LECHUZA CARACS TAKES HOME PIAGET GOLD CUP
WELLINGTON, FL — Scoring five goals in the final chukker, Venezuelan powerhouse Lechuza Caracas defeated Wellington’s Audi 11-10 to win the Piaget Gold Cup today at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Caracas’s Nicolas Espain scored the winning goal for his team with 22 seconds left in play and was named the match’s most valuable player. In addition, Espain scored a crucial goal at the end of the third chukker, ending the half tied at three.
Team captain and owner Victor Vargas credits the win to a change in strategy during the second half as his team scored eight of its 11 goals during the final two chukkers.
“In the first half we were trying to strictly dribble the ball,” said Vargas. “But to beat the Pieres brothers, they are the two best in the world, we needed to change our strategy and decided to release the ball.”
A winning strategy indeed as Caracas was trailing by three at the top of the fifth chukker when Sapo Caset and Vargas each scored one from the field and Caset capitalized on a penalty goal. The team was still trailing by two during the final chukker, 9-7, when Juan Martin Nero scored two consecutive from the field, tying the match at nine. Caset then scored an additional goal, taking the lead for Caracas for the second time in the match. But not to be undone, Audi’s Facundo Pieres tied the game for the third and final time before Espain scored the winning goal.
This is the first time Lechuza Caracas galloped away with the prestigious USPA Piaget Gold Cup, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The USPA Gold Cup has been played since 1974 and 2009 marks the third year for the tournament at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Lechuza Caracas and Audi will now join six other teams in the grand daddy of all tournaments, the coveted U.S. Open Championship. The championship gets underway on Friday, April 3 at 4 p.m., when Orchard Hill will take on Pony Express. Audi will face Zacara on Saturday at 11 a.m., while Sunday will see today’s victor Lecuza Caracas taking on 12-time USPA Gold Cup winners White Birch. Black Watch will play 2008 USPA Piaget Gold Cup winners Las Monjitas at 3 p.m. in the International Polo Stadium.
International Polo is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington and hosts professional polo tournaments through April and all are invited to attend. The premier game of the week is played at 3 PM every Sunday on the International Field and Stadium. Game information can be obtained by calling the polo hotline at 561-282-5290. Ticket and other information is at 561-204-5687 or on the web at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
LECHUZA CARACAS 1-0-2-0-3-5=11 (Sapo Caset 5 goals)
AUDI 1-1-1-2-3-2=10 (Facundo Pieres 5 goals)