LONGFIELD, ESTRELLA, TAKE YLVISAKER WINS.
The Ylvisaker Cup got off to a bang with two exciting matches at Saratoga Polo.
In the early match, Carlos Arellano started off the match with 4 goals in the first chukker to put Longfield out in front of Golden Zebra and then scored another 5 to keep them out in front with a final score of 14-10. Juan Olivera supported with 3 scores and Stevie Orthwein added another two.
Golden Zebra got off to a slow start, but came alive in the second half. Isabella Wolf and Julian Daniels each put away 3 goals in the second half and Juan Sanchez had another 2, but they didn’t have quite enough gas in the tank to close the margin.
In the evening match, Estrella edged Bloomfield/Ramirez Financial 9-8 in a sudden death thriller. In the closing seconds of regulation, Bloomfield/Ramirez Financial’s Omar Sosa appeared to many to shoot and score to tie the game and send it into overtime, but it was initially ruled wide by the flag man behind the goal. While neither the two Umpires nor the referee had a good look at the shot, Estrella’s Queco Dupont, in a remarkable display of sportsmanship, conferred with the officials and said his opponent’s goal went in. The goal was then allowed to set up for a sudden death seventh chukker. It was fitting, then, that Dupont scored the game winner less than a minute into overtime. One of Dupont’s horses was also awarded The Saratoga Saddlery Best Playing Pony Award.
The Yvisaker Cup concludes as quickly as it started, with a doubleheader at Saratoga Polo on Wednesday, August 8th. Golden Zebra will take on Bloomfield/Ramirez Financial in the consolation match at 3pm while Longfield will take on Estrella at 5:30pm for the championship. For more information about Saratoga Polo, call (518) 584-8108 or visit saratogapolo.com.
TOTAL GOALS SCORED
Longfield – 14
Duke Buchan III – 0
Juan Olivera – 3
Carlos Arellano – 9
Stevie Orthwein – 2
Golden Zebra (+1 on handicap) – 10
Isabella Wolf – 3
Juan Sanchez – 2
Julian Daniels – 4
P. Jay Fetner – 0
5:30 Match – Totals not available at press time.