Labor Day Arena Tournament at San Diego Polo Club
Text by Jessica Bailey
Photos by Dominick Lemarie Photography. Click here to view more photos from this event.
The last arena polo tournament of the 2008 season at San Diego Polo Club went out as a success! With twelve teams taking part, it made it a long day of excitement. The first game of the day was the developing player game.
The developing player game and title was captured by the Poway Tarts! Congratulations to Lisa Hoyle, Katie Ewart and Mike Torres! The battle was however not easily won as San Diego Polo’s Kevin, Chris and Charlie combination with brilliant shots put on a show. They then had to push past the dynamic team of Vince the sledge hammer, Old man Gerardo, The easy touch of Amy Penn and John Heenan only to be stopped by the new Katie Brown and Carlos Gutierrez combo!
Our second game of the day was another round robin. Team teams fielded by the mighty Poway polo. One made up of the father of polo Russ Sheldon, Nancy, Susan Harris and the hard-running stick man Richard Schallmo, nearly took the title and have the title of the Old Timers. The other team was Scott Bogess, fast Julie Emery, David and finally the newcomer Jeff. The Old Timers fought hard to snatch the trophy away from the youngsters but youth won this fight. The trophy goes to talented Katie Neglia and the fantastic Samaniego duo. A brilliant display of polo by all with continual improvement of skills by the young folks in this game! Watch out east coast if this team plays inter-scholastics!
In our third game of the day youth takes the tile again. The Lakeside Hot Shots: Miguel Questel, Frank Questel and Savanna Broderick unleashed a bevy of skills against the CNS team made up of Lokesh Tantuwaya, The Doc (Russ Dunham) and Gregorio. The young guns showed the docs how it is done!
Our fourth game of the day was yet another close game won by OC Polo! They narrowly beat another young hotshot team of Hollie Bogess, Danielle Kammann (the great singer and player) and Steven Paulson. Watch all of these young players they are doing a great job! Congratulations to the winners: Denny Geiler (the OC fearless leader and polo promoter), the money man Dave Schuberth and Mr. Car AKA Erik Munk!!!
Our final game of the day was Club Polo: Tony Yahyai (The Jefe of Cabo), Wild Billy Hoyman and Dave Csiki versus Surfer Doc: Scott Dlugos, Molly Olberz and Old-man Gerardo. Surfer Doc easily beat Club Polo with Scott Dlugos at a hand canter in the back directing the most improved player Molly Olberz and the hard-working, playing and riding, fantastic Gerardo!
Many thanks to all of the visiting teams and the SDPC staff for making it a great day. Remember we are open until the end of October, so send a friend over or down to learn polo and get ready for next year’s tournaments!
Text by Jessica Bailey
Photos by Dominick Lemarie Photography. Click here to view more photos from this event.