The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
First before I go on I would like for all of you who read this and as many as you can go to this site
http://ftigreatcharitychallenge.com/home/ and vote for Polo Players Support Group. This is a fantastic program run by Dave Offen that helps players, grooms and mangers who have been injured or who are unable to work due to polo related injuries. The program also supports their families while the injured person is unable to make a living. They have given well over a million dollars to aid these people and they are our people. It does not cost you a penny … just touch the key that says Polo Players Support Group. Please! You never know when it can happen to your friend or co-worker.
From coast to coast action is hard, fast and in many cases not very close. Either horses and players are not all fit or too much Christmas celebration or maybe handicaps are wrong. Whatever it is, it is just the 2nd week so the race is on.
International Polo Club of Palm Beach got the ball rolling with 20-goal polo with 4 teams. In a knock out, Coca Cola and Gillian Johnston won over La Herradura. The Gracidas took the first title of the New Year in the Herbie Pennell Cup. The Joe Barry started last Thur. with a big win over Steve Van Andels Orchard Hill by La Herradura.
Fri. Goose Creek stopped Lechuza by 1
Villa De lago was 1 better than Lechuza
ERG with Hector Galindo back stopped Faraway by 1
Sat. Valiente with a sub named Cambiaso out lasted Luchesse
Sun Orchard Hill spanked Audi b
Zacara stepped on Piaget
La Herradura beat Coke in OT
Action continues tomorrow with 3 games and all 14 teams will finish their second round by Friday night. Amazing the 20-goal can get 14 teams and get more next month and we beg for 5 out here on the west coast.
Out West it is Polo on the move as well at ED it was the first Finals. Calgary’s Pat Powell took the first 6-goal cup over Dan Horn’s Rancho Olso . The 12 goal also got started on Friday, but not sure of all games but Antelope and Geoff Palmer lost to Blizzard and Cotterel.
Haneli Bay lost to Cotterel
Blizzard won over Antelope and Triangle Bar
Cotterell and Jenny the Colorado Cowgirl beat Hanalei and Antelope
Triangle lost it’s only game to Blizzard
Over at Empire the 4 goal has a herd of teams and the 1 goal more than you can count. The new idea is making a run with a twist that really worked so far in the new Empire League.
Here is layout copied from an idea done in Calgary this past summer with a twist. Four Patrons hire a pro from 3 to 6 goals and become a pair like a pro pool .. sort of, but not quite. The pair plays together every game, but each game the pair is paired up with a different set of players. The first 3 games you play pair 1 & 2 vs pair 3 & 4 then 2nd game pair 1& 3 vs pair 2& 4. In row 3rd game pair 1 &4 vs pair 2&3, but you do not know this as it is a draw before the game. With the exception of the last game you do not know your teammates. After 3 games all pairs have played each other and you take the points.
1 for a win
0 for a loss
-1 for a red flag
Total them up and st place plays with 4th place and 2nd place plays with 3rd place all on the handicap. It worked great and the big thing is it gives new people a chance to play better Polo without a big financial commitment to find out if they like it. It also makes Pros use Patrons to help win and helps to make connections to other players inexpensively which it did.
The combos were :
Bolko Kissling and Ashton Wolf 4 goals Atlante
Gordon Ross and Miguel Guiterez 3 goals Remax
Gery Warner and Nickolas Maciel 3 goals Tentology
Conrad Kissling and Mariano Fassetta 6 goals Casa Sombres
Game 1 ; Atlant/Tent vs Remax/Casa
Game 2 Remax/Atlant vs Tent/Casa
Game 3 Atlant/Casa vs Tent/Remax
Finals Atlant/Tent loswt to Remax/Casa by 1
Game summary :
Game 1: Atlant /Tentnology narrowly snuck by Remax/Casa Sombres as Bolko Kissling out did the Boy Wonder Conrad Kissling.
Game 2: The Ashton Wolf/Bolko Kissling combo pound on Tentnology /Casa Sombres by 2.
Game 3: Was all Atlant/Casa Sombres smoking Remax/Tentnology. It ended with Atlant and Ashton Wolf winning 3 and 0 and the other 3 at 1 and 1 so we went to gross goals.
Remax had 35 and Tentnology 32 and Casa Sombre 33. Casa Sombres was 3rd and joined Remax to play Atlant and Tentology and it was a smoker with a good crowd on a chilly day. Casa Sombres’ boy wonder, Conrad, was replaced by a fine young man from Germany named Casper Crasman, a 2- goal German player. He did extremely well paired up with Patrick Uretz subbing for Fassetta and Playing horses of Jack Ajluni, Shane Flock and Crowder … all for sale. He crushed the ball and had a big victory with help of MVP Gordon Ross of Calgary, who lit it up for two weeks. It was great game both weeks for the Sunday crowd which was huge on Opening Day. The bad luck was Ashton Wolf, who was Pro MVP, never lost a game until the finals, but that is what made this work.
New Players like Gordon would not normally get the chance to do this. It was quick and inexpensive way to get an idea if they like the higher goal polo. I would guess he really did and he did deserve his MVP prize and should enjoy it and come back soon.
Thanks to all the Patrons helping in this and we have 2 more weeks so sign up and join the fun.
See ya