November 2021 Polo Players' Edition- Polo Report

POLO REPORT

DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO

PACIFIC COAST

SOL DE AGOSTA SWEEPS 8-GOAL RINCON LEAGUE

Pacquito de Narvaez tries to stay ahead of Jason Crowder in the final of the Carpinteria Cup at Santa Barbara Polo. Ryan Kerley and Torrey Ripinski follow close behind.

©Kerri Kerley

OVER two months this summer, five teams rounded out the 8-goal Rincon League at Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California. Despite the strong team lineups, Sol de Agosto came away the winner in all four tournaments that make up the league.

In the James Colt Classic, Sol de Agosto (Juan De Narvaez, Pacquito De Narvaez, Paco De Narvaez, Ryan Kerley) edged Del Padre /Lucchese (Matt Yonally, Maco Llambias, Agustine Molinas, John Muse).

Next up was the Summerland Cup. This time, Sol de Agosto met Rancho Polo/Zahedi Chogan (Sy Zahedi, Sierra Dunbar, Joaquin Avendano, Jason Crowder) in the final. Kerley struck first with back-to-back goals. Those were followed by goals from Paco and Pacquito De Narvaez. Rancho got on the board with a pair of Penalty 3s by Crowder in the second chukker, and Avendano scored to bring the team within one, 4-3. Pacquito found the mark for Sol to increase the difference to 5-3. Crowder sunk a pair of Penalty 4s in the third, but the Narvaezes combined for three goals to keep Sol ahead, 8-5, at the half.

Crowder kept working in the second half, nailing another Penalty 4 and scoring from the field, but Kerley scored twice and Pacquito once to increase the difference to four, 11-7. Sol shined brighter in the fifth when, Pacquito, ably assisted by his teammates, scored twice on runs from the field and once from the Penalty 3 line. The team also received a Penalty 1, and Paco scored from the field to make the difference nine, 16-7. Crowder put through a Penalty 4 in the last chukker, but it was countered by an unstoppable Pacquito to end the game, 17-8.

Kerley was MVP, and Paco De Narvaez’s Nieta was Best Playing Pony.

The same teams met again in the Malibu Cup. Luke Klentner took over for Juan De Narvaez on Sol de Agosto so Rancho began with a handicap goal. Pacquito got the scoring rolling and wouldn’t stop. He hammered in a pair of Penalty 3s, then a Penalty 2 before scoring twice from the field while Rancho could not reach the goal. Crowder scored for Rancho early in the second, while Sol was silenced. Pacquito and Paco each found the goal early in the third. Crowder answered back, but Pacquito scored again. Avendano put one on the board to end the half with Rancho trailing, 8-4.

Ryan Kerley and Sy Zahedi battle in the Malibu Cup.

Rancho was kept away from the goal for the next 14 minutes, while goals from Kerley, Paco and Pacquito pushed the difference to nine, 13-4. In the last chukker, the teams traded Penalty 2s, and Avendano scored one more, but it wasn’t nearly enough, and Sol came away with the 14-6 win.

Pacquito de Narvaez was MVP, and his mare Coneja was Best Playing Pony.

Both teams made it to the final of the last tournament, the Carpinteria Cup. Klentner was replaced by Meghan Gracida on Sol de Agosto, while Torrey Ripinsky and Patrick Uretz took over for Sierra Dunbar and Joaquin Avendano on Rancho Polo/Zahedi Chogan. Rancho was hoping the third time was a charm and started out strong. Uretz struck twice, countering a handicap goal given to Sol de Agosto. Crowder sunk a Penalty 3, and the first chukker ended with Rancho ahead 3-1. Crowder traded goals with Kerley and Paco in the second to maintain the two-goal advantage. But a scoreless third chukker for Rancho allowed Sol de Agosto to catch up, thanks to repeat goals by Kerley and Paco, ending the half tied, 5-5.

Kerley had back-to-back goals in the fourth, but Crowder converted a Penalty 2 to stay close. Pacquito hit the target late in the chukker, then scored three in the fifth, including two open goal penalties, while Rancho was kept away from the goal. Trailing by five, Rancho knew it had to strike hard and fast, but a pair of goals, including a Penalty 3, from Pacquito took the wind out of its sails. Paco and Crowder traded goals in the closing minutes, but the damage was done, and Sol had the 14-7 win.

Ryan Kerley was MVP, and Paco De Narvaez’s Justa was Best Playing Pony.

Voted on by fellow competitors, Pacquito de Narvaez was named Season MVP, while Paco de Narvaez won Best String. Sy Zahedi won the Season’s Best Sportsman award.

PC ARENA LEAGUE HELD AT ORANGE COUNTY

Cereal Killers took on Holy Moly in the first game of the Pacific Coast Arena League held at Orange County Polo Club.

©JDKIZZ Photography

The Pacific Coast Arena League, held at clubs throughout California, played its first of three legs at Orange County Polo Club in Silverado, Sept. 18-19. The event attracted 28 participants from Lakeside, OC, and Poway Polo Clubs.

With A-Flight and B-Flight matches, the first game had Cereal Killers (Spencer Hurtt, Jim Tuohy, Nicole Bankhead) topping Holy Moly (Ethan Bankhead, Kelli Newton, Bekan Segien, Shelley Geiler), 12-10, in 6- goal A-Flight action.

Newton had the announcer saying, “Holy Moly” after opening the chukker by shooting through a hat trick in a matter of minutes. Cereal Killers took revenge, with Hurtt scoring back-to-back goals added to a handicap goal. The team was awarded a Penalty 1, and Nicole Bankhead followed up with another goal to take a 5- 3 lead.

In the second, Geiler and Hurtt traded goals to keep Cereal Killers’ advantage two, 6-4, at the half. The game heated up in the third. as Holy Moly came within one, 9-8, going into the last chukker. A pony goal leveled the score early in the fourth, and Segien put Holy Moly ahead, 10-9. Touhy snuck back for Cereal Killers, shooting in three in a row to take the 12-10 lead before time expired.

Nicole Bankhead was MVP, and Ethan Bankhead’s Chloe was Best Playing Pony. Hurtt took the Sportsmanship award.

In the first B-Flight match, Assassins (Maia Schnoebelen, Allie Bushong, Lauren Helpern) killed Barbarians (Danielle Slutzky, Andy Schnoebelen, Jo Faulkner, Tom Rath), 17- 4. Barbarians began with a one-goal handicap. Assassins wasted no time in the first period, amassing a 6-1 lead. Barbarians slowed the bleeding in the second, keeping Assassins to single goals from Bushong and Helpern while Slutzky tallied one, and the team was awarded a Penalty 1, ending the half with Assassins ahead, 8-3.

The Assassins strike again in the match against Barbarians. The Assassins finished with a 17-4 victory.

©JDKIZZ Photography

Assassins kept firing at the lifeless Barbarians in the second half, with the team combining for six more goals to win.

Bushong was MVP, while Slutzky’s Rafiki was Best Playing Pony. Faulkner took the Sportsmanship Award.

In the next match, Destroyers (Shira Engel, Haley Schneider, Dave Myrick) exterminated Black Widows (Derek Wall, Colleen Newton, Fawn Rinalduzzi, Marc Schnoebelen), 14-8. The teams kept the game level, 3-3, at the end of the first. Wall tallied three times to give Destroyers the 6-4 advantage at the half.

Black Widows had another strong chukker with Schneider scoring twice and Myrick once, but Rinalduzzi and Schnoebelen had two each to increase the difference to three, 10-7. The last chukker belonged to Destroyers after Newton tallied three times and Wall once while holding Schneider to one. Destroyers had the win.

Rinalduzzi was MVP, and Schnoebelen’s Koda was Best Playing Pony. Engel earned the Sportsmanship Award.

Ghost Riders (Matt Corodimas, Luca Abboud, Remy Glasgow) finished the day with a 16-2 win over Overachievers (Ava Abboud, Mila Slutzky, Serdar Celik). Overachievers began with a one-goal head-start, but Ghost Riders grabbed an early, 4-1, lead. Ghost Riders continued to haunt Overachievers in the second, while making the difference 10-1. Overachievers made Ghost Riders all but disappeared in the third when Celik answered a lone goal from Luca Abboud. But Ghost Riders sent the ball into goal with a thump five more times to take the win.

Luca Abboud led Ghost Riders with 11 points and was named MVP. Celik was Sportsmanship Award winner, and a pony named Freddie took Best Playing Pony.

Teams were shuffled the next day. Rockstars (Andy Schnoebelen, Ava Abboud, Derek Wall) got the action going with a 14-7 win over Savages (Mila Slutzky, Maia Schnoebelen, Haley Schneider) in the first game. Rockstars jumped ahead, 5-2 in the first. Wall and Slutzky traded goals in the second to end the half with Rockstars strumming, 6-3.

Slutzky and Schneider knotted the score, 6-6 in the third. Abboud put Rockstars back on top, but Schneider leveled it again. Andy Schnoebelen took back the lead to end the chukker with Rockstars ahead, 8- 7. Savages were silenced in the final seven minutes while Rockstars rocked in six more goals before the final horn.

Andy Schnoebelen was MVP, Maia was Sportsmanship Award winner, and that pony named Freddie won Best Playing Pony for the second day.

The first leg of the Pacific Coast Arena League had 28 participants playing at the Orange County Polo Club in Silverado, California.

©JDKIZZ Photography

Hellraisers (Kellie Newton, Nicole Bankhead, Ethan Bankhead) took on Revolutionaries (Spencer Hurtt, Jim Tuohy, Shelley Geiler, Bekan Segien) in the next game. Revolutionaries took a 7-5 lead into the half before Hellraisers raised hell in the third to double up Revolutionaries, 14-7. Newton and Ethan Bankhead combined for five more goals in the fourth while holding Revolutionaries to two goals from Hurtt for the win.

Ethan Bankhead was MVP, Newton’s Dublin was Best Playing Pony, and Hurtt was Best Sportsman.

The next game saw Spider Monkeys (Allie Bushong, Remy Glasgow, Matt Corodimas) squash Vipers (Lauren Helpern, Mila Herrera, Shira Engel, Bekan Segien), 13-5. All three Spider Monkeys got on the board, adding to the team’s one-goal handicap, in the first while Vipers struck just once. Bushong scurried about in the second, tallying four times while

Glasgow tallied once. Segien struck for Vipers, but Spider Monkeys went into the half ahead, 11-2.

Vipers held Spider Monkeys to single goals in the third and fourth, while tallying three times. Despite Vipers’ late rally, the team could not swallow the first-half deficit, and Spider Monkeys had the victory.

Glasgow was MVP, Herrera was Best Sportsman, and Bushong’s Lebron was Best Playing Pony.

Danielle Slutzky won the Sportsmanship Award in the game between Whirlwinds and Bullfighters.

©JDKIZZ Photography

The weekend games finished up with Whirlwinds (Danielle Slultzky, Luca Abboud, Colleen Newton, Fawn Rinalduzzi) taking down the Bullfighters (Serdar Celik, Marc Schnoebelen, Jo Faulkner, Tom Rath).

Thanks to goals from Abboud, Slutzky and Rinalduzzi, Whirlwinds ended the half with a 7-3 advantage. Finding their rhythm in the second half, all three Bullfighters tallied in the third, putting five points on the board. Fans responded with, “Olé!” Goals by Slutzky and Newton kept Whirlwinds narrowly ahead, 9-8, going into the final seven minutes. Rinalduzzi and Abboud sandwiched goals around one from Schnoebelen to stop the Bullfighters attack and ensure the Whirlwinds’ victory, 11-9.

Rinalduzzi was MVP, Slutzky was Best Sportsman, and Newton’s Zenyatta was Best Playing Pony.

NORTHEAST

WILD HORSES WIN NE MASTERS CUP

Wild Horses’ Julian Steinberg, Jaime Bourdieu, Juanse Olivera, and Milo Dorignac won the Northeastern Masters Cup.

Wild Horses may not have dragged CVC Stones away, but it did edge it in the final of the 4-goal USPA Northeastern Masters Cup, held at Mashomack Polo Club in Pine Plains, New York, Aug. 1.

Four teams competed in the event. After CRG/Buena Vista (Mitch Adelstein, Alex Langlois, Don Langlois, Gaston Lisioli) and Justin Farms (Jeff Marlaugh, Adam Justin, Bauti Crotto, Pato Farias) were eliminated in preliminary rounds, CVC Stones (Julian Steinberg, Agustin Zavaleta, Felipe Niveyro, Mario Dino) faced Wild Horses (Victoria Gray, Milo Dorignac, Juanse Olivera, Jaime Bourdieu) in the final.

The final started with both of the teams flexing their muscles. Niveyro struck first, but Bourdieu responded. Gray followed with a goal, and Bourdieu added another. A Penalty 4 conversion by Zavaleta stopped the Wild Horses’ momentum. Niveyro ended the chukker with another goal, leaving the teams knotted, 3-3. Dorignac gave Wild Horses an early lead in the second, but Niveyro leveled the score with a Penalty 3 conversion. Olivera gave Wild Horses back the lead to end the half ahead, 5-4. Dorignac and Olivera traded goals with Niveyro and Dino in the third, allowing Wild Horses to maintain the narrow lead. In the final seven minutes, Olivera sunk a Penalty 2, but Niveyro scored in response. While the teams traded goals throughout the game, Bourdieu got in the last word to ensure the Wild Horses’ victory, 9-7.

Juanse Olivera was MVP, and his chestnut mare Frutilla was Best Playing Pony.

CRG/Buena Vista got the best of Justin’s Farm in the consolation, 7-4.

A month later, on Sept. 5, Savanna took the trophies in the 4-goal USPA Constitution Cup. Six teams in two brackets began the tournament. After a week of playoffs and some rain delays, Savanna (Nick Bienstock, Milo Dorignac, Juanse Olivera, Nicolas Miro) met Smithfield (Craig Callen, John Klopp, Santiago Llavallol, Gonzalo Urrutibeheity) in the final.

Callen got the scoring started in the first chukker with a lone goal. Savanna was slow to start but made up for it in the second chukker when Dorignac struck three times, interrupted only by a goal from teammate Olivera, while the team shut out Smith field. The half ended with Savanna on top, 4-1.

Savanna’s Nicolas Miro, MVP Milo Dorignac, Juanse Olivera, and Nick Beinstock won the Constitution Cup.

Olivera, Dorignac, and Miro each scored in the third, but this time Smithfield fought back with Llavallol and Urrutibeheity connecting with the goal to stay in the game. Trailing by four, 7-3, going into the final seven minutes, Smithfield had its work cut out for it. Dorignac increased the difference early in the chukker. Smithfield received a Penalty 1, but it wasn’t enough, and Savanna took the 8-4 win.

Dorignac was MVP, and Llavallol’s Rita was Best Playing Pony.

In 8-goal action, Hawk Hill (Ian Mactaggart, Santiago Llavallol, Dylan Rossiter, Philip Mactaggart, Finn Secunda) defeated Savanna (Nick Beinstock, Milo Dorignac, Juanse Olivera, Gaston Lisioli), 12-11, in overtime to win the USPA Eddie Moore Memorial, Aug. 1. Lisioli was MVP, and Rossiter’s Fiesta was Best Playing Pony.

Hawk Hill’s Ian Mactaggart, Dylan Rossiter, Santiago Llavallol and Finn Secunda won the Eddie Moore Memorial.

Nine teams, divided into two brackets, battled it out. To get to the final, Hawk Hill ousted Shekomeko (Guy Merison, Maxi Chenaut, Sebastian Borgui, Oli Merison), 13-9, and Savanna slipped Windswept (Davis Colley, Valentino Echezarreta, Michel Dorignac, Bruce Colley), 9-8.

Savanna’s Nick Beinstock, Milo Dorignac, Gaston Lisioli, and Juanse Olivera won the Mactaggart Memorial.

The tables turned in the 8-goal USPA Tracey Mactaggart Memorial. Eight teams were divided into two brackets, and once again, Savanna faced Hawk Hill. This time Savanna prevailed. Gaston Lisioli was MVP, and Juanse Olivera’s Pastise was Best Playing Pony.

IGEA TRIUMPHS IN NAPP MEMORIAL

For the third year in a row, IGEA won the Jerry Napp Memorial, hosted by Meadowbrook Polo Club in Westbury, New York. The match was held at Bethpage State Park on Sept. 11.

Debra Napp, center, presents trophies to IGEA’s Gaston Lisioli, Juan Redlich, Adam Lipson and Mrinal Dansingani.

©Patty Sharkey

IGEA (Mrinal Dansingani, Adam Lipson, Juan Redlich, Gaston Lisioli) faced Meadowbrook (Glenn Sam Lostritto, Glen Lostritto, Tavi Usandizaga, Agustin Bottaro). Wellmatched teams kept spectators on the edge of their seats. A shootout was needed to determine a winner in a close game with everyone playing on top of their game. In the end, IGEA prevailed. Glen Lostritto was MVP and received a polo picture hand etched by Kim Doran, while Gaston Lisioli’s Margarita earned the Best Playing Pony blanket.

The trophies were sponsored by The Tackeria and presented by Debra Napp.

CENTRAL

G-SQUARED PREVAILS IN BUTLER INTERNATIONAL

Oak Brook Polo Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, closed out its summer season with the USPA Butler International Cup, Sept. 17-26. Five teams competed in the event, including two teams representing the United States.

G-Squared’s Larry Aschebrook, Juan Martin Gutierrez, Juan Martin Obregon, and Matias Obregon won the Butler International Cup.

©Andrew Meier

Games began with G-Squared-U.S. (Larry Aschebrook, Juan Martin Gutierrez, Juan Martin Obregon, Matias Obregon) downing Oak Brook (Mariano Gutierrez, Tomas Obregon, Horacio Onetto, Jim Drury). Two days later, G-Squared earned its second victory over the German Flying Changes team (Jennifer Leffingwell, Chris Vangel, Anthony Garcia, Mariano Obregon) in a close, 11- 10 battle. Later in the day, Oak Brook fell to Kingston Jamaica (Charlie Chambers, Freddie Farquharson, Jason Wates, Santi Torres), 8-7.

Kingston narrowly prevailed in its second match over Liechtenstein (Richard Harris, Pedro Manion, Lindor Novillo Corvalan, Alfredo Guerreno), 8-7½. Flying Changes picked up its first win, beating Oak Brook, 13-11. The last preliminary matches saw Liechtenstein top Flying Changes, 14½-12, and G-Squared defeat Kingston, 9-6.

Oak Brook picked up its first win in the consolation round-robin, edging Flying Changes and Liechtenstein.

The championship match had G- Squared facing Jamaica. The match got off to a rapid start with G-Squared jumping ahead, 3-0, after goals from Gutierrez, Matias Obregon and Aschebrook. Torres put Jamaica on the board late in the chukker, but G- Squared shot back in the second with Matias Obregon converting a pair of Penalty 3s and Juan Martin Obregon scoring one from the field for a 6-1 lead. The Jamaican defense came alive in the third, shutting G-Squared down while Torres added a goal. The half ended with G-Square ahead, 6-2.

The Jamaican defense held steady in the second half, keeping G-Squared off the board. But, Jamaica struggled to get through the G-Squared defense and could only connect with the goal once. Unable to make up for the firsthalf deficit, G-Squared held on for the 6-3 victory. Flying Changes’ Mariano Obregon received the MVP honors, and Juan Martin Obregon’s Lady Bug was Best Playing Pony.

The participating teams received gifts and prizes before the Butler International Cup Trophy presentation to the winning team. Additionally, Roger Cummings, Kenneth Weidman, Kim Palermo, Quinn Palermo, and Larry Misiukevicius, all graduations from Oak Brook Polo Academy, received certificates of completion from academy director Jenna Davis and instructor Turner Wheaton.

Announcer Rob Wilkinson was also honored for his dedication and services to the club and the great Chicagoland polo community. Originally from Zimbabwe, where he was introduced to polo, Wilkinson reached a 2-goal handicap and won two National Interscholastic Championships (1997-98) at Colorado State University. He moved to Philadelphia earlier this year to work for Advisors Asset Management.

EAST

MONEY PIT MANOR ACES KAREN CARRA MEMORIAL

Money Pit Manor’s Erica Tergenson, Akemi Tinder, and Liz Calvey won the Karen Carra Memorial.

Mountain View Polo Club in Charles Town, West Virginia, held its 6th annual USPA Karen Carra Memorial Women’s Tournament, Sept. 11. The event is sponsored annually by Karen’s widower, Matthew Graham, a member of the club. Players and horses wore pink to honor Karen with her favorite color.

This 2- to 4-goal tournament allows newer and lower-rated players to compete in a USPA tournament in a fun, low-stress environment.

Four teams were originally slated to play; however, Mountain View had to forfeit due to illness. That left the three remaining teams to battle it out in a round-robin.

In the first round, Old Farm Vet (Christina Connelly-Kanmaz, Kija Wilson, Laura Russman, Sierra Goff) took on Money Pit Manor (Liz Calvey, Erica Tergenson, Akemi Tinder). Money Pit Manor pounded Old Farm Vet, 4-1, in the first chukker and continued sinking goals to win, 9-1.

In the second round, Old Farm Vet stayed up to meet Rebellis (Susan Roberts, Kasey Morris, Harleigh Humphries). Old Farm Vet struggled to find the goal in the first chukker while Rebellis pulled ahead with three goals. Goff, a 17-year-old interscholastic graduate, finally found the goal with a twopointer and followed with a goal to close the gap. Rebellis managed to hold the narrow lead to win, 5-4.

Rebellis and Money Pit Manor played the third round to a 7-7 tie. With the highest net goals, Money Pit Manor earned the $1,500 tournament stimulus prize money provided by the USPA.

Tinder was named MVP, Goff was Sportsmanship Award winner, and Morris’ Pandora was Best Playing Pony. No one went home empty-handed as Rebellis received $600 in prize money as runner-up, and Old Farm Vet won $400. In addition, all participants received commemorative tournament shirts and wine glasses from Graham.

A month earlier, five teams battled for $2,500 in prize money in the 0- to 3-goal Paigahs Seahorse Cup. The semifinals began with a round-robin between Triangle Area Polo Club (Maud Eno, Tammy Havener, David Brooks), Rebellis (Gabriel Boie, Kasey Morris, Luis Echezarreta), and Aviators (Rohail Khan, Monica Soucy, Damian Di Claudio). Aviators topped the round-robin with wins over both Triangle and Rebeliss for a spot in the final. DI Polo (Kelly Xiao, Ava Nunes, Juan Carlos Gonzalez) kept spectators on the edge of their seats in the second semifinal, eventually advancing over Paigahs Seahorse (Akemi Tinder, Shamsiya Shervani, Sierra Goff, Hugo Pasten) in a spirited match.

Participants in the Paigah’s Seahorse Cup, including the winning Aviators’ MVP Rohail Khan, Monica Soucy, and Damian Di Claudio (in grey jerseys).

DI Polo and Aviators met in an intense final dominated by Gonzalez Di Claudio, backed by young players.

“It was a tough battle between the two pros, and Rohail and I worked hard to play good defense and give Damian as many chances to score as possible,” Soucy said. “It was my first time playing with my teammates, but they were great, and I learned a lot from both of them.”

Aviators flew ahead in the first chukker, 6-1, and widened the gap as Di Claudio single-handedly claimed 12 goals, including three two-pointers. The team went on to a 19-8 victory.

MVP honors went to 11-year-old Rohail Khan. “Rohail was a machine. His consistent plays and good attitude made him a great choice for MVP,” Soucy said.

Gonzalez’s Nera was Best Playing Pony, and Echezarreta received the Sportsmanship Award. After the match, everyone enjoyed home-cooked Indian food provided by Shervani and Paigahs Equestrian Gear. Shervani gave a touching speech to remember her grandfather, for whom the tournament is named.