It was a full day of polo for the 44 kids taking part in the Polo Training Foundation’s Major Collins Memorial and the Tackeria Cup Wednesday at the International Polo Club.
In the opening round of play Alfie Hyde set the pace for County Line Feed (Lila Bennett, River Blake, Olivia Reynolds and Alfie Hyde) as they raced out to an early 3-1 lead on their way to a convincing 8-3 win over Alex Photography (Landon Daniels, Elizabeth Fenner, Noah Hyde and Fin Secunda) in the 10am encounter.
Landon Daniels scored the first goal of the game for Alex Photography but County Line Feed answered back in spades. Consecutive goals from Lila Bennett, Olivia Reynolds and Alfie Hyde closed out the first chukker with County Line Feed on top of a 3-1 score.
Finn Secunda cut the County Line Feed lead back to a single goal, 3-2, with a second chukker goal for Alex Photography. County Line Feed countered with goals from Alfie Hyde and Lila Bennett. At the end of the first half of the four chukker contest, Alex Photography trailed by three goals, 5-2.
Solid defense held the scoring down in the third period with Landen Daniels and Alfie Hyde exchanging goals. After three chukkers of play County Line Feed continued to lead, 6-3. 
Shutout fourth chukker defense and single goals from Lila Bennett and Alfie Hyde closed out the game with County Line Feed riding off the field with the 8-3 win. Alfie Hyde led all scoring with four goals. Lila Bennett scored three times and earned MVP honors. Olivia Reynolds added a goal in the victory. Landon Daniels scored twice for Alex Photography with Finn Secunda scoring the team’s only other goal in the loss.
Tato’s Mallets 2, Grand Champions 0
The Lower Level Group took the field at around 11:30am. The beginning level of play attracted players from the age of five to ten years of age and featured walk, trot and canter play in an effort to make the players more comfortable in the saddle and swinging a mallet. Tato’s Mallets (Peyton Bickford, Weston Meade, Harrison Reicher and Theodore Reicher) and Grand Champions (Guilliana Battista, Mia Maldonado, Maeve Reicher and Santos Goti) were pitted against one another in two 10 minute chukkers with Tato’s Mallets riding off with the 2-0 win.
Dutta Corp. downs Casablanca and Stefano Laviano to win Major Collins Memorial Cup
Following a brief rain delay, the advanced level of play (12-16 years of age) in the Major Collins Memorial got started with three teams participating in the six chukker round-robin competition.
In the opening two chukkers of play Stefano Laviano (Hope Arellano, Oliver firestone, Jack McGruder and Jack McLean) took the early lead over Casablanca (Cipriano Echezarreta, Juanse Olivera, Tenzin Tognini and Tiernan Tognini) on a first chukker goal from Jack McGruder. Casablanca was held scoreless and trailed 1-0 after the first chukker of play.
Hope Arellano made it 2-0 with the first goal of the second period, but Casablanca stormed back. A goal from the field from Tenzin Tognini cut the lead to a single goal, 2-1, but that would be as close as they would get. At the end of the second period it was Stefano Laviano with the win.
Dutta Corp. 2, Casablanca 1
In the second leg of the round-robin, Casablanca held the field to face Dutta Corp. (Lucas Escobar, Nico Diaz Alberdi, Benji Daniels and Timmy Dutta) with Stefano Laviano sitting down for two periods.
In a defensive-oriented battle, Benji Daniels scored the only goal of the opening chukker for the early 1-0 advantage. Casablanca was unable to organize an effective attack and trailed after the first seven minutes of play.
Tenzin Tognini leveled the score at 1-1 with Casablanca’s first goal of the game in second chukker action. Timmy Dutta scored the final and winning goal of the second period, knocking Casablanca out of the competition with their second consecutive loss. Stefano Laviano would return to face Dutta Corp. to determine the 2015 Major Collins Memorial Cup winner.
Dutta Corp. 7, Stefano Laviano 0
Dutta Corp. was ready to roll when the fifth period of play began. Stefano Laviano had watched the previous two periods from the sidelines as an impressive Dutta Corp. defense allowed only a single goal in their game with Casablanca, and were prepared to play just as aggressively against Stefano Laviano.
Dutta Corp. was on the attack from the opening throw-in as they shredded the Stefano Laviano defense. Two goals from Lucas Escobar were complimented by single goals from Timmy Dutta and Benji Daniels. The Dutta Corp. defense held Stefano Laviano scoreless and led 4-0 after the first period.
Stefano Laviano fared no better in the ensuing chukker as the Dutta Corp. offense continued to soar. Goals from Benji Daniels, Timmy Dutta and Nico Alberdi went unanswered as Dutta Corp. ran over Stefano Laviano, 7-0.
Timmy Dutta and Benji Daniels scored three goals apiece, with Daniels picking up MVP honors. Lucas Escobar added two goals and Nico Alberdi was credited with a goal in the win. Hope Arellano’s 14-year-old Bay mare, Sweetstuff was named Best Playing Pony.
World Polo News capturd the 2015 Tackeria Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington, FL.
World Polo News/Escue wins Tackeria Cup
In the final tournament of the day four teams battled for the prestigious Tackeria Cup. Comprised of players from 16-21 years of age, play began with World Polo News/Escue (Wes Finlayson, Felipe Mia, Guille Maia and Ayaan Quraeshi) facing Patagones (Benjamin Avendano, Santiago Avendano, Kelsey Burhans and Hugh Dollard) in the opening two chukkers.
Ayaan Quraeshi opened the scoring with a goal from the field for the 1-0 lead. In an impressive display of penalty shooting, Wes Finlayson converted consecutive goals from 60-yards and two from the 40-ayrd line. Patagones was unable to score and trailed 4-0 going into the second chukker.
A 30-yard penalty goal from Hugh Dollard finally got Patagones on the scoreboard, but the offense came too little and too late. Ayaan Quraeshi and Wes Finlayson added single goals from the field to close out the chukker and give World Polo News/Escue the victory, 6-1.
GJ Racing 3, Casablanca 1
In the second semifinal game of the tournament, GJ Racing (Michael Bellissimo, Matias Gonzalez, Hannah Reynolds and Jordan Schwartz) took on a talented Casablanca team(Javier Caero, Jaqui Casey, Justin Daniels and Merrall Echezarreta), besting them 3-1 to earn a final berth against World Polo News/Escue.
Casablanca got on the scoreboard first on a goal from the field from Javier Caero, 1-0. Matias Gonzalez closed out the period by converting a 60-yard penalty shot to level the score at 1-1.
Second chukker goals from Hannah Reynolds and Matias Gonzalez (40-yard penalty shot) ended the contest with GJ Racing riding off with the 3-1 victory.
Casablanca wins consolation match 6-5
Bouncing back from an impotent first round 3- loss to GJ Racing, Casablanca scored three goals in consecutive chukkers to beat Patagones, 6-5 in the consolation match.
Javier Caero and Hugh Dollard traded goals to open the first chukker of the final, 1-1, when Casablanca got its attack on track. Justin Daniels scored his first goal of the day and Javier Caero added another with Casablanca taking the 3-1 lead after the opening chukker.
A 60-yard penalty goal from Jaqui Casey had Casablanca n the lead by three goals, 4-1 when Patagones got back into the game. A pair of goals from Hugh Dollard (one on a penalty conversion) had them within a goal of the lead, 4-3. Javier Caero converted a penalty goal for Casablanca, 5-3. Benjamin Avendano scored for the first time for Patagones, bringing them back to within a goal, 5-4. Santiago Avendano and Justin Daniels scored the final two goals of the game as Casablanca held on for the 6-5 victory.
World Polo News/Escue 4, GJ Racing 0
The Tackeria Cup final looked to be a great matchup on paper, but the game is won on the field, and the day belonged to World Polo News/Escue.
Wes Finlayson scored all three first chukker goals (one on a 30-yard penalty conversion) while GJ Racing was shutout. The early lead and the momentum was with World Polo News/Escue in a 3-0 game. GJ Racing struggled to find its offense as Wes Finlayson scored his fourth goal of the game with the GJ Racing attack blanked for the second consecutive period in the 4-0 World Polo News/Escue championship win.
Hugh Dollard was named tournament MVP with Wes Finlayson’s five-year-old Chestnut mare Destrago picking up Best Playing Pony honors.