Palm Beach Illustrated (Tommy Collingwood, Jared Zenni, Facundo Obregon and Michel Dorignac) looked like giant killers in the opening chukker of Saturday’s final of the 2015 Iglehart Cup at the International Polo Club as they charged out to a 3-1 first chukker lead. Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Gonzalo Deltour, Inaki Laprida and Jeff Blake), however, had other ideas as they rallied to take a 6-5 halftime lead on their way to the 11-10 win.
Palm Beach Illustrated team captain Jared Zenni scored the first goal of the game, 1-0, but was countered by a goal from Tonkawa’s Inaki Laprida, 1-1. A Penalty 1 and a 30-yard penalty conversion from Facundo Obregon closed out the first frame with Palm Beach Illustrated in the lead, 3-1.
The two teams traded goals in the second period. Zenni and Obregon each added single goals as Palm Beach Illustrated extended their lead to four goals, 5-1. Gonzalo Deltour scored once from the field and again on a 60-yard penalty shot that cut the lead back two goals, 5-3.
With light rain continuing to fall, Tonkawa took control of the game in the third chukker. Two more goals from Deltour (one on a 40-yard penalty shot) and a goal from Jeff Blake went unanswered as Tonkawa left the field at the end of the first half with a 6-5 edge.
Deltour added two more goals in the fourth while Palm Beach Illustrated continued to struggle with their offense. With two chukkers remaining in regulation play, Tonkawa owned an 8-5 advantage.
Palm Beach Illustrated got back into the scoring column in the fifth, picking up goals from Obregon (a penalty conversion) and Zenni. Tonkawa picked up a pair of goals of their own from Blake and Deltour (penalty shot). Tonkawa continued to lead by three goals, 10-7.
Michel Dorignac scored his first goal of the game in the sixth followed by a goal from Tommy Collingwood. Palm Beach Illustrated was within a goal of the lead, 10-9. Laprida replied with a goal for Tonkawa, 11-9. Dorignac scored the final goal of the game on a penalty conversion, but Tonkawa rode off with the win and the cup in an 11-9 victory.
Deltour scored four of his seven goals on penalty shots, and was named MVP. Teammates Blake and Laprida added two goals each. Zenni and Obregon scored three goals apiece for Palm Beach Illustrated. Dorignac was credited with two goals; Collingwood scored once and the team received one goal on a Penalty 1.
Deltour’s mare Mancha was honored as Best Playing Pony.
2015 Iglehart Cup winner-Tonkawa-(L to R)-Gonzalo Deltour, Jeff Hildebrand, Inaki Laprida and Jeff Blake. (Photo by Alex Pacheco)
CT Energia takes Glenn Hart Cup, 10-9
CT Energia (Alessandro Bazzoni, Nick Manifold, Joao Ganon and Tommy Biddle) spotted the 19-goal Tackeria polo team (Alejandro Gonzalez, Matt Coppola, Pelon Escapite and Malcolm Borwick) one goal by handicap but quickly caught up with first chukker goals from Tommy Biddle (40-yard penalty conversion) and Joao Ganon. Matt Coppola scored for The Tackeria in a 2-2 opening period of the Glenn Hart Memorial Cup.
Choppy play in the second period had each team scoring a single goal for a 3-3 tie. Nick Manifold scored a goal from the field for CT Energia while English 6-goaler Malcolm Borwick converted a 40-yard penalty shot for The Tackeria.
CT Energia came up with a strong third chukker. Goals from Ganon and Alessandro Bazzoni were answered with a goal from Pelon Escapite, 5-4. Ganon added the final goal of the period to give CT Energia a 6-4 halftime lead.
Ganon scored the first goal of the fourth chukker as CT Energia tried to distance themselves from The Tackeria, 7-4, but The Tackeria fought back. Borwick scored a pair of goals from the field that had them just a single goal behind CT Energia, 7-6.
The Tackeria rally continued into the fifth period with Alejandro Gonzalez adding two goals and Escapite scoring his second of the day. CT Energia managed a field goal from Ganon and were awarded a goal on a Penalty 1. With one chukker left in regulation play the score was all even at 9-9.
CT Energia applied the pressure in the sixth, and capitalized on a Tackeria foul. Biddle converted the 60-yard shot for what would prove to be the winning goal in a 10-9 game.
Brazilian 7-goaler Ganon scored five goals in the match and was named MVP for his efforts. Biddle added two goals with teammates Bazzoni and Manifold scoring one goal each. The team also received one goal on a Penalty 1. Ganon’s mare, “Lily” received Best Playing Pony honors.