THE BIGGEST ONE OF THEM ALL IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF ZACARA …
The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder

… a team with no superstars yet, but 4 very solid soldiers. Zacara is now named on the trophy of the largest high- goal tournament in the world. No other tournament has close to 20 teams and at 22-goals not even half as many . Zacara had some luck and some bad luck, but it did not stop them from winning … no matter the odds.  They played polo the old-fashioned way, they just kept working.

Lyndon Lea, who looks like he just got out of a Jet but is taped up like he just came from the boxing ring, wore a plaster cast on his left hand due to an earlier accident.  This just adds to a shoulder that was just bolted together in May and an upcoming hip surgery that was scheduled Monday. I doubt he makes it, he might not even need it now after the cold wind, rain and the glory of winning. Maybe his ailments will go away like the superstars did, unfortunately I doubt it. In about 12 hours he will wonder what did I do? Being Lea I am sure he will say it was worth it.

The game was great, but I viewed it on a bit of a choppy video coverage thru direct screen, but you could see the rain and often the play.It seemed fast and fairly clean with quite a few fouls.  They weren’t horrible fouls,  just risk taking ones.  It was probably in Zacara’s favor when weather was bad with 4 players and should have been better the otherway with sunshine, but it was opposite. Les Lions played very well in the misery and gave it back in the Sunshine but not till the very end . Both Patrons L.Lea and J. Gottschalk played ever-bit their handicap with a + today and never even considered not going for a 50 50 play they were there. The South Africans were amazing as both Chris Mackenzie from Les Lions and Nachi du Pleis of Zacara were bonafide stars and heroes of the SA nation. The rest were the Merlos Brothers Agustin and Sebe.  They were outstanding as well as Hillario Ulloa and Gonzalo Del Tour, who I think was voted MVP of the game … the screen shut down so not sure.

Horse power was so big for both teams and they had a long road there.  Les Lions may have had the easier road though.  Zacara had some good fortune in the Quarters.  It was an injury to Cambiaso which lit them up and got them believing in the semis.  They just got  in their face and said “we can do it”  as they smoked the 10-goal Pieres Brothers, a feat rarely seen doing either  Cambiaso or Pieres and in a row. That’s why they are the 2011 BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONS. WELL DONE ZACARA.

In the local polo scene it was the first round of the Silver Cup in Santa Barbara, a 20- goal affair.  It started with Lucchese vs. Mansour.  and A. Cambiaso was 9,000 miles away last week and hurt, but today he put the hurt on Mansour in the last 1/2 as he came roaring out and led them to a bye to the semis.  It must have been the weather. It is sunny and 80 degrees here in Santa Barbara.

In game two it was ERG and Scott Woods with a make-up team giving Grant’s Farm a very hard time. They trailed early, but got recapped and on their way in the 2nd half.  They did a job on them to also get a bye to the semis … not guaranteed, but more than likley as today’s losers play the bye team on Friday. So Grant’s Farm will play Audi and Mansour will take on Piaget.  Times not announced yet.

Not sure what happened down South yet as they had their last game before break at Party Polo Central today in San Diego. Will let you know.

See ya at Polo this week somewhere.