The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
On a perfect polo day with a light breeze and 73F, the horses ran fast and the players spoke loudly, but it was all good. FMB, the Walker crew, took Catamount down in the opener of the Pacific Coast Open to keep up their winning ways at the superb facilities of PIOCHO RANCH. Piocho Rancho is owned by Tom Barrack. He makes great wine at the ranch as well as big time Polo. Try the wine he makes called Piocho and Ten Goal. There is a third wine, but I can’t remember the name of it.
Down at the Santa Barbara Polo Club it was the 1 o’clock special and a very tough game. Lucchese lost in the PCO for the first time in 4 years. It turned out to be done by another Texan. It was really HOUSTON vs. DALLAS. The game was close and not the best polo of the day. It was Houston and the ERG squad closing the win streak of Lucchese in overtime on a fabulous pass by Sugar to Paco, who closed the clock and the streak.
In the 3 PM game it was real polo. Much of it the Speed and lots of it up and down. It was probably 3 times farther than the first game, but it was a game featuring 3 former 10-goalers and a current 9-goaler on his way there. He brings speed and is close to being the Bolt. It was never that far away in terms of the score.
Retoration Harware was behind early and came roaring from behind late, but never quit. Suddenly it was the 6th chukker and down 2, but Hillario (aka “The Bolt”) said ok lets roll and tied it up. It was a dogfight as both got close, but it was Restoration Hardware restoring the final goal to win by one over a very well-played game by La Herrudura.
It was classic polo with a lot of drop shots, quick passes and a shot at goal. Youth did come into it in the end. Carlos and Memo Gracida, both over the 50 range + , and their Patron Fernandez played very well. There were 3 players under the age of 35 on the other side with Captain Snow, as in Adam Snow. Snow, also a former 10-goaler, finished the deal. A great day for Polo @ old Santa Barbara Polo Club.
The PCO resumes Thursday, not Friday with 3 cookers.
Restoration at 1- 0 takes on 0-1 Lucchese at 10 A.M at Piocho Ranch
ERG at 1-0 deals with Catamount at 0-1 at @ 2P.M. at ERG
FMB at 1-0 vs La Herredura 0-1 @ 4 P.M. at SBPC fd 3
Check out Alex Webb’s report right here on PoloZONE.
see ya!