s. As well as his crucial role in the development of Palm Beach Polo Club, Bill Ylvisaker had a decorated polo career, reaching a 7 goal handicap, with notable wins in The U.S. Open, USPA Gold Cup, and The Coronation Cup, as well as serving as Chairman of the USPA from 1970-1975.

CK Shack and Le Fe faced each other in the Final on Sunday 6 February at International Polo Club Palm Beach for their chance to lift the coveted trophy. Going into the Final the odds were stacked against CK Shack whose tournament progress had been plagued by injuries and subsequent line-up changes, by the Final match they were on their fourth line-up changes in as many matches, which provided a continuity challenge, but their combination of brothers Keko and Santino Magrini and cousins Bautista and Joaquin Panelo provided some much needed familiarity in the Final. Both teams had faced each other earlier in the tournament, which had seen La Fe taking a narrow 8-7, so there was all to play for on Final day; CK Shack took full advantage of La Fe’s early fouling and dominated the first chukka with four consecutive penalty conversions to take a 4-0 lead. La Fe were not daunted and responded in the second chukka with Francisco Elizalde scoring three goals and although Keko Magrini replied, La Fe’s pressure continued into the third chukka to tie the scores at 5-5 going into half-time. End-to-end play from both sides saw the goals once again tied at 7-7, keeping the spectators guessing as to who would take the lead. Robi Bilbao took the lead for La Fe, but their earlier fouling issues reared their heads once again and Keko Magrini was able to find the posts twice for CK Shack, and was later named Most Valuable Player with a total of nine goals, securing a 10-8 lead going into the final chukka. La Fe managed to get back within winning distance in the final seconds, but the equalising opportunity rolled wide and CK Shack were able to cling onto a narrow but winning score of 12-11 to claim The Ylvisaker Cup.

23 JAN

6FEB FINAL

Where: International Polo Club Palm Beach, Florida

The Ylvisaker Cup Final Teams:

CK Shack (18)

Keko Magrini (3) Bautista Panelo (4) Santino Magrini (5) Joaquín Panelo (6)

La Fe (18)

Lucas Escobar (4) (replaced by Nico Diaz Alberdi in the sixth chukka) Robi Bilbao (5) Francisco Elizalde (9) Louis Devaleix (0)

MVP

Keko Magrini

BPP

Dolfina Mayor, (Durazno x Nora), an 11-year-old Argentine mare owned and played by Francisco Elizalde