4-Goal USPA Lions Cup Final
at Empire Polo Club
March 30th, 2014
The 4-Goal Lions Cup came with an attractive $16,000 purse to be divided between the first and second place teams. Buffalos (Ross Adam, Kimo Huddleston, Peter Blake, Lacey Safanovs) had won the last tournament finals against Edelweiss and had their eye on the target for another win. Buffalos received a .5 point by handicap from Edelweiss (Carol Lessine, Charlie Petersen (sub for Juan Jo Gonzalez), Remy Muller (Sub for Doug Blumenthal) and Emma Stachowicz) at the start of the match. Edelweiss had a couple of substitute players due to multiple finals at multiple clubs. Even with the line-up changes, Edelweiss was well matched against Buffalos and the match was within 1 to 2 points for most of the game.
Buffalos won the USPA 4-Goal Lions Cup Finals and $12,000. Alex Haagen III, Kimo Huddleston, Lacey Safanovs, Elizabeth Goodwin Welborn of Stick & Ball, Scott Walker of the USPA, Ross Adam and Peter Blake.
Buffalos rushed in with two unanswered goals in the first chukker off of the mallets of Blake and Huddleston. Edeleweiss regrouped and came alive in the second chukker with back-to -back goals by Muller. Blake kept Buffalos leading the charge with a point from the field. Muller maintained a close tail on them with two more penalty conversions in the second chukker. Blake and Huddleston each converted a penalty in the third answered by two more penalty conversions by Muller for Edelweiss. Muller continued to edge forward with another conversion in the fourth. Blake kept the Buffalos charging ahead with a penalty conversion, but Edelweiss took control of the chukker when Petersen scored two goals from the field and another point from a penalty conversion. Edelweiss was ahead by .5 heading into the fifth and final chukker. Both teams rallied hard, but Edelweiss could not stop the Buffalos. The Buffalos won $12,000 and the title of the 2014 Lions Cup.
Peter Blake riding the lion after winning the MVP.
George Dill’s mare won Best Playing Pony of the 4-Goal Lions Cup. The mare was played by Charlie Petersen for Edelweiss.
MVP was awarded to Peter Blake of the Buffalos Team.
Best Playing Pony was awarded to George Dill’s mare, played by Charlie Petersen.
Buffalos: Ross Adam, Kimo Huddleston, Peter Blake and Lacey Safanovs.
Edelweiss: Carol Lessine, Charlie Petersen (sub for Juan Jo Gonzalez), Remy Muller (Sub for Doug Blumenthal) and Emma Stachowicz.
Score by the chukker Buffalos-Edelweiss: 2.5-1, 3.5-2, 5.5-4, 7.5-8, 9.5-9