Chinese New Year in Mexico
Costa Careyes Polo Club
There is a long-standing tradition for Careyes, a private, gated resort located on the Pacific Ocean, and Polo Club to celebrate the Chinese New Year which this year was the Year of the Snake. The Careyes Polo Club hosted the weekend of February 7 -10 four teams with players coming from California, Toronto and Calgary, Canada as well as players from all over Mexico. The 6 goal tournament was played over three days with the local team of Giorgio Brignone, Daniel Roenisch(3), Ben Kennedy, San Francisco, California, and Sergio Guzman facing a strong team in the finals – Cobra of Monterrey, Mexico, with Guillermo Steta, president of the Mexican Polo Federation, Diego Velarde, Victor Setien and Isaac Sepulveda. Since many of the players do not have their own horses – the advantage was to the Cobra/Monterrey team as they shipped in 20 horses for the event.
The play was very close in the first 2 chukkers as each team scored – the Careyes team having a 1 ½ handicap. Both Diego Velarde and Daniel Roenisch hitting penalty fours to keep each team on the board. Ben Kennedy for Careyes made a run down the field as did Steta and Sepulveda for the Cobra team. After halftime – the Cobra team seemed to come alive and scored 3 unanswered goals. The last two chukkers were all the Cobra team with Velarde scoring 4 goals ending the game with 10 to 7 ½.
The subsidiary match was enjoyed by all players and especially a new young player here in Mexico , Rodolfo Ramos, 15 years old with his teammates Luis Perez, Manuel Rios and Mane Yerena beating the Canada team of David Birkenshaw of Toronto, Alejandro Gomez de Parada, Jimmy Giebeler and Luis Miguel Basaguren 5 to 3.
The Chinese New Year party was held at the disco Cocodrilo Azul on the Careyitos beach. All players attended as well as the all of the Careyes community and guests from all over Mexico and other countries.
Costa Careyes Polo Club season is from November through April. Please see our website at www.careyes.com.