The Stagecoach Challenge started Empire Polo Club’s official 2019 season. Eight 4-goal teams competed for 2 weekends.
Empire, (Rob Scapa 0, Eric Hammon 0, Kyle Fargey 3, Jessica Bailey 1),
Evergreen, (Tom Sprung -1, Carlitos Galindo 3, Taylor Freeman 2, Quinn Evans 0)
Grande Prairie, (Ross Adams 0, Tim Rudy 3, Felipe Sordelli 2, Piers Bossom -1)
Hanealei Bay, (Krista Bonaguidi -1, Bayne Bossom 1.5/2, Luis Saracco 3, Meghan Gracida 0)
Lockton, (Tim Kelly 0, Alejandro Gonzalez 3, Joseph Coors 0, Tommy Costello 1)
Ridgeway Hemp, (Beau Staley -.5, Madelyn Cobb .5, Craig Russel 3/2, Malia McCoy 1)
STG, (John Ziegler 0, Juan Jo Gonzalez 2/3, Juan Marcos 0T, Leandro Flocarri 2)
Taqueada, (Shane Flock 0, Jimmy Wright 3, Dawn Rose -1, Ciro Desenzani 2)
At the end of the first weekend of play, Grande Prairie, Lockton, Hanalei Bay, and Evergreen advanced to the semi-finals on January 5th.
Sunday, January 6th brought Lockton and Evergreen to the finals.
Costello put the first point on the board for Lockton, which Evergreen’s Freeman answered with asuccessful penalty 3 shot. Gonzalez came back to score for Lockton, ending the first chukker 2 to 1.
Lockton was unable to score in chukker two, while Evergreen’s Taylor Freeman, Quinn Evans, and Tom Sprung all contributed a goal apiece, putting Evergreen up 4 to 2.
The third chukker saw one through the posts for Lockton, ending chukker three, 4 to 3.
Lockton’s Alejandro Gonzalez scored his second goal to start the fourth chukker. Taylor Freeman and Quinn Evans each scored a goal and Carlos Galindo racked up two points for Evergreen, ending chukker four with Evergreen leading, 8 to 4.
In the fifth and final chukker, Tom Sprung scored once for Evergreen, and Tommy Costello scored once for Lockton. Carlitos Galindo continued to wow the crowd with three goals, and Evergreen was the winner at the final bell with a score of 12 to 5.
In the opening weekend’s 1-goal finals Vashon, (Kim Bergman -1, Stephanie Davidson -1, Karen Reese 1, Juan Martin Gutierrez 2) went up against Flaming Chickens, (Devin Gallemore -1, Elise Pardue -.5, Hayward Pardue 0, Ricardo Garcia 2).
The teams were evenly matched and the game ended in a tie, 4 to 4. Flaming Chickens won with a .5 advantage by handicap.