Empire Polo Club
January 10-26, 2020
8-Goal and 4-Goal Sportsmanship Cup

The 8-goal tournament has four teams competing over two weeks. Sunday’s match was between Evergreen (Tom Sprung -1, Carlos Galindo 2, Nick Cifuni 3, Carlitos Galindo 4) and Empire (Rob Scapa 0, Robert Payne  3, Rob Payne 3, Russell Stimmel 2).

It was an amazing match in the 8-Goal, as these two All-American teams went to battle. Stimmel put the first two points on the board for Empire. That ended the first time period, 2 to 0. Nick Cifuni turned it on in the second chukker with a 60 yard cut-shot from the field and three successful penalty shots. Robert Payne Senior wiggled through a crowded goal mouth to add one for Empire, which ended the second time period with a close score of 4 to 3. The only goal in the third chukker was made by Carlos Galindo, sending the players to half time with Evergreen leading, 5 to 3. The second half kicked off when Rob Payne converted a long penalty 5A.  Evergreen was awarded a penalty 1. Stimmel added a point for Empire, cutting Evergreen’s lead to one point at the end of the fourth chukker, with the score 6 to 5.  In the fifth time period Empire added two points to Evergreen’s one, making it a tied ball game, 7 to 7. Both teams came out firing in the final chukker. Stimmel was the first to score, followed by Carlitos Galindo scoring a penalty 3, keeping this intense match tied at 8 to 8. Carlitos then wowed the crowd with a wide-open run the length of  the entire field and through thegoal on his mare, Pistola. It was Rob Scapa that rallied back with his shot through the posts that tied the game again, 9 to 9. Russell Stimmel’s successful penalty 2 put Empire ahead at the final horn, 10 to 9.

There are six teams in the 4-Goal Sportsmanship Cup, 2-week tournament. On Sunday afternoon Archangel/Granite Bay, (Eric Hammon 0, Jeffery Rewald 0, Ashton Wolf 3, Alonso Andrade 1) faced Sawyer Aviation, (David Barnett 0, Olivier Climaud 0, Juan Jo Gonzalez 3, Cameron Smith 1). Eric Hammon started the scoring, with two unanswered goals in the first chukker. Alonso’s penalty 3 conversion was the only score in the second time period. In the third chukker Ashton Wolf scored twice and Alonso Andrade scored twice, ending the first half of this 5 chukker game with Archangel/Granite Bay ahead, 7 to 0. The fourth time period started with Alonso increased the lead with two more goals, followed by Eric Hammon scoring one. Then Olivier Climaud put Sawyer Aviation on the board with two goals. The fifth and final chukker started with a 10 to 2 score. Juan Jo Gonzalez, who played an amazing game, put another point on the board for Sawyer Aviation. Olivier added a goal, but Archangel/Granite Bay answered with two goals and won the game 12 to 4.

Opening Day and Hat Day at Empire Polo Club
Presented by Ferrari of Rancho Mirage.
January 5, 2020

8-Goal Coachella Cup Final
4-Goal Stagecoach Challenge Final

In the 8-goal Coachella Cup Cotterel Farms (Jenny Benardoni 0, Gaby Saccullo 1, Santi Von Wernich 5, and Francisco Benardoni 2), confronted Evergreen (Tom Sprung -1, Carlos Galindo 2, Nick Cifuni 3, and Carlitos Galindo 4).

Evergreen had a slow start on this gorgeous, sunny day, as Jenny and Francisco Benardoni put their team ahead 2 to 0 in the first chukker. In the second chukker Nick Cifuni scored once for Evergreen, which was answered by Cotterel’s  Gaby Saccullo’s  goal in the third chukker. This ended a very defensive first half with Cotterel Farms up by two points, 3 to 1.  Tom Sprung started Evergreen’s second-half charge with a magnificent carry, which Carlos tapped in for the first goal of the second half. Nick scored a penalty 2 and Carlitos made a beautiful, wide-open run and goal. Von Wernich’s penalty 3 shot went through for Cotterel, resulting with the 4^thchukker ending with the teams tied at 4 to 4. In chukker 5 Nick put a point up for Evergreen with a successful penalty 3. Gaby also scored a penalty 3 shot for Cotterel Farms. At the end of the fifth chukker the teams remained tied with 5 to 5 score. The last chukker’s 3 goals were all made by Carlitos Galindo, with one from the field and two penalty 4 shots. Evergreen won the game with the final score of 8 to 5.

In the finals of the 4-Goal Stagecoach Challenge, Zahedi Chogan (Sy Zahedi -1, Meghan Gracida 0, Francisco Guinazu 3, Dayelle Fargey 1.5) lined up against Empire (Rob Scapa 0, Russell Stimmel 2, Robert Payne III 3, David Chun/Robert McGinley -1). Zahedi Chogan started the match with a .5 handicap advantage in this 5 chukker game.

Rob Payne scored the only goal of the first chukker, converting a penalty 2 for the Empire team. In the second time period Francisco Guinazu made 3 impressive goals for Zahedi Chogan. Empire put 2 points on the board, ending chukker 2 with Zahedi Chogan at a slight advantage, 3 to 3.5. Zahedi Chogan pulled ahead in the third chukker with 2 points to Empire’s 1, ending the first half with a score of 4 to 5.5. Fargey and Guinazu each put one through the uprights in the fourth chukker, putting Zahedi Chogan on top 7.5 to 4. Russell Stimmel scored for Empire in the fifth chukker, which Zahedi Chogan answered with 3 goals. The final score was 5 to 9.5, with Zahedi Chogan victorious.

Get the new Empire Polo Club Mobile App

Empire Polo Club launched a new mobile app for polo players, spectators and customers.  The app includes game schedules, general information about polo events, live music schedules and links for the Date Shed, Tack Room Tavern and Polo Pizza Co. The “Deals and Coupons” section has deals at Polo Pizza Co., The Tack Room Tavern and at the Empire Polo Club Sunday Polo Gift Shop.

Use the links below to download the free mobile app.

Click here for the Google Play App Store.

Click here for Apple App Store.

You can scan the QR code below to access the app links for download.