2006 USPA Eddie Moore Champions at Mashomack Polo Club
Smithfield Farm by a single sudden death goal…11-10
John Klopp’s Smithfield Farm and Don Langlois and Sam Ramirez’s joint entry, Buena Vista/Ramirez Financial, played one awesome game of polo under a rare, but beautiful blue sky at the Mashomack Polo Club. It took these two teams seven incredible chukkers to reach a decision. And they gifted us with an unending number of thrilling plays. Five of us took on the task of MVP Pro & Amateur. Five of us came up with the same two, Francisco Bilbao and Sam Ramirez. Two of us, Guilli Aguero and myself were umpiring the match and we had front row seats to a lot of great polo. Guilli and I were split between Tatin and Frankie for the pros and Sam Ramirez and John Klopp for the amateurs. Bilbao came out on fire in chukker one with three unanswered goals. However, a young but very mature and talented Tatin ran his squad beautifully through the second half. The MVP nod went to Frankie due to his OT run to goal to clinch the match. Tatin was high scorer with 7 goals, Frankie had six.
“Best Pony”-Bee, owned and ridden by Frankie Bilbao
“Service & Attitude Awards” were presented to Juan Olivera and Tatin Zubiaurre.
President Duke Buchan was presented with an award of appreciation for his role as President
The scoring was as follows.
Handicap 1 goal to BV/RTF
Chukker 1-SF 3 BV/RF 0
Chukker 2-SF 1 BV/RF 2
Chukker 3-SF 2 BV/RF 1
Chukker 4-SF 0 BV/RF 3
Chukker 5-SF 1 BV/RF 0
Chukker 6-Tied 3 apiece
Sudden Death-Frankie Bilbao scored
Great Game Guys….Thanks for letting us watch you do your thing !!!
And thanks for the 8 entries that made this tournament a great one. In addition to our two finalists, we had:
Kim Foley’s Stone Rows Farm
Luis Rinaldini’s Tupungato
Billy Paterniti’s Burnt Mills
Duke Buchan’s defending Champs, Longfield Farms
Matias Bullrich’s and Bruce Colley’s Polo Do/Supersize
Javier Guerra’s Bulltick Polo
Photo Captions:
The 2006 USPA EM Champions and presenters: L-R Maxi Levin, Adam Klopp, Jake Klopp, Julio Ezcurra, Francisco Bilbao and son, Slyvia Langlois, John Klopp and beautiful daughter, and Guilli Aguero.
Maxi Levin’s father Michael is the man responsible for establishing this prestigious tournament at Mashomack Polo.
Guilli’s father, Negro worked first for Eduardo Moore and then for Michael Levin here in the U.S.
Sylvia Langlois awards Eddie Moore “Best Playing Pony” to Francisco Bilbao’s Bee
2006 USPA Eddie Moore MVPs Frankie Bilbao and Sam Ramirez with their game trophies and then their real trophies in life.
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2006 USPA Eddie Moore Championship History
This tournament is in honor of one of the all-time Polo Greats in the history of the game, the late Eddie Moore. Eddie was ten goals which translates to perfection in polo. Eddie was known throughout polo, across the globe. He was involved in all aspects of the sport and was one of the leading international sellers of fine argentine thoroughbred ponies. Eddie was the Adolpho Cambiaso of his era. He is truly Polo Hall of Fame.
Almost twenty years ago, our own Michael Levin happened to be down in South America and decided to try this game of polo. He wandered in to a lesson with…Eduardo Moore.
At that time, there was a certain Negro Aguero working for Eddie Moore. That Negro Guero would become Michael Levin’s pro here in Millbrook at both the Mashomack Polo Club and Michael’s own Ten Mile River Farm for some 16 years.
That name may sound a little familiar to you…as it should. Negro’s son, Guilermo Aguero (Guilli), is one of our two top pros competing in this year’s Eddie Moore. Guill was playing with Kim Foley’s Stone Rows Farm and they missed the finals by literally a stone’s throw from goal. They were tied for first place in Bracket I, but were two net goals short.
Michael Levin decided to create this tournament in honor of Eddie Moore and received permission from the family to do so.
This tournament…thanks to Laurence and Michael Levin, has become the most prestigious tournament at Mashomack and is receiving National attention now that it has become a sanctioned tournament of the United States Polo Association.
2005 Defending Champions Longfield Farms tied for first place, but lost their position to Smithfield Farms, as they lost to Smithfield by a single goal in that game.
2006 Finalists:
Bracket I Champions Buena Vista-Ramirez Financial
Bracket II Champions Smithfield Farm