Two stars a generation + apart, but both at the top of the Polo World. They will meet on Sunday in the finals of the America’s Cup, a 20 Goal USPA Tournament at Santa Barbara Polo Club.
You can and will experience a game of speed and mental awareness on Sunday. These two field captains play the game mentally as well and they are better than most. Its polo’s ABC’s . They have a stong desire to improve the game and make it safe, but faster. They do this by thinking what makes it happen. Memo Gracida has always been the brains behind his teams and its hard to say he is not the best. He has 16 or 17 U.S. OPEN wins on his record, an Argentine Open and some British Opens too. Paco de Narvaez is young and has been to the finals of all of these same tournaments. He also comes from a polo family. Paco is the son of a bonafide wildman, but a very good player named is Francisco de Narvaez. I have never heard anyone brave enough to call him “Paco.” So I do not know how Paco is Paco?
It will be a game between a two patron team which means 2 amateurs versus a single patron team which is 3 pros. This should give the edge to Piocho Ranch, but will it? Grant’s Farm has experience and some discpline, but Memo forces discpline and he has youth. TJ is substituting for Dad Tom Barrack. Young Julio Gracida and 25 year old Kris Kampsen “the Bird” are both very fast and well mounted. This brings up another point. In polo 70% of the game is horses and thats why these two teams are here . . . “horses” and discpline. We need to look at this. The levels are pretty similar. Piocho has more horse power, but less polo. To be ready Grant’s Farm/ERG have fitter horses, but less pro power. This is where Andy Busch has to step up. He is one of the highest-rated amateurs in the USPA today. Andy brings a lot of experience to the game and he will need it. No matter what, Kris Kampsen, Julio Gracida and TJ are coming and they are coming fast. Pop will be there asap. He may lack youth, but he has the Ferraris to get him there. However the team with the ball scores and Grant’s Farm/ERG has to keep the ball and put it between the posts and then its anybody’s game. It will be a very fun day and all on the coast where it will be 70 to 80 degrees with a mild breezze from the Pacfic Ocean.
San Diego is dark so come on up to Santa Barbara and see the ponies run like VERY FAST. Come see a Legend vs. a Iceman. We did not talk about him, so come and see BLAKE who shows no flash, no slash just t o u g h to beat.
IN THE GAMES TODAY. . .
ERG/Grant’s Farm beat Long Beach/Klentner by 3
Zacara beat Gehache in overtime
Piocho Ranch beat Audi by 2 or 3
See you Sunday in Carpinteria, CA. Exit at SANTA CLAUSE LANE and have a summer Xmas.