Central Coast Polo Club team demonstrated their arena prowess at the USPA Circuit Arena Challenge Cup Qualifier held at Santa Barbara Polo Club during November 4-6, handily defeating their two opponents Klentner Ranch and CanCan to take the title.
The tournament was played round robin style over the weekend, each team playing each other once and the winner determined by record. The teams were an energetic mix of Intercollegiate and Interscholastic players with some adult players getting back to their arena roots in the mix.
The weekend started out with Central Coast taking on Klentner Ranch. Father and son Justin and Jake Klentner play together in the grass 12 goal and 8 goal season, but were opponents in the arena tournament. Jake Klentner was playing with two arena experts from Central Coast, Hanna Heitzig and Petra Texiera, and they were able to take down Klentner Ranch 11-8. Son Jake outscored his father 9 goals to 7 to lead the scoring.
The next day Klentner Ranch then faced Can-Can. The experience playing together helped Klentner Ranch outplay Cancan 11-6. Cory Williams was high scorer for Klentner Ranch with 6 goals, Can-Can captain Jonathan Burrows led his team with 4 field goals.
The last game on Sunday would determine the winner of the tournament. Central Coast had the opportunity to control their destiny with a win and they came out firing, dominating Can-Can 12-6. Texeria and Heitzig did a splendid job marking their opponents and controlling the boards, enabling Jake Klentner to score a game high 8 goals.
-
- Arena Challenge Cup Runners Up_M Papka_Justin Klentner_C Williams
-
- Arena Challenge Cup Winners_P Texiera_H Heitzig_Jake Klentner
-
- Arena Challenge Cup Winners_P Texiera_H Heitzig_Jake Klentner
Final results were Central Coast Polo Club with a 2-0 record and the title, Klentner Ranch second at 1-1 and Can-Can third at 0-2. Justin Klentner of Klentner Ranch commented, “That was fun! I have not played arena in a while, but I learned how to play polo in the arena and it was a lot of fun to play the tournament with my sons and all of the students who are playing in the I/I program. Jake, Luke and I are not used to playing on different teams so that was entertaining, it was a really good tournament.” Klentner plays the Gulfstream Pacific Coast Open in the summer with his 16 goal team so that is high praise indeed.
Special thanks goes to Megan Judge of Central Coast Polo Club who organized all the teams and brought the horses to mount every single player.
The players who participated in the Santa Barbara tournament now are qualified to play in the National USPA Arena Challenge Cup December 17 and 18 at Central Coast Polo Club in San Luis Obispo CA.