Photograph courtesy of Tony Rodriguez, Images of Polo
Zacara and La Bamba de Areco both recorded victories in British Open play Saturday afternoon allowing for celebration by cousins Gonzalito and Polito Pieres (La Bamba de Areco) and Facundo Pieres (Zacara) as competition continued in England’s most prestigious tournament, the 2013 Veuve Clicquot British Open for the Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club. La Bamba de Areco defeated Enigma 11-10 while Zacara ran away from Salkeld in a 15-7 rout.
It had been a disappointing Queens Cup for both Enigma (Jerome Wirth, Charlie Hanbury, Guillermo Willington and Sapo Caset) and La Bamba de Areco (Jean Francois Decaux, Polito Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Ollie Cudmore) as they finished with identical 0-3 records, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that it was a close contest.
La Bamba de Areco scored four first chukker goals while limiting Enigma to three for a one goal advantage, 4-3,
Single goals were scored by each team in the second and La Bamba de Areco maintained the lead, 5-4.
Both defenses tightened in the third, with Enigma being allowed the only goal of the chukker. La Bamba de Areco was held scoreless and the two teams left the field at the end of the first half deadlocked at 5-5.
Enigma and La Bamba de Areco exchanged single goals in the fourth, and the game remained tied at 6-6.
La Bamba de Areco stepped up its offense in the fifth period of the game, outscoring Enigma 4-2. With one chukker left to play, La Bamba de Areco guarded a 10-8 advantage
Two sixth chukker goals from Enigma had it all even at 10-10, when La Bamba de Areco fired back. A single goal had Enigma trailing 11-10 with seconds left in the match. When the final bell sounded, it was La Bamba de Areco riding off with the 11-10 victory.
ZACARA 15, SALKELD 7
Zacara (Facundo Pieres, Lyndon Lea, Rodrigo Andrade and Matt Perry) rode onto the field for the first time since their victory in the finals of the Queens Cup, nearly two weeks ago, and promptly illustrated why they should be considered a serious contender to wrap up their second major win of the English polo season in an impressive 15-7 win over Salkeld (Nick Clarke, James Beim, Miguel Novillo Astrada and Max Routledge).
Zacara jumped out to an early 2-1 lead before Salkeld fought back to tie it up at 2-2 at the end the chukker.
Salkeld managed a single goal in the second as Zacara pounded the Salkeld defense for five more. A stunned Salkeld team left the field at the end of the period trailing by four goals, 7-3.
Four more Zacara goals in the third chukker went unanswered as Salkeld fell behind by eight goals, 11-3, to end the first half.
Salkeld staged a fourth chukker mini-rally, outscoring Zacara for the first time all day. Four Salkeld goals were answered by a single goal from Zacara. With two chukkers left, Zacara continued to lead, 12-7.
The two teams coasted up and down the field in the fifth; but there was no effective offense, as neither team got on the scoreboard. When the chukker ended the score remained in Zacara’s favor, 12-7.
For the second consecutive chukker, Zacara shutout the Salkeld offense, putting up three of their own goals in the 15-7 victory.
The win was Zacara‘s first in British Open play while the loss was Salkeld’s second in as many outings.
British Open play will continue on Sunday with three games slated to be played. Twelve Oaks (1-0) and HB Polo (0-1) will face one another in the noon contest while Black Bears (0-1) and Dubai (1-0) will battle it out at 3PM. El Remanso (1-0) and Emlor (0-1) will close out the day with a 5PM contest.