Team USPA sends 3 young players to Argentina for a season of training, check back for exclusive updates from Zach Grob, Will Tankard and Jorge Estrada!
The club tournament at Chapaleufú proved to be an incredible learning experience. It was unlike any tournament that any of us has participated in back home. Although there were lower handicapped players on some teams, others consisted of four players ranging from three to six goals. The fact that Bautista, Horacio and Marcos Heguy participated made it even more special. There were 8 teams entered in the tournament. Two brackets of four teams were made, with two finals being held on the last day. There was one final for the open score winner, and a final for the handicap score winner. We were placed into the bracket with the Heguys. Bautista, Horacio and Marcos were all placed on different teams.
Our first game was against Horacio’s team. We spent the days leading up to it short working and stick and balling our horses. The morning of the game was when we finalized who was going to play what horses. Having had only a short period of time to familiarize ourselves with the horses and never having played with our teammates, Gaston and Segundo, no one was sure what to expect. Zach and Jorge were splitting a position while Will (3 goals), Segundo (4 goals) and Gaston (6 goals) played the entire game. Will was put in the #4 position which he is most familiar with, Gaston took the field as the #3, Segundo as #2 and Zach and Jorge as #1.
When the first ball was thrown in it became apparent that our team was up to the challenge presented. Although we were a 14 goal team facing an opponent of 16 goals, the first chukker went well. Will settled in as the back and Jorge became comfortable finding the long passes of his teammates and carrying the ball to goal. The score at the end of the first chukker was tied at 1 goal each. Going into the second chukker with some added confidence we converted another goal and thus finished the chukker one ahead. The third chukker had more goals in store for us and we went into the second half ahead 4 to 3.
Jorge was replaced by Zach in the fourth chukker and our team once again took a couple minutes to settle in and grow comfortable with each other. Although again ending the chukker on top of a 5 to 4 score, this chukker did bring some misfortune. Gaston got hit in the mallet hand by an opponent taking a neck shot and was left with unbearable pain in his middle finger. This rendered him unable to hold a mallet and continue playing. A replacement for the fifth chukker was quickly found in Gaston’s friend Francisco. Handicapped at two goals we entered the fifth chukker a 10 goal team. Although being in the lead, no one was sure what the rest of the game held in store for us.
Much to everyone’s surprise this change in lineup was adjusted too quickly. Francisco proved to fit in very easily and he took well to his position in the middle of the field. Our opponents however took notice of the change in strength and made sure to capitalize on it. In the opening minutes of the chukker a ball was driven through our goal posts. Heading back to the lineup it appeared as if it was going to be nearly impossible to stop their new found momentum. Incredibly, the following minutes were full of great polo and neither team was able to find the goal. This changed in the closing minutes of the chukker when Segundo found the goal with a shot from the field.
Entering the last chukker, desperately clinging on to our one goal lead, we were determined to show everyone what we were capable of. Seemingly never ending, this chukker was a sequence of runs up and down the field. Neither team was able to score, and as the 30 second bell rang victory seemed certain. Then however the opposing team was able to turn a play and mount one last attack. This was stopped at the center of the field. We regained possession of the ball and Will took off towards goal with Horacio desperately trying to catch him. And with only seconds left to play Will found the goal and set our victory in stone. No one could believe it. We had won our game 7 to 5. This gave us both an open and a handicap victory as we were the lower handicapped team on the field.
Stay tuned, in our next post we will cover the remainder of the tournament!
Regards,
Zach Grob, Will Tankard and Jorge Estrada