By Alex Webbe
Al Alletzhauser and his Culu Culu team put an exclamation mark at the end of their month long visit to Wellington with a convincing 14-8 win over a talented but outgunned Wildwood team in the finals of the Gulfstream 8-goal League Tuesday morning at the Gulfstream Polo Club.
“It was a great feeling,” said Alletzhauser of the win. “We got in synch in the first chukker and just kept it going until the end.
Well, he was almost right. Culu Culu jumped out to a 4-1 first chukker lead, and led 6-2 at the end of two periods of play. Four unanswered goals from Culu Culu (two from Julio Ezcurra and two from Juan Olivera) made it a one-sided 10-2 at halftime, as Wildwood couldn’t even get on the scoreboard in the third chukker.
Alletzhauser played the classic Back position throughout the match, driving the knock-ins to his teammates to begin plays and shutting down the offensive thrusts of the Wildwood team. Defensive backhanders and strategic ride-offs by Alletzhauser held Wildwood’s Cathy Brown to a single goal from the field, and was a big part the Culu Culu team’s success in holding the talented Wildwood team to a mere two goals in the first half.
“They seemed to have had our number today,” said Wildwood’s hard-hitting Howard Hipwood. “We couldn’t seem to stop them.”
Wildwood patron Cathy Brown penalty conversion was the only goal of the fourth chukker to make it 10-3, but Culu Culu wasn’t out of steam yet.
Ezcurra, playing like his mallet was on fire, scored three consecutive goals for Culu Culu. Olivera’s goal made it 14-3 with his fifth goal of the game before Hipwood got Wildwood on the board, and the score was 14-4 with a single chukker left to play.
“Juan (Olivera) and I have played together a lot,” said Ezcurra, “so once we set the rhythm of the game, we never gave up control of it.”
As it appeared Culu Culu eased up in the final chukker, Wildwood came back, scoring four goals to end the game. Final score, Culu Culu 14, Wildwood 8.
Ezcurra led all scoring with eight goals; teammate Olivera scored five goals; and Pedro Lara added a single goal for the win.
Reflecting on the win Alletzhauser said, “It’s such an honor to beat a legend like Howard Hipwood on the field.”
Hipwood led Wildwood with four goals; Alex “Zulu” Scott-Barnes and Cathy Brown scored two goals apiece.
Ezcurra received extra kudos for being named MVP while his 5 ½ year-old mare, Gitana, was named Best Playing Pony.
“We had just about the whole Culu Culu team here,” said Alletzhauser after the game. He pointed out his head of U. S. Sales, Ariel Gruber and his overall Head of Sales, Veronica Posse. “Mariano (Culu Culu’s Director of Polo) is currently in Peru setting up a match for us there or else he would have been here as well.”
Alletzhauser brought the Culu Culu team to Florida to promote his 1235-acre polo lifestyle development in Argentina and enjoy the friendly competition. Alletzhauser has pledged to return to Florida again next season.