November 2021 Polo Players' Edition- Here to Stay

Here To Stay

International Townsend Cup Remains in USA

USA’s Geronimo Obregon swipes at a bouncing ball on the fly.

©Larry Johnson

Pelon Escapite led USA to victory over England in the Townsend Cup, held at New Bridge Polo and Country Club in Aiken, South Carolina, Oct. 10. It was part of an International Arena Showcase, which included a match between the USPA Armed Forces and the British Armed Forces.

Originally scheduled for Oct. 1, rain postponed the match 24 hours, but by game time the arena was in top shape, allowing for a fast, exciting match.

The 8-goal Escapite was joined by 7-goal Geromino Obregon and 2-goal Winston Painter. Both Escapite and Obregon, whose families are from Argentina, have played a lot of arena polo, particularly in the Gladiator Polo series in Florida several years ago. The 17-year-old Painter began playing polo in middle school at the Gardnertown Polo Club in Newburgh, New York. He went on to play in interscholastic polo, NYTS events and other USPA- and PTF-sponsored events, including playing in England and Argentina.

Circuit Governor Billy Raab presents trophies to USA’s Pelon Escapite, Geronimo Obregon and Winston Painter.

©Alex Pacheco

Playing for England was 6-goal Julian Daniels, who has lived and played in the U.S. for decades, although much of his polo time has been in outdoor play. He saddled up alongside experienced arena players—brothers Robin and Eden Ormerod. The Ormerod’s own Druids Lodge Polo Club in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Established by their parents in 1994, the club is home to some 50 members and includes an all-weather lighted arena, four grass polo fields, a club house, guest accommodations and stabling for up to 80 horses. Though the brothers play together quite a bit, they admitted its been awhile since they’ve played in the arena.

“We have a really nice arena surface at home. In England, we play in the winter when the grounds are too soft,” explained Eden Ormerod.

New Bridge’s lighted arena allowed for an evening match. After National Anthems from both countries were played, umpire Bradley Biddle threw in the ball to get the game started. Umpire Robert Lynn-Kee- Chow was positioned outside the arena—to allow for more room in the enclosed playing field—as was a third man and umpires positioned at the 25-yard lines to verify two-point goals. There were no throw-ins after each goal, instead it was continuous play with the defender taking the ball immediately after each goal. With nonstop action, players changed horses at around the 3:30 mark of each chukker.

HPA Steward Tae Ormerod presents the MVP trophy to Pelon Escapite.

Both teams were outfitted with jerseys and saddle pads from U.S. Polo Assn.

“It’s big pressure. We can’t lose in-house,” explained Escapite. “It’s always more pressure to play [at home] than away.”

Obregon was ready for a battle. “Man, they’re rough! England is always rough. My experience playing against them is always intense. It’s tough to go around them and you’ve got to go through them. It’s hard; they’re competitive,” he said.

With that pressure in mind, Escapite started off the match with a two-pointer but the Ormerod brothers each countered with goals of their own. Escapite was whistled on a play, giving England a Penalty 2 but they were unable to convert it. Later,

Obregon hit the target with a two-pointer but Daniels found the mark and Robin Ormerod shot through a two-pointer of his own to give England a 5-4 advantage. The England lead proved to be short-lived as Obregon tallied again and a Penalty 1 on Daniels put USA ahead, 6-5, after the first chukker.

Pelon Escapite, center, gets by Robin Ormerod, while Winston Painter covers Julian Daniels.

©Larry Johnson

Early in the second, Eden Ormerod leveled the score. Escapite gave USA the lead after easily sinking a Penalty 2. USA kept up the pressure as it benefited from a Penalty 1, Escapite found the mark again, and Obregon tallied, giving USA a four-goal advantage, 10-6. England was unable to connect on a Penalty 2 and 3 but battled its way back with Eden Ormerod converting another Penalty 2 opportunity and Robin Ormerod knocking one in from the field. The half ended with USA ahead 10-8.

USA coach Tiger Kneece spoke to the players and with such a tight game, decided to change the strategy so the players rotated positions more often.

Tae Ormerod with Britain’s Eden Ormerod, Julian Daniels and Robin Ormerod.

©Alex Pacheco

“[I] would switch a lot with Pelon, and Winston pushed forward. We rotated a lot and ... when Pelon would push forward, I would stay back. When I would push, he would stay back. We changed the momentum a few times,” said Obregon.

Meanwhile, the arena was dragged at the half, keeping the surface in tip-top shape and allowing for the fast play to continue.

Tommy Biddle, currently the highest-rated arena player at 9 goals, served as a guest commentator on the live stream. He remarked that with the continuous play, players’ heads practically have to be on a swivel to keep up with the action.

With the ball back in play, Escapite quickly slammed in a two-pointer. Soon after, England was awarded a Penalty 1 and Eden Ormerod shot in his first two-pointer to bring the team within one, 12-11. The game briefly stopped when Painter was accidentally hit with a mallet, but he toughed it out. Painter’s second goal increased the difference, but a Penalty 1 and goals by Robin Ormerod and Daniels gave the advantage back to England, 14-13. That was short-lived, however, when Escapite connected with another two-pointer later in the chukker to give USA the 15-14 edge heading into the last period.

The last seven minutes kept fans on the edge of their seats. Obregon bulled his way with two in a row, to give USA a three-goal advantage. England missed a third Penalty 2, but Eden Ormerod was able to score through traffic to come within two, 17-15, as time was ticking away.

Eden Ormerod pilots Best Playing Pony Samurai, Liv Berube’s 13-year-old Mexican Thoroughbred.

©Larry Johnson

Three minutes into the chukker, Escapite, willing to give his all, leaned too far out in the goal mouth and fell hard. He was initially caught up in his stirrups, but Julian Daniels jumped off to help free his leg. It took Escapite just a few minutes to shake out the cobwebs before remounting. Always tough as a bull, it didn’t seem to slow him down one bit. Still, one two-pointer from England would force overtime, and they had the talent to do it, but it wasn’t to be. Painter added one more goal and England was shut down as time ran out.

Of the nine contests held in the past 98 years (eight in the past 17 years), England has only been successful once, in 2013. Tommy Biddle has won four times, more than any other player. This is the second victory for Escapite, his first as captain.

“Pelon did a great job captaining the team and controlling the bulk of the game,” Biddle remarked.

Escapite was named MVP after scoring eight goals. Samurai, a 13-year-old Mexican Thoroughbred owned by Liv Berube and played by Eden Ormerod, was Best Playing Pony.

“We got lucky today,” said Escapite. I scored a few two-pointers, and two is better than one.”

In the 2nd Churchhill-Roosevelt Cup match between the Armed Forces, USPA’s Cindy Stephenson, Rob Dirado and Alex Jenkins prevailed over Britain’s James Cochrane-Dyet, Peter R.L. Hunter and Albany Mulholland, 11-8.