Las Monjitas Plays San Saba Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Opening Game of
26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup at International Polo Club Palm Beach
WELLINGTON, FL (February 16, 2007) – Defending Stanford U.S. Open champion and 2003 C.V. Whitney winner Las Monjitas makes its season debut against San Saba on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the opening match of the single-elimination C.V. Whitney Cup at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Twelve teams entered the first 26-goal tournament of the season at International Polo Club. Defending champion Jedi did not enter the tournament, opting to concentrate its efforts on final two 26-goal events, the USPA Gold Cup and the Stanford U.S. Open Championships.
White Birch, Laurence-Wallace, Catamount and Black Watch all received first-round byes.
The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, February 28 and the final is set for Sunday, March 4 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.
Nine-goalers Eduardo and Ignacio Novillo Astrada lead Las Monjitas. They are joined by patron Camilo Bautista and 8-goaler Sapo Caset. Nine-goalers Javier Novillo Astrada and Paco de Narvaez form the nucleus of San Saba. They are joined by patron Tommy Lee Jones and 7-goaler Toto Collardin.
The tournament continues with a tripleheader on Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. when Bendabout, led by 10-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada, plays Orchard Hill, led by 9-goaler Lucas Criado. It will be Orchard Hill’s first game of the season.
Lechuza Caracas, with 10-goaler Sebastian Merlos making his first appearance of the high-goal season, plays Pony Express, led by 9-goaler Carlos Gracida, at noon. At 3 p.m., Crab Orchard, featuring the one-two combination of 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso and 9-goaler Matias Magrini, plays Skeeterville at 3 p.m.
The world’s best players, including six 10-goalers, are competing in the 2007 C.V. Whitney Cup. The 10-goalers are Mariano Aguerre (White Birch), Miguel Novillo Astrada (Bendabout), Adolfo Cambiaso (Crab Orchard), Agustin Merlos (Laurence-Wallace), Sebastian Merlos (Lechuza Caracas) and Facundo Pieres (Black Watch).
Peter Brant’s White Birch, the most dominant team over the last 15 years in the U.S., has won the C.V. Whitney Cup five times among its 31 titles in tournaments of 26 goals or higher. They get into action on Sunday at noon against the winner of the Lechuza Caracas-Pony Express game.
The tournament, first held in 1979, is named in memory of Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, who along with his cousin John Hay Whitney, were important polo patrons in the 1930’s. The son of Hall of Fame patron Harry Payne Whitney, C.V. won the U.S. Open three times (twice against his cousin), and was a renowned owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.
The polo matches at International Polo Club are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $10 for adults. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game or in advance at the stadium box office.
International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
2007 C.V. Whitney Cup rosters:
Bendabout (26) – Gillian Johnston (2), Alejandro Novillo Astrada (7), Miguel Novillo Astrada (10), Ignacio Toccalino (7)
Black Watch (25) – Neil Hirsch (0), Facundo Pieres (10), Gonzalito Pieres (9), Nacho Figueras (6)
Catamount (26) – Scott Devon (3), Adam Snow (9), Nicolas Roldan (8), Martin Zegers (6)
Crab Orchard (26) – George Rawlings (0), Matias Magrini (9), Adolfo Cambiaso (10), David Stirling Jr. (7)
Las Monjitas (26) – Camilo Bautista (0), Sapo Caset (8), Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9), Ignacio Novillo Astrada (9)
Laurence-Wallace (26) – Elizabeth Iorio (0), Agustin Merlos (10), Mike Azzaro (9), Luis Escobar (7)
Lechuza Caracas (26) – Victor Vargas (1), Sebastian Merlos (10), Pite Merlos (9), Jeff Blake (6)
Orchard Hill (25) – Steve Van Andel (0), Hector Galindo (8), Lucas Criado (9), Jeff Hall (8)
Pony Express (26) – Bob Daniels (0), Pancho Bensadon (8), Carlos Gracida (9), TBA
San Saba (25) – Tommy Lee Jones (0), Toto Collardin (7), Javier Novillo Astrada (9), Paco de Narvaez (9)
Skeeterville (26) – Skeeter Johnston (2), Julio Arellano (8), Owen Rinehart (3), Marcos di Paola (8)
White Birch – Peter Brant (4), Lucas Monteverde (9), Mariano Aguerre (10), Ulysses Escapite (3)
Schedule
Wednesday
Las Monjitas vs. San Saba, 3 p.m.
Thursday
Orchard Hill vs. Bendabout, 10 a.m.
Lechuza Caracas vs. Pony Express, noon
Crab Orchard vs. Skeeterville, 3 p.m.
Sunday, February 25
Laurence-Wallace vs. winner of Las Monjitas vs. San Saba, 10 a.m.
White Birch vs. winner of Lechuza Caracas vs. Pony Express, noon
Black Watch vs. winner of Crab Orchard vs. Skeeterville, noon
Catamount vs. winner of Orchard Hill vs. Bendabout, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, February 28
Semifinals, TBA
Sunday, March 4
Championship game, 3 p.m.
Past Champions
2006 – Jedi
2005 – White Birch
2004 – Catamount
2003 – Las Monjitas
2202 – Lechuza Caracas
2001 – White Birch
2000 – White Birch
1999 – Lechuza Caracas
1998 – Pony Express
1997 – Bud Light
1996 – White Birch
1995 – White Birch
1994 – Calumet Farm
1993 – BTA
1992 – Millarville
1991 – Fort Lauderdale
1990 – Michelob
1989 – Fort Lauderdale
1988 – Fort Lauderdale
1987 – Maui
1986 – Carter Ranch
1985 – Texas Lone Star
1984 – San Antonio
1983 – San Antonio
1982 – Southern Hills
1981 – Fort Lauderdale
1980 – Tulsa
1979 – Tulsa