Seattle Polo Cup
Aug. 9th, 2015
By Tony Gregg
Sunday August 9, 2015, turned out to be a (perfect) day for the second annual Seattle Polo Cup Championship at the Smith Family’s Seattle Polo and Equestrian Club. Perfect, that is, with the exception of one thing – the ever imposing and spectacular Mt Rainier was, in spite of the brilliant sunshine, hidden by a cloud cover that would not go away.
It didn’t matter however that the normally resplendent landmark wasn’t visible as Gery Warner’s longtime foreman Nicolas Maciel, on this day, was just as impressive as he lead Warner and Rob Peterson’s Tentnology (Gery Warner, Rob Peterson, Nicolas Maciel, Segundo Bengolea) to a convincing win over Kirkland Maserati (Cameron Smith, Bobbi Anderson-Brush, Ramon Castilla, Tomas Flamino) in front of a huge and boisterous Seattle Polo Party crowd watching from the well planned berm.
From the outset it was apparent that it was going to be Maciel’s afternoon as he simply took control from the start and exhibited the control that he is known for. With a counter from the field and an open goal conversion from 30 yards, Maciel gave Tentnology the early lead at 2 – .5 (Kirkland Maserati received a handicap award at the outset).
Tentnology was able to apply more pressure early in the second as Maciel was able to score on a safety from the far left and Bengolea counted from the field. The Maserati group were able to reorganize somewhat that allowed Castilla to convert a text book penalty four and the half ended with the tent makers up by 3.5 at 5 – 1.5.
The early third period was pretty much all Tentnology as Maciel scored twice (one a penalty four) to increase the lead. The Maserati distributers came back quickly to apply pressure as Smith scored on a forty yard free throw and Castilla notched his second 60 yard conversion to get closer but the difference to favor the purveyors of shelter had increased at 8 – 3.5.
The fourth was played almost even as Anderson-Brush counted for Kirkland Maserati to produce a final tally of 8 – 4.5 to give Tentnology the Seattle Polo Cup for 2015.
Based on the fact that he scored seven goals and dominated throughout with ‘Rainier like’ play , it was no surprise that Maciel was named as the MVP and Smith’s mare, Missy, played by Castilla, was selected as the Best Playing Pony.