3 minute read
USPA Gold Cup
from Polo Times May 2022
by Edit
Facundo Pieres
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Pilot Prevail
Over Park Place
Undefeated sides go head-to-head
The USPA Gold Cup was first played for in 1974 at Oak Brook Polo Club but was moved to Milwaukee Polo Club the following year where it was played for until 1978; in 1979 the Cup moved to Florida where it has become the most coveted trophy of the Floridian winter circuit.
In 2019 Pilot secured the prestigious title and also made history that year by capturing all three Gauntlet of Polo trophies to take the first ever Gauntlet of Polo overall title, plus the $500,000 bonus; therefore they returned this year keen to retake the title once again.
The USPA Gold Cup forms the second stage of The Gauntlet of Polo series, following on from The C.V. Whitney Cup and this year saw all nine 2022 C.V. Whitney Cup teams (Cessna, Coca-Cola, Dutta Corp/Show+, La Fe, La Indiana, Pilot, SD Farms) compete, as well as the addition of four additional team entries (CK Shack, La Elina, Old Hickory Bourbon/Airstream, Tamera) which meant a total of 13 teams trying to get a hold of the trophy.
Having tasted the heady heights of success in 2019, it was a shock for Pilot not to make a single Gauntlet of Polo Final in 2021, so the team took steps to ensure their success this year, by bringing the team together early and putting an extra focus into horsepower, Zavaleta commented, “Facundo called me in May [2021], he wanted me to play, and we made an early plan with the horses. He invited me with a lot of time, and we brought horses from Argentina. We got organized the best we could, I think that made the difference.”
Both teams had enjoyed an undefeated journey to the Final, with Park Place’s only 2022 Gauntlet of Polo defeat being at the hands of Pilot in the early stages of The C.V. Whitney Cup, however they overcame this early hurdle to go on and win the title. So as the spectators gathered in the stands it was anyone’s guess as to who would come out the winner. Pilot were prepared with tactics, horsepower and teamwork, while Park Place knew they would have to work with a strong offensive to overpower the athletic Facundo Pieres, who entered The USPA Gold Cup Final with sixty goals in the season. Despite facing an uphill battle to contain Park Place’s number one rated offense, Pilot pushed on undeterred and by the end of regulation time, both sides held 10 goals apiece, pushing the match into nail-biting overt-time. As both sides tried to find the golden goal, Pieres created space to run the ball across the back line and return Pilot to the winner’s podium once more with a final score of 11-10.
Hilario Ulloa in action for Park Place
Photograph by ©Global Polo Entertainment
1MAR 27 MAR FINAL
Where: International Polo Club Palm Beach, Florida
USPA Gold Cup Final Teams
Pilot (22)
Curtis Pilot (0) Mackenzie Weisz (5) Matias Torres Zavaleta (7) Facundo Pieres (10)
Park Place (23)
Josh Hyde (0) Juan Britos (9) Hilario Ulloa (10) Cody Ellis (3)
MVP and leading goal scorer, Facundo Pieres
Photography by ©David Lominska
Curtis Pilot MVP
Facundo Pieres
Golden goal by Facundo Pieres at 6:48
BPP
Argentine Bred Best Playing Pony: Open Azarenka
BPP
Open Azarenka
