By Alex Webbe
The gathering of every one of the world’s 10-goal players signaled the return of the Annual Outback 40-goal Challenge Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington before an enthusiastic assemblage. Following the induction of former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida into the Polo Hall of Fame the previous evening, the crowd boasted polo VIPS, past and present, from across the country and around the world.
Ambassador Holden and wife Gloria flew in from Santa Barbara, as did Pat Nesbitt and wife Ursula. Jackson Hole’s Paul Von Gontard was present as well. Dr. Madison Richardson made his way back to Florida from Beverly Hills while Retama’s Steve and Marty Gose found their way here from Montana, and son Tom Gose managed to join them from his ranch in Texas as well. Midland’s Craig and Roni Duke blended into a crowd that boasted USPA secretary Joe Meyer and wife Susan and Museum of Polo Director George Dupont and wife Brenda. Argentina’s former 10-goal star, Danielle Gonzalez was on hand as well as he recalled the very first 40-goal contest that took place at Palermo in Argentina in 1975 and was billed as the Match of the Century.
In preparation for the opening throw-in The EFG Bank team of Adolfo Cambiaso, Sapo Caset, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero lined up alongside the Equus & Company contingent of Facundo Pieres, Pelon Stirling, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Gonzalito Pieres, and play began.
The pace continued to grow in the opening moments of play with short measured shots growing longer and m0re powerful. The impressive horsemanship was accentuated by expert mallet work, with balls being snatched out of the air and interceptions and steals being more of a rule than an exception.
Facundo Pieres finally broke the ice with a 95 yard shot that split the EFG Bank goalposts, registering two points on the scoreboard (by agreement, any goal scored from 80 yards out or more is worth two points). Pablo MacDonough scored a goal for EFG Bank before the end of the chukker and trailed by a single goal, 2-1, after the opening chukker of play.
The pace quickened in the second period with long passes and pinpoint passing being foiled by brilliant saves and well-placed backhand clearing shots. Eduardo Novillo Astrada finally broke through to add another goal to the Equus & Company total and a second scoring effort by Facundo Pieres ended the second chukker with Equus & Company riding a 4-1 lead.
Pelon Stirling scored his first goal of the day to open the third chukker, 5-1, and Gonzalito Pieres made it 6-1 before EFG Bank finally got back into the scoring column. Sapo Caset cut the lead back to four goals as he tapped the ball through. At the end of the first half, Equus & Company held a commanding 6-2 advantage.
Stirling put on an amazing hand-eye coordination seminar in the fourth chukker as he carried the ball through the south goalposts, tapping it four times in the air before finally batting it through, 7-2. The last thing anyone wants to do, however, is get Adolfo Cambiaso angry, and it appears that’s just what happened. Cambiaso displayed the magical stickwork that makes him the bane of every defensive player in the game as he wove his way through the Equus & Company defenders for his first goal of the game. Facundo Pieres was ready to respond and did so with gusto. For the second time, Facundo drove the ball through the goalposts from over 80 yards, and at the end of the fourth chukker Equus & Company held a 9-3 advantage.
A determined EFG Bank team returned to the field for the fifth period, responding with three consecutive goals from Pablo MacDonough (on a picture-perfect tail shot), Juan Martin Nero and MacDonough again. The lead was cut to three goals, 9-6, and it appeared that EFG Bank was climbing back into the game when Facundo Pieres converted his third two-pointer to close the chukker with an 11-6 lead.
Caset scored the first goal of the sixth, and fed a cut shot to Cambiaso which he drove through the Equus & Company goalposts, but the comeback was not to be. A beefed Equus & Company defense held the line until the final horn sounded in their 11-10 win.
Facundo Pieres led all scoring with seven goals and was named MVP for his efforts. Pelon Stirling scored twice and Gonzalito Pieres and Eduardo Novillo Astrada added single goals in the Equus & Company win.
Juan Martin Nero and Pablo MacDonough scored three goals apiece for EFG Bank. Adolfo Cambiaso and Sapo Caset each chipped in a pair of goals.
“It’s a great event,” said Outback Steakhouse founding partner Tim Gannon of the charitable efforts of the Polo Player’s Support Group. “We’ve been involved since its inception, eleven years ago,” he added, “and we’re thrilled to be a part of it every year.”
Gannon was a successful polo player himself, having captured the US Open Championship on five separate occasions, but he made it quite clear that it wasn’t about polo alone.
“We’ve had a long tradition of giving back to the community,” he offered, citing the company’s recent trip to Afghanistan, making it the ninth year Operation Feeding Freedom sent volunteers overseas to bring a taste of home from the OSI Restaurant Partners in America to U. S. and Coalition Forces.
“We feel that with success comes social responsibility,” Gannon added, “and it’s an honor to participate in charitable efforts and be able to serve our troops and remind them of how proud we are of them.”
Over the years, the Outback 40-Goal Challenge has assisted the Polo Players Support Group to award over $1.3 million to sick and injured polo players and grooms, and the tradition continues.