Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club kicked off the summer season on Friday, May 1 with two adrenaline filled matches in the Lisle Nixon Memorial 12 Goal tournament. Both games were decided by a narrow one point margin.
FMB controlled the game from the beginning, winning 5 of the 6 chukkers. Jason Crowder’s strength in pushing forward was evident, as he skillfully scored 6 of the team’s 11 goals. The final score of the match was 11-10 FMB.
The second game of the day was played between Antelope and Klentner Ranch.
Klentner Ranch proved to be a tough competitor against the experienced Antelope team, leading the game by a 3 point margin at one point. Trotz’ controlled the game when it mattered most, putting his team in the lead to end the 6th and final chukker of play 13-12.
Hawk Hill made their Santa Barbara debut against Farmers and Merchants Bank in the Sunday 1:00 game. Gringo Colombres put on a show, but their efforts weren’t enough to topple the strong FMB team falling short by one goal, 8-7.
Grants Farm Manor dominated the second game against Klentner Ranch decisively winning 13-9.
Results To Date
Friday 5/1
2:00 Farmers and Merchants Bank def. Grant’s Farm Manor/ Wildcat 11-10
4:00 Antelope def. Klentner Ranch 13-12
Sunday 5/3
1:00 Farmers & Merchants Bank def. Hawk Hill 8-7
3:00 Grant’s Farm Manor/ Wildcat def. Klentner Ranch 13-9
Friday 5/8
2:00 Antelope vs. Farmers & Merchants Bank
4:00 Hawk Hill vs. Klentner Ranch
Sunday 5/10
1:00 Final
3:00 Consolation Final
Bracket I
1. Hawk Hill
2. Wildcat /Grant’s Farm Manor
3. Antelope
Bracket II
4. Farmers & Merchants Bank
5. Klentner Ranch
Spring 12-Goal: $54,000/team (Closing date April 15)
Lisle Nixon Memorial April 29-May 10
Pope Challenge May 13-24
Vic Graber Memorial May 27-June 7
USPA Intra-Circuit June 10-21
12-Goal Team Roster
Antelope
Geoff Palmer 0
Patrick Uretz 3
Santi Trotz 5
Felipe Vercellino 4
Farmers and Merchants Bank
Charlie Walker 0
Joe Henderson 4
Jason Crowder 6
Henry Walker 2
Klentner Ranch
Jake Klentner 0
Jesse Bray 5
Martin Donovan 5
Justin Klentner 1
Hawk Hill
Philip Mactaggart 0
Enrique Zubiaurre 4
Gringo Colombres 6
Danny Walker 2
Wildcat/ Grants Farm Manor
Ryan Gilbertson 0
Joseph Stuart 4
Santi Wulff 5
Andy Busch 3
Twin Palms
Chris Maloney 1
Graham Bray 4
Mariano Fasetta 6
Scott Cunnigham 1
About the Lisle Nixon 12-Goal Memorial Tournament
Five teams are competing in the 2015 Lisle Nixon Memorial. Last year, the Antelope/Film Finance team with Jesse Bray, Santi Trotz, Patrick Uretz, and Leigh Breechen/Carole Lessine, won all four 12 goal tournaments. The powerful trio will be broken up this summer since Bray was raised to 5 goals in January. Trotz has been a mentor and teammate to Bray for the past 4 years in Eldorado and Santa Barbara. Bray has also played with Uretz in the past few years, most recently on the USA team at the FIP World Championship in Santiago, Chile. Felipe Vercellino, a 4 goal player from Chile, will replace Bray on the Antelope roster. It will be a battle on the field when Klentner Ranch faces Antelope as Jesse will be joining the Klentner Ranch father son duo along with Martin “Cholo” Donovan for the season.
In 1976, Lisle Nixon was hired as the new club manager of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. A 3-goal player from Montana, Lisle had been instrumental in starting several polo clubs including El Dorado, Midland, and Willowbend. Owing to his competence and organizational skills, the club prospered until his untimely death in August of 1977. Lisle Nixon was killed while playing a tournament at the club and in 1978 a perpetual 8-12 goal tournament was established in his honor.