Agua Alta Polo Tournament Finals @ Costa Careyes, MX

AGUA ALTA Polo Tournament 2010
by Susan Stovall

WINNERS OF THE 2010 AGUA ALTA LT TO R PORTUGAL DIGEO GONZALEZ. CHINO LI, MANUEL MATOS AND ALBERICO ARDISSONE

Costa Careyes Polo Club, Mexico

Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Italy, Chile, Peru,  Ireland, Columbia, Argentina, Portugal  and  Canada  polo players came to the beautiful beachside polo club of Careyes  to play in the 11^th Annual Agua Alta Tournament on March 27  through April 3.  Alberto and Kari Ardissone hosted a week that will be remembered by all the players and guests .  Scappino of Mexico and Italy and  BMW Mexico  were the title sponsors for the event. Eight teams were organized by Ardisonne and Polo Manager Susan Stovall for a week of 5 chukker – 5 games.  Over 100 horses needed to be trucked in as well as Giorgio Brignone’s, owner of the club, full complement of very user friendly polo ponies.

The teams were divided into two zones of 6 – 10 goals with each team playing each other within the zones.  The handicap of the teams ranged from 6 to 10 goals – the goals given were based on 5 chukkers of play therefore, the one-half goal played a very important part in many of the game results. Play started the first day with the “team to beat” Mexico with the Aguilar brothers, Vale and Pancho, teamed with Chicco Cassanova and Jose “Pepe” Valdez.  The  lowest rated team was with not one player over 30 rated at 6 goals – Manuel Matos, Diego Gonzelez, Alberico Ardissone and Guillermo “Chino” Li.  Matias Baibiene from Argentina,  known for his umpiring of the Abierto de Palermo,was the official for all 20 games.  Kimo Huddleston was brought in for the finals.

Raul Laplacette, who was just playing in Thailand and took lessons from the once California based Rege Ludwig, was the highest scoring professional in the tournament and Pepe Valdez was awarded the prize for most goals scored by a patron.  La Frida, owned by Alex Pena and field manager of the Careyes Polo Club, was chosen the best playing pony who was ridden by Li.

The teams in the two zones were Zone A – Canada, Mexico, Italy, and Careyes.  Zone B was USA, Cuba, Guadalajara and Portugal.  After  all teams had played each other within their zones, the  leaders in each were Mexico, Canada, Cuba and Portugul. The semifinals pitted Cuba  against Mexico which Mexico won in the last 8 seconds by Vale Aguilar scoring for Mexico to make the score 8 to 7 ½.  The other semifinals was Canada against Portugal – Guillermo Li leading the scoring for Portugal with four goals – final score 9 ½ to 6.

Finals days brought all teams to the field with USA lead by Kimo Huddleston over Guadalajara 8 ½ to 7.  Careyes with Matt Ladin at the helm over Italy 8 ½ to 8.  Cuba with high scoring Raul Laplacette over Canada 9 to 7 ½.  The two teams that made the finals were ready and it seemed like the Portugal team was going to run away as they had a 3 ½ goal handicap before the ball was thrown in and after the first chukker the score was  5 ½ to 0.  However, the Mexico came alive with 4 quick goals by the Aguilar brothers – from then on the rest of the game was back and forth.  The Mexico team  was ahead the last minute but a foul created a penalty 2 for the young guns of Portugal and they won the 2010 Agua Alta.   All players were presented trophies by the host Ardissone family and look forward to next years tournament.  The week had all kinds of festivities for the players including beach parties, open house at Casa Pacifica and El Tigre de Mar sunset cocktail party.   The season at Careyes Polo Club is from November through April.   Please see   www.careyes.com.