The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder

Friday afternoon in July and it is about 68 degrees, which  just does not seem like it should be North of the Equator but it is. Crashing a 100 from Minnesota to Tulsa and even have to delay racing in Saratoga because it is so hot, however, you need a jacket here on the Gold Coast, but the horses love it.

There is no rain either after watching Gold Cup Finals last Sunday. Those English lawn men must be geniuses as standing water on field and I never seen a horse slip and they were not trotting around. Well done!  And a hand for the Golden Voice of Polo Terry Hanlin.

On a cool and sort of bleak day things stayed bleak for Mansour as they were just behind most of the 2nd half but managed to tie it up at the end of the 6th and send it to overtime.  Juan Bollini came out firing after two easy misses during regulation. He took the plastic home quick and straight and sent Mansour home with an 0 and 2.  They head to a showdown with the “Man” Adolfo Cambiaso (AC) at 1 pm on Sunday.  They will draw the crowd so be early for seats.  Melissa Ganzi had a great game and a key goal in the game. The game stayed a little foul happy early but got better with the weather.

In Game two it was 9 seconds from overtime, but Grants Farm put their first Win of the season up as they just stopped Audi before the bell on a big run by Roldan.  Now they are at 1 an 1 with a – 3.  They need a lot of help from Audi on Sunday at 3 with ERG who is setting in the WIN box now.  Audi may be back to full team with Gonzalo Pieres 2 returning to Santa Barbara after a year away and after 20 years Sebe Merlos comes back to town. Last time he was in Santa Barbara  he was well about 2 feet tall and his Father was playing with Bill Meeker before the Meeker field was built. It may have been be more than 20 years, but who is counting. ERG will feature a different lineup as well as Captain Scott Woods will also have young Miguel Torres, Sebe merlos and Paco De Narvaez. Audi will feature Mark Ganzi at the head and Carlos Gracida 2 with Gonzalo and Sugar Erskine .

Young Guns are making a great showing so far in Santa Barbara as Jared Sheldon from Poway is defintley on a roll as well as Nick Morrision.  After 1 start and young Matt Copola, Santi and Miguel Torres, Juan Batata Curbelo and Jason Crowder will be facing off on Sunday as well. It should be a great day for Polo.

If you are down South you will find the lights are out in party town (San Diego Polo Club) for a couple of weeks so you need to drive North as San Diego Polo goes on their annual break so Silent Chris can go fishing and Bones surfing .

SUNDAY POLO

1 pm.

Piaget vs Lucchese Castagola vs Cambiaso

3 PM

ERG vs Audi Merlos vs Pieres

see ya Sunday