The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
The last 10 days have been a vintage SB August – Sept ending of the 2015 season. Great games, some surprises and a whole bunch of past champions of PCO and Silver Cup prowling around. Some are watching their boys in action and some just enjoying the show. It has been fun seeing some of the big boys of Polo and past Champs. Fred Mannix, Julio Zavaleta, Pat Nesbitt, Andy Busch, Ruki Baileau, Memo Gracida, Julio Gracida to name a few. Current US OPEN Champ Bob Jornayvaz, last years Champ Julian Mannix. Two of these guys are watching their Son play in the finals. Bob and Fred. We hope to have them back as this is a great one to win … the Pacific Open Classic at Santa Barbara Polo Club.
Tomorrow is the big one in 2015. It is the Silver Cup @ 20 goals and I bet nobody could have guessed who is playing in the final? The monster team of Lucchese had to be the favorite with their lineup adding Santi Torres, a 7-goal player to replace Teto, a 4-goal player to a team who just dominated the PCO. It turns out it was not a good swap. It is a team sport and it is seldom any one player can win and they did not. Maserati, alias Klentner Ranch, who won the Lucchese Cup earlier in the season, proved it they came out 4-goals up. They said “we are here” and they were as they led until 2.40 left in the 6th and still thought they could win an did. It was OT, but they are in the finals. They meet a team that is also 20 goals,Farmers & Merchants. They do know what to expect, so do not be surprised to see a dominant game by the bigger team and they do have experience. Memo Gracida, Dan Walker and Lucas Criado have all been here. Pepe, well it is new to him, but he will be the bullet if he is on target. It will be trouble for Maserati. However, there are 4 very hungry men on the other side who may be in the way of the target. Memo and Mike have been here off and on for at least 20 years. They probably played together here at some point. Both have won it I am sure, but both have past the 1/2 century mark and both still think there 40 or so. Memo has the power of experience on his team, around 173 years, and Mike has about 150 and the edge with 2 players under 25 more or less. All are well mounted on both teams. Give an edge to Older guys, but edge to younger guys too as they make more plays. So in theory of handicaps, if all the same. They should catch M. in about 4 th and win, but in real life young men are not into that. If JK and Mike keep it under control, it maybe a hell of a game. If Jesse Bray and Macho Man 2 Kruger keep it up they will be a problem no matter who you are. We shall see Sunday at 2 p.m be there. Also great to see all you older fellers and hope you return next year. Bob and Fred thanks so much for coming and send them both next year and they might play each other in the finals. SANTA BARBARA is the place to be when it is snowing in Canada and 100 in Denver and raining in Texas.
Other Polo news around the States … Marc Ganzi and Audi are in a hostile world called Greenwich taking on a monster called White Birch in the EAST Coast Open Finals. They will have a big job tomorrow just like Maserati.
see ya I HOPE@POLO 2 pm in SBPC