Crab Orchard, Bendabout, Lechuza Caracas, La Herradura Post Wins in
USPA Piaget Gold Cup Quarterfinals at International Polo Club
WELLINGTON, FL (March 18, 2007) – Crab Orchard, with five goals by 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso and 7-goaler David Stirling Jr., continued its dominating ways, crushing Black Watch 14-8 in the quarterfinals of the 26-goal USPA Piaget Gold Cup Sunday on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.
In other quarterfinal games, 10-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada scored five goals to spark Bendabout past Las Monjitas 12-6; Kris Kampsen scored six goals as La Herradura defeated Pony Express 13-8 and Pite Merlos scored with 3:27 remaining in overtime to lift Lechuza Caracas over Orchard Hill 12-11
In the semifinals, Crab Orchard plays Bendabout Wednesday at noon and Lechuza Caracas plays La Herradura at 3 p.m. The final is Sunday at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.
“This was David’s best game,” said Crab Orchard patron George Rawlings.
“The team is going great. It seems like every game we’re getting better.”
And that isn’t good news for the rest of the teams.
Crab Orchard (3-0) has dominated the first half in each of its three games – building leads of 14-0, 10-1 and 9-3. They have outscored their opponents 42-14 in three games.
Crab Orchard has rebounded from its slow start in the 26-goal season, losing the first game of the C.V. Whitney Cup.
“We were not clicking,” said Stirling Jr. of Uruguay, who is playing in his first season at International Polo Club and in the United States. “We had a couple more practices after the loss, but it still wasn’t working. Then, the day before our first game in the Gold Cup, it worked.
“I was running (around) a bit too much. They (Cambiaso and Magrini) are the ones to do the damage. I have to get them the ball and go forward.”
Matias Magrini played another solid game, scoring four goals, all in the first half, and providing key blocks for Cambiaso. Rawlings did not score.
Facundo Pieres led Black Watch (2-2) with five goals while Gonzalito Pieres and Nacho Figueras scored one goal apiece. Patron Neil Hirsch did not score. Black Watch also received one goal by handicap at the start of the game.
Bendabout (3-0) scored the last seven goals of the game to reach the semifinals.
Miguel Novillo Astrada scored three goals in the fifth chukker as Bendabout rallied from a 6-5 deficit to take a 10-6 lead heading into the final chukker.
Alejandro Novillo Astrada scored four goals and Ignacio Toccalino added three goals for Bendabout. Patron Gillian Johnston did not score.
Las Monjitas played without Eduardo Novillo Astrada from the second chukker on after he was injured with a reported pulled muscle. He was replaced by Julio Zavaleta for the rest of the first half and Mariano Gonzalez in the second half.
Sapo Caset led Las Monjitas with three goals while Ignacio Novillo Astrada and patron Camilo Bautista scored one goal each. Zavaleta also scored but Gonzalez did not.
La Herradura never trailed in its game, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first chukker. Pony Express battled back to tie the game at 7-7on Bautista Heguy’s 30-yard penalty shot with five seconds left in the fourth chukker.
La Herradura controlled the final two chukkers, although Pony Express missed three good scoring chances in the fifth that could have turned their fortunes around. Trailing 8-7 early in the period, Heguy misfired on a breakaway with Memo Gracida chasing him. La Herradura responded with Fred Mannix Jr. scoring despite defensive pressure by Carlos Gracida to make it 9-7 with 3:54 remaining.
Carlos Gracida missed another scoring opportunity but followed up with a back shot that bounced off the right post and through to make it 9-8 with 2:03 left. Pony Express missed a chance to tie the game when Heguy’s short forehand on a back pass from Pancho Bensadon went wide with four seconds left.
Julio Gracida made it 10-8 on a tap-in following a long pass from Memo Gracida and then Kampsen took over, converting two penalty shots to push La Herradura’s lead to 12-8 with 2:17 remaining and capping the scoring with 31 seconds left.
Mannix Jr. finished with four goals for La Herradura (2-1) while Julio Gracida scored three goals. Memo Gracida, while solid in directing the attack and organizing the defense, did not score.
Heguy led Pony Express (2-1) with four goals while Carlos Gracida and Pancho Bensadon added two goals apiece. Patron Bob Daniels did not score.
Merlos finished with a game-high eight goals for Lechuza Caracas (3-1) while Sebastian Merlos added three goals and Jeff Blake scored one goal. Patron Victor Vargas did not score.
Hector Galindo led Orchard Hill (1-2) with four goals, all in the second half, while Jeff Hall added three goals, all in the first half. Lucas Criado finished with two goals and patron Steve Van Andel had one goal. Orchard Hill received one goal by handicap at the start of the game.
Fourteen teams entered the 26-goal USPA Piaget Gold Cup, the second of the Big Three tournaments at International Polo Club Palm Beach. The USPA Piaget Gold Cup, which began in 1974, is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the United States and is in first season at International Polo Club.
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 3 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game or in advance at the stadium box office.
Major sponsors at International Polo Club Palm Beach for the 2007 season include Stanford Private Wealth Management, Piaget, Bombardier Aerospace, Bessemer Trust, Westwind Realty, LLC, Panera Bread, Cartier, CityPlace, Florida Coast Equipment, The Mall at Wellington Green, Omar Trevino Bloodstock, Inc., Palm Beach Daily News, Palm Beach Illustrated, Palm Beach Post, Ritz Carlton Palm Beach, Roederer Estates, The Wellington Institute, Van Cleef & Arpels, Yamana Gold Inc. and Jim Corbin Illustrated Properties.
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.
Scoring Leaders
Player/Team Games Goals
Facundo Pieres, Black Watch 4 27
Pite Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 4 22
Sebastian Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 4 22
Adolfo Cambiaso, Crab Orchard 3 19
Bautista Heguy, Pony Express 3 18
Kris Kampsen, La Herradura 3 17
Pablo MacDonough, Jedi 3 17
Mike Azzaro, Laurence-Wallace 3 16
Jeff Hall, Orchard Hill 3 16
Miguel Novillo Astrada, Bendabout 3 15
Agustin Merlos, Laurence-Wallace 3 15
Gonzalito Pieres, Black Watch 4 12
Julio Arellano, Skeeterville 2 11
Lucas Monteverde, White Birch 2 10
Past Champions
2006 – New Bridge La Dolfina
2005 – Millarville
2004 – White Birch
2003 – White Birch
2002 – White Birch
2001 – Boca Polo
2000 – Isla Carroll
1999 – Outback
1998 – White Birch
1997 – White Birch
1996 – White Birch
1995 – Ellerston White
1994 – Michelob
1993 – Cellular One
1992 – Revlon
1991 – Cellular One
1990 – Les Diables Bleus
1989 – White Birch
1988 – White Birch
1987 – White Birch
1986 – White Birch
1985 – Chasqui
1984 – White Birch
1983 – White Birch
1982 – Boehm
1981 – Boca Raton
1980 – Retama
1979 – Retama
1978 – Abercrombie & Kent
1977 – Lone Oak
1976 – Willow Bend
1975 – Tulsa-Dallas
1974 – Milwaukee