… the ground was shaking as the thunder of horse hooves was rocking field 1 at Eldorado.  It was the 14th Skins Game and it was a dandy.  The finals prize was $4,000 every chukker to the team who won the chukker.  The pressure was on from the throw in to the final whistle. This format is something special for Polo and the public as well.  It could not be done on a daily basis because it would be too stressful for the horses and probably most of the pros, but once a season it is “fantastic.”  In the Skins format each chukker is a game and if it’s a tie it is carried over for double the money in the next chukker.

The 2009 final was a good game.  There was speed, drama and good old-fashioned polo.  They had to work for their wins.  Only one chukker was a blowout and that was the fourth as the Hawks were in the hunt.  It was expected as the Atlant team already had 12 grand in the bank from the first 3 chukkers so it was high time for the Hawks to step up and they did. Everyone played very well on both teams.  Both teams had some bad luck, but it was PRESSURE all day long. The first chukker ended in the last minute with the Atlant team getting the edge. The second chukker was all Hawks for the first 3 minutes as they scored 3 and Atlant got off the good horses thinking they were done. Then a couple of big plays by Dan Walker and whoops, they had a chance.  Down the field they ran and in the last moments the Atlant team tied it for a carryover to the third.  It was a run and gun sort of affair.  One foul and no other stop.  It showed the power of Atlant as they changed horses on the fly and finished it up by two to win the 8 grand for the double chukker.  The one foul was for Atlant, but a missed open goal, so no blood from it. 

After a great champagne 1/2 time and a well repaired field, it was on to the second half of the game.  Mini Mac (Julian Mannix) was on fire he was flying as all signs of Smokin’ Joe were there. The Hawks were without a back and they got smoked by a 4 to 1 count.  They came right back in the fifth in the same mode, but Atlant missed too many chances and made 4 fouls to give the chukker up by one.  The Palomino  (Jason Crower) made a couple of great plays, but they just did not close the deal on a fantastic horse of Bud Dardi’s.  The horse was amazing,  except he could not kick the ball in the goal. The 6th was a big one as it would either be even or Atlant would win. Jason on a Gary Haydon horse called “Ready” was unstoppable as he made two back to back runs and missed one to seal the deal.  Those plays got “Ready” th Best Playing Pony Award and another check for $4 grand for the Atlant team.  The crowd went wild. 

In the end it was a very good day to end a very bad year/season. The Hawks played without their big gun (Joe Henderson) who was out with an injured wing.  They never gave up though.  Tomas Obergon played very well in his place. Julian Mannix aka Mini Mac was awesome with bullet speed.  He just came up  short of  incredible goals a couple of times.  He was playing with a very sore hand as he took a mallet to his mallet hand earlier.  But like Pop (Fred Mannix, Sr.) he never said “I quit.” Pierre Henri and Juan Curbelo kept it close every time.

For Atlant it was the Patron, Bolko Kissling, who proved he should be here as he made some outstanding plays when it was absolutely a must to get it done.  It was the “Double Nickel” who is young Danny Walker’s age, showing the boys he has to make it and then some. On top of that he played the game just before the Skins Finals and had a bad fall as well, so do not say I am tired to him and be 20 years younger.  He was the glue that kept the big guns protected as Super Sub Nick Galindo filled in for Matt Walker, who also has a bad wing.  Nick did well teaming up with Jason to let them run, but they had a little too much speed at times and no thought of the back door.  DW closed it when they went astray. 

It was great game a great day.  Some other greats were there as well.  Legend Wildman  Jim Williams, the first Skins winner ever, flew in to watch it all happen. Robert Hissom from England dropped by, Gordon Roddick was said to be there as well. It was party time all day long. The place looked good from the stands.  The party was everywhere.  We look forward to a very big 2010 Season, so book it, you can get a deal RIGHT NOW.

Congratulations:  2009 Skins Champions   
BOLKO KISSLING
DAN WALKER
NICKOLAI GALINDO  SUB. FOR MATT WALKER
JASON CROWDER

In other action around town it was Robert J. the 3rd’s Valiente smokin’ their way to the semis in the Govenor’s Cup.  They will face B. Garlock’s Park Lane to see who meets Trinity and Rick Pacius. The Finals are next Sunday’s main event. So be there.

Down south in the finals of the 2009 Gold Cup at IPC (Florida) it was Lechuza stopping Audi in the finals in a very good game by one.  It was Mark Ganzi’s first loss of a major cup in a while as he recently beat this team in the finals of the last 26-goal tournament.  Now they head to the biggest polo tournament in the USA, the U.S. Open.  It all starts this Friday.  

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