San Diego’s Surf Cup Finals presented by San Diego Magazine awarded crystal trophies to the 8-10 goal winning team TriTech/Ohana. Teammates (left to right) Kelly Maloney (0), TJ Elordi (-1), Gaston VonWernich (5), and Danny Juarez (4), raised them high given by San Diego Magazine’s Alyssa McNees and Bethany Odell, and joined by Chris Maloney.
TriTech/Ohana won 11 to 10 over Hanalei Bay/Sorteo’s team of Krista Bonaguidi (-1), Joseph Stuart (4), Mariano Fassetta (6), and Nourdean Anakar (0). It was the winning team’s Kelly Maloney who said, “Everybody played really great. It was awesome. I haven’t won anything in two years!”
Fassetta scored eight of the ten goals for Hanalei Bay/Sorteo. In an action packed fourth chukker Fasetta had three, while TriTech/Ohana’s TJ Elordi scored two back to back, and Juarez another. Overall Juarez had four, VonWernich three in the game. Hanalei Bay/Sorteo’s Stuart had a racehorse run lengths ahead to score in the first chukker, which Bonaguidi followed with a goal of her own.
Earlier in the day, the goal finals went into overtime. It was Matias Obregon’s winning 60 yard penalty shot winning it for Rancho Deluxe’s team of Ben Oppenheimer (-1), Jesse Bray (2), Matias Obregon (4), and TJ Elordi. The final score was 7 to 6 over La Pasion’s Dirk Wray (0), Ashton wold (2), Alvaro Tadeo (3), and Tracee Brunetti (-1). Elordi played back to back games, riding in both the 0-4 and 8-10 finals of the Surf Cup. Subbing in for Chris Maloney in the high goal game, “It was just another day – I was ok with playing both games,” said Elordi. Indeed his was a pair of trophies for the day.
Jesus Parisi, reknowned dressage trainer and former instructor for the Royal Spanish Riding School of Spain, performed between matches on Sigaf. He and the Andalusian stallion, owned by Horse of the Sun’s Stephanie Parisi, captivated the crowds. His performance was in support of Horses Heal Hearts, Horse of the Sun’s non-profit which underwrites equestrian programs for disadvantaged youth.
See all the incredible tournament and social shots by Dominick Lemarie, San Diego Polo Club’s official photographer. Just click here.
Sunday Polo resumes August 16th and continues to October 4th. San Diego Polo Club’s Arena School resumes lessons and chukkers August 4th.
San Diego Polo Club
14555 El Camino Real
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
www.sandiegopolo.com