Crab Orchard Plays Bendabout and Lechuza Caracas Meets La Herradura in USPA Piaget Gold Cup Semifinals Wednesday at International Polo Club
WELLINGTON, FL (March 20, 2007) – Two undefeated streaks and a berth in the finals are on the line when Crab Orchard plays Bendabout in the first semifinal of the 26-goal USPA Piaget Gold Cup Wednesday at noon at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
La Herradura (2-1), led by the legendary Memo Gracida, plays Lechuza Caracas (3-1), led by 10-goaler Sebastian Merlos and 9-goaler Pite Merlos, at 3 p.m.
The final is Sunday at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.
Gillian Johnston’s Bendabout is the next team to try and stop Crab Orchard’s dynamic duo of Adolfo Cambiaso and Matias Magrini as both teams come into the game with 3-0 records.
But it is Crab Orchard that is garnering all the attention because of fantastic numbers.
Crab Orchard has dominated the first half in each of its three games – building leads of 14-0, 10-1 and 9-3. They have outscored their opponents 42-17 in three games, winning by six goals twice and by 13 goals in the opener.
Cambiaso leads the team with 19 goals, while Magrini and David Stirling Jr. have scored 11 goals apiece.
Bendabout, however, is almost as prolific offensively, scoring 38 goals while allowing 26 goals. Ten-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada leads the team with 15 goals while Ignacio Toccalino has added 10 goals and Alejandro Novillo Astrada has scored eight goals. Johnston has five goals and must continue to be a factor offensively for Bendabout.
“The team is going great. It seems like every game we’re getting better,” said Crab Orchard patron George Rawlings.
La Herradura is the only team in the tournament with four professionals and that poses matchup problems for opponents. The 50-year-old Gracida controls the offense and defense while relying on his young teammates to work hard.
Kris Kampsen, 26, leads La Herradura with 17 goals while 22-year-old Fred Mannix Jr. has scored eight goals and Memo’s 19-year-old son, Julio, has added seven goals.
Lechuza Caracas, under a resurgent Pite Merlos, has battled its way into the semifinals.
Pite and Sebastian Merlos have scored 22 goals each while Jeff Blake adds consistent defense as well as scoring six goals. Patron Victor Vargas continues to be an integral part of the team and will be an important factor.
Fourteen teams entered the 26-goal USPA Piaget Gold Cup, the second of the Big Three tournaments at International Polo Club Palm Beach. The USPA Piaget Gold Cup, which began in 1974, is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the United States and is in first season at International Polo Club.
The polo matches at International Polo Club are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $10 for adults. Children under 3 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game or in advance at the stadium box office.
Major sponsors at International Polo Club Palm Beach for the 2007 season include Stanford Private Wealth Management, Piaget, Bombardier Aerospace, Bessemer Trust, Westwind Realty, LLC, Panera Bread, Cartier, CityPlace, Florida Coast Equipment, The Mall at Wellington Green, Omar Trevino Bloodstock, Inc., Palm Beach Daily News, Palm Beach Illustrated, Palm Beach Post, Ritz Carlton Palm Beach, Roederer Estates, The Wellington Institute, Van Cleef & Arpels, Yamana Gold Inc. and Jim Corbin Illustrated Properties.
International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
Scoring Leaders
Player/Team Games Goals
Facundo Pieres, Black Watch 4 27
Pite Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 4 22
Sebastian Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 4 22
Adolfo Cambiaso, Crab Orchard 3 19
Bautista Heguy, Pony Express 3 18
Kris Kampsen, La Herradura 3 17
Pablo MacDonough, Jedi 3 17
Mike Azzaro, Laurence-Wallace 3 16
Jeff Hall, Orchard Hill 3 16
Miguel Novillo Astrada, Bendabout 3 15
Agustin Merlos, Laurence-Wallace 3 15
Gonzalito Pieres, Black Watch 4 12
Julio Arellano, Skeeterville 2 11
Carlos Gracida, Pony Express 3 11
Matias Magrini, Crab Orchard 3 11
David Stirling Jr., Crab Orchard 3 11
Lucas Monteverde, White Birch 2 10
Ignacio Toccalino, Bendabout 3 10
Past Champions
2006 – New Bridge La Dolfina
2005 – Millarville
2004 – White Birch
2003 – White Birch
2002 – White Birch
2001 – Boca Polo
2000 – Isla Carroll
1999 – Outback
1998 – White Birch
1997 – White Birch
1996 – White Birch
1995 – Ellerston White
1994 – Michelob
1993 – Cellular One
1992 – Revlon
1991 – Cellular One
1990 – Les Diables Bleus
1989 – White Birch
1988 – White Birch
1987 – White Birch
1986 – White Birch
1985 – Chasqui
1984 – White Birch
1983 – White Birch
1982 – Boehm
1981 – Boca Raton
1980 – Retama
1979 – Retama
1978 – Abercrombie & Kent
1977 – Lone Oak
1976 – Willow Bend
1975 – Tulsa-Dallas
1974 – Milwaukee