6-8 Goal USPA Champions Cup Finals
at Empire Polo Club
Sunday, March 30th, 2014
Two well-matched teams rode onto the field Sunday afternoon, March 30th, to compete for the most sought after purse in polo, the Champions Cup. There was $50,000 in the purse to be divided between the first and second place teams. Both teams would walk away with some cash, but the winner of this match would claim the “big check” in the amount of $37,500.
Both sides of the main field at Empire Polo Club were packed with spectators eager to see the money game finals. VIP seats were sold out for the day and the grandstands were full in the General Admission area. Tailgaters lined the east side of the field enjoying the spectacular views in all directions. The day started out windy, but it settled down for the 2 PM game.
Team Re/Max won the 6-8 Goal Champions Cup and $37,500. Mr. & Mrs. Haagen, Gordon Ross, Dayelle Fargey, Elizabeth Goodwin Welborn of Stick and Ball, Scott Walker of USAP, Jared Sheldon and Luis Saracco.
Re/Max (Gordon Ross 0, Dayelle Fargey 1, Luis Saracco 4, Jared Sheldon 3) was in contention, once again, against Roseville Motor Cars. These two teams met in the last finals on March 16th and Roseville Motor Cars took that trophy home. Re/Max was not about to let that happen again. Re/Max was on fast-forward in the first chukker and Sheldon scored two unanswered goals. Saracco and Sheldon continued their rally and each put a ball through the posts in the second chukker. Gould got the engine running for Roseville Motor Cars and scored two from the field. Roseville was just getting started. They came out in the third and raced into the lead. Bowman converted two penalty shots. A third point was scored by Wolf. Roseville was ahead by one going into halftime.
Jared Sheldon riding the Lion after winning MVP
Roseville refueled during the break and had their engines at full throttle during the fourth chukker. Hammon and Wolf both posted a point each to the board answered by one goal from the field by Sheldon for Re/Max. Roseville had a two point lead heading into the fifth chukker, but Re/Max wasn’t finished. Sheldon converted a penalty and scored a point from the field to tie-up the game 7-7. The sixth chukker was a battle. Fargey scored a point that was answered by Gould. The rest of the time it was all defense.
Chad Bowman’s horse won Best Playing Pony of the 6-8 Goal Champions Cup.
The game went into overtime with a score of 8-8. The seventh and final chukker was a long one. With cash on the table, each player fought hard. In the end, the winning goal was placed through the uprights by Fargey taking Re/Max to the bank with a final score of 9-8.
MVP was awarded to Jared Sheldon, who scored 6 of the 9 goals for Re/Max.
Best Playing Pony was presented to the mare played by Chad Bowman.
Re/Max: Gordon Ross 0, Dayelle Fargey 1, Luis Saracco 4, Jared Sheldon 3.
Roseville Motor Cars: Eric Hammon 0, Ashton Wolf 3, Chad Bowman 1, Fergus Gould 4.
Score by the Chukker Re/Max – Roseville: 2-0, 4-2, 4-5, 5-7, 7-7, 8-8, 9-8
