Round one is over and it was very similar to the start and the end of the last tournament which was the Skene Cup. Audi blew by Luchesse and as usual galloped during the last chukker. They won by 2. It was Piocho bouncing Klentner/Grand Champions in game 2. It was Bracket two that had a rough day as Grant’s Farm Patron Andy Busch is out with a leg injury, but got by a very steady Long Beach. There was a bad fall by Scott Woods, Patron of ERG, early in the second chukker and he may have broken something as he was unable to continue the game. Scott knows crashes as he also does a couple of other safe sports including; motocross and downhill ski racing. His ERG team never recovered and the PCO defending champs Zacara stopped ERG and added a win to where they left off last year, unbeaten in the PCO. Round 2 gets underway to the West and North Sunday with a 10 am game at Piocho Ranch where Audi plays Klentner Ranch/Grand Champions. At 12 noon it will be ERG vs. Long Beach. This should be a good game. Back to the coast for a 1 p.m. to see Grant’s Farm vs. Zacara. Then we end the day with Luchesse and Piocho Ranch in the feature game. It’s all very interesting, but its not likely anyone will touch Audi without some rules being asserted. The consensus of everyone, except the handicap committee, is that Audi is easily a 24-goal team in a 20 goal tournament with a 3-goaler worth 6 and already the best player here in Santa Barbara. Gonzalo Pieres at 9 ( and not 10) that is ok as he will be 10 and was seen all year long. The problem is Audi’s young 3-goaler is the best player here under 6-goal and that was fine for the first tournament, but now it is all politics and as usual being avoided by ignoring the facts. Come see the players for yourself, they are all here playing.
If you exchange Gonzalo Del Torre with his horses for any other team’s 3-, 4- or 5-goal player or possibly even a 6-goaler, ?that team would probably win without the handicap deficit the substitution would create. ? Audi has been up by 7 goals at least going into the 6th chukkar?. Piocho Ranch won the 20-goal in Florida and was beaten by 7 goals in first 5 chukkers by this team. If they did not just gallop in the 6th most Patrons would leave Santa Barbara.?
We have a rule to protect other teams from under handicapped advantages and it has been used right here in Santa Barbara before. For some reason it is being ?ignored. I was told by a Handicap Official that they do not have enough evidence to move? on a rating change at this time. If you call Kathy Linfoot she has videos if you need more evidence. In Florida? call 805 684 5819 for videos.
Young people should get better no doubt, but if a player is consistently playing approximately 3 goals better than his current handicap over a period of 6 weeks and has been rated? at 3 goals for 3 years, then he should be reviewed. Gonzalo Pieres is a genius on the field, but not a miracle worker.? If there is still doubt, call the 7 other patrons playing here in Santa Barbara and get their opinions, most ?are quite creditable I would say.? These are facts and I will happily give out names to confirm them. I have nothing at all against this team or this player he is a very nice person by all accounts and he is also a very good player and that is a fact. Gonzalo Del Torre has been 3 goals for at least 3 years and he had a T on his name in Florida in April. If this happened to be an American youngster, would it be the same? It never has been . . . read the records.
See ya Sunday.