MVP Lucas Criado scored four goals for the win.
Farmers and Merchants Bank (Dan Walker, Michel Dorignac, Lucas Criado and henry Walker) outlasted La Herradura (Guillermo Steta, Marianito Obregon Carlos Gracida and Jason Crowder) in the finals of the El Encanto Polo Classic II in an 11-10 barnburner Sunday afternoon in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Santa Barbara Polo Club.
Farmers and Merchants Bank took the early lead on goals from the field from Argentine 7-goaler Michel Dorignac and Dan Walker. La Herradura responded with a 60-yard penalty conversion by Carlos Gracida. At the end of the first chukker, Farmers and Merchants Bank led, 2-1.
Gracida opened the second period with a penalty goal followed by a goal from the field from Marianito Obregon for a 3-2 lead. A 40-yard penalty goal from Dorignac tied it up at 3-3 as the chukker came to an end.
Gracida’s third penalty conversion of the day gave La Herradura a 4-3 edge, but the advantage was short-lived. Consecutive goals from Dorignac, Lucas Criado and Dan Walker ended the first half with Farmers and Merchants Bank on top of a 6-4 score.
Gracida and Obregon added goals from the field in the fourth for La Herradura. Henry Walker scored the only goal of the chukker for Farmers and Merchants Bank. After four chukkers, La Herradura trailed, 7-6.
The two teams traded goals in the fifth period with Gracida and Obregon registering goals for La Herradura. Criado scored a pair of goals for Farmers and Merchants Bank (one on a penalty conversion). La Herradura continued to trail, 9-8.
Jason Crowder tied it up in the sixth, 9-9, with his first goal of the day. Dan Walker put Farmers and Merchants Bank back on top, 10-9, with his third goal of the afternoon, followed by a goal from Criado, 11-9. Gracida scored the last goal of the game in the 11-10 Farmers and Merchants Bank victory.
Winners: Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank: Henry Walker, Lucas Criado, Michel Dorignac, Danny Walker
Gracida was credited with six goals (four on penalty shots). Obregon scored three times and Crowder added a goal. Criado set the pace for Farmers and Merchants Bank with four goals (one penalty goal) and was named MVP for his efforts. Dorignac and Dan Walker scored three goals apiece and Henry Walker scored once for the win.
Lucas Criado’s Civeta earned Best Playing Pony honors.
Twenty-goal competition will continue with the opening rounds of the USPA Lucchese America Cup this week. Schedule to be announced.
photo credit to David Lominska, polographics.com