The Celebrity Ranch – located near Hemet, CA – 2012 polo season got underway on Saturday April 28 with competition focusing on the Camel Cup. The opening day game featured a visiting Poway team (Tristan Smyth, Dean Daggett, Julie Empey 2ch, Scott Boggess 2ch) facing off against the Celebrity Ranch Polo Team (Scott Walker, Geraldine Stunsky, Susie Edlund).
As if to play the gracious host, the Celebrity Ranch group gave up the first goal of the game within the first 70 seconds and Poway, off the mallet of Scott Boggess, was an early leader. It didn’t take long however, as Scott Walker brought the home team even but Boggess scored another and Tristan Smyth got his first and the Valley Riders led by a pair. Geraldine Strunsky was then able to score her first two of the afternoon and it was tied at three after the first.
Celebrity Ranch’s Susie Edlund scored the first goal of the second chukker and the home team had a lead of one. However, Dean Daggett struck for the visitors and it was even once again until Julie Empey dumped one in and the Poway people led by one at the half (4 – 3).
Scoring in the third period was all Celebrity, or at least Strunsky was playing like one as she counted another two – one on a great run down the right wall from her own goal – and the home team led by one at 6 – 5 after the third.
Smyth scored his second goal for Poway on this perfect afternoon to tie it once again about halfway through the fourth and it appeared that the Camel Cup would have to decided by an extra frame. That apparently didn’t sit well with Walker as he came out of nowhere and slamed one home and the home team had the win by a final score of 7 – 6.
Polo continues at Celebrity Ranch on May 12, with the British Cup and the Bel Aire Polo Club, May 19, with the Camp Pendleton Cup and the Inter Service Military Team, and June 16, with the Temecula Cup and the San Diego Polo Club.
Celebrity Ranch will also play two games at the Will Rogers Polo Field on June 2 against the Will Rogers Polo Club – the Celebrity Ranch Cup – and June 23 against the Santa Barbara Polo Club – the Royal Cup.