8-Goal USPA President’s Cup and
4-Goal USPA Amateur Cup at
Empire Polo Club | Feb. 2nd, 2020
Sunday Polo Presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka
At the end of the first week of these two-week tournaments the team standings are as follows:
8-Goal Win-loss
2-0 Evergreen (Tom Sprung -1, Carlos Galindo 2, Carlitos Galindo 4, Juan Jo Gonzalez 3)
1-1 Santa Ynez (Gina Padilla -1, Mariano Gracida 4, Julio Gracida 4, Meghan Gracida 0)
1-1 Empire (Rob Scapa 0, Robert Payne II 3, Rob Payne III 3, Russell Stimmel 2)
0 -1 Ridgway Hemp (Beau Staley -1, Agustin Bottaro 0, Dayelle Fargey 1, Memo Gracida 5)
0-1 forfeit Spindrift (Torrey Ripinsky 0, John Bickford 1, Jason Crowder 6, Catlin Dix 0)
4-goal Win-loss
3-0 Zahedi Chogan (Sy Zahedi -1, Meghan Gracida 0, Dayelle Fargey 1.5, Francisco Guinazu 3)
2-0 Hanalei Bay (Krista Bonaguidi -1, Alejandro Gonzalez 3, Taylor Freeman 2, Ryan Kerley -.5)
1-2 Grand Prairie (Ross Adams 0, Cheryl Schindel -.5, Garret Smith 1.5, Joe Henderson 3)
0-2Granite Bay/Archangel (Eric Hammon 0,German Coppel 0, Ashton Wolf 3,Alonso Andrade 1)
0-2 Lockton ( Tim Kelly 0, Audrey Persano .5, Luis Saracco 3, Chino Payan .5)

On Sunday’s field 1, in the 8-Goal President’s Cup competition, it was Santa Ynez that overpowered the Empire team. Santa Ynez began the game with 1 point advantage by handicap. Julio Gracida scored all 4 points in the first half from the penalty line for Santa Ynez. The trend continued in the fourth chukker with Julio scoring 2 penalty shots and Russell Stimmel scoring a penalty 2 for Empire, ending the fourth time period 7 to 1. In the fifth chukker Julio scored 2 goals from the field and a successful penalty 3 shot. Stimmel scored another penalty shot and had a nice run to score another goal, followed by Robert Payne’s penalty shot conversion, putting 3 points on the board for Empire. Mariano Gracida put one through the posts for Santa Ynez, which increased the Santa Ynez team’s lead, 11 to 4 at the end of the fifth time period. In the last chukker, Meghan Gracida had two lovely carries through the goal that added 2 goals, and the last score was another penalty shot conversion by Mariano. The final score was 14 to 4.

Outcome of other 8 Goal President Cup competition this week:
- Empire out-scored Ridgway Hemp, 10 to 8.
- Evergreen won against Santa Ynez in overtime, final score was 12 to 11.
- Evergreen came out ahead of Spindrift with an 11 to 10 victory in overtime, but the game was technically a forfeit by Spindrift, due to non-payment of player’s 2020 USPA dues.
Sunday’s 4-goal Amateur Cup tournament on field 1 was between Hanalei Bay and Grand Prairie Buffaloes. Alejandro Gonzalez started the scoring with 2 points on the board for Hanalei Bay in the first chukker. In the second time period Taylor Freeman sent a penalty 2 shot through the posts for Hanalei Bay. Garrett Smith answered back for the Buffaloes with two successful penalty 2 shots. Joe Henderson fired away to score for also, and the second time period ended with a tie score of 3 to 3. Hanalei Bay controlled the third chukker, scoring four goals. Cheryl Schindel carried the ball through the goal to add one for the Grand Prairie Buffaloes and teams went to half time with Hanalei Bay leading 7 to 4. The Buffaloes were unable to score in the fourth chukker, while Hanalei Bay added three more goals. The fifth and last chukker started with a 10 to 4 score. Joe Henderson turned on the after burners for a big run and goal, which ended the game with a 10 to 5 win by Hanalei Bay.
In other 4 Goal, Amateur Cup competition this week:
Zahedi Chogan beat Granite Bay/Archangel, 8.5 to 5.
Grand Prairie Buffaloes were victorious over Granite Bay/Archangel 8 to 5.
Zahedi Chogan won against Granite Bay, 8.5 to 5.
Hanalei Bay outscored Lockton by one, 8 to 7.
Zahedi Chogan came out ahead of Grand Prairie Buffaloes, 9.5 to 6.
The Finals for both tournaments will be on Sunday, February 9th. See you there!