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La Herradura holds on for 2018 General Patton 8-goal Cup win

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Hall of Fame polo player Memo Gracida with his victorious La Herradura polo team at the Empire Polo Club in the 8-goal General George S. Patton Cup.

Former 10-goaler and Polo Hall of Fame legend Memo Gracida took center stage on Sunday afternoon at the Empire Polo Club and led his La Herradura team (Alvaro Fernandez, Rodrigo Fernandez, Isaac Sepulveda and Memo Gracida) to an 8-7 win over Granite Bay (Eric Hammon, Alvaro Tadeo, Marcos Llambias and Rhandy Heredia) in the second round of play in the 2018 General Patton 8-goal Cup.

In a well-orchestrated opening chukker La Herradura scored three straight goals while holding Granite Bay scoreless for the early lead. Isaac Sepulveda scored the first goal of the game followed by a 40-yard penalty conversion from Gracida, 2-0. Rodrigo Fernandez scored the closing goal of the period to move in front, 3-0.

The Las Herradura defense held solid again in the second. Sepulveda scored the only goal of the chukker, however, extending the La Herradura advantage to four goals, 4-0.

Gracida’s second goal of the match came on a 30-yard penalty shot in the third chukker, when the Granite Bay attack stirred. Alvaro Tadeo scored the first goal of the day for Granite Bay, followed by a goal from teammate Eric Hammon. The first half ended with Gracida and company in control of a 5-2 game.

Both defenses stiffened as the second half got underway. Rodrigo Fernandez scored to make it 6-2, with Marco Llambias responding with a goal for Granite Bay. After four periods of play, La Herradura continued to control the game behind a 6-3 advantage.

Goals continued to elude players on both sides in the fifth. Alvaro Fernandez scored for La Herradura with Tadeo countering with a goal from Granite Bay. After five periods of play, La Herradura continued to hold a three-goal advantage over Granite Bay, 7-4.

Gracida’s third goal of the day came from the field in sixth chukker action and put La Herradura up by four goals, 8-4, when the Granite Bay offense rallied. Two goals from Llambias and a goal from Tadeo brought Granite Bay to within a goal of the lead, but that would be as close as they would get as the La Herradura defenders held on to secure the 8-7 victory.

Gracida led the La Herradura attack with three goals (two on penalty conversions). Rodrigo Fernandez and Sepulveda each scored twice, and Alvaro Fernandez added a goal for the win. Tadeo and Llambias each scored three times for Granite Bay. Hammon was credited with a goal in the loss.

The win lifted the La Herradura tournament record to 1-1 while Granite Bay remained winless in two outings (0-2).

Spindrift 9, Cotterel 8

In morning 8-goal Patton Cup action, Spindrift (John Bickford, Luis Saracco, Juan Curbelo and Leslie Tims) won their second game of the tournament with a 9-8 nail-bitter over Cotterel (Jenny Luttrell, Ruben Coscia, Francisco Benardoni and Gaby Saccullo).

The 7-goal Cotterel team received one goal by handicap from Spindrift but watched as they were out-scored from the field in the opening minutes of the match. A goal from John Bickford and a pair of goals from Juan Curbelo gave the early lead to Spindrift, 3-1.

The two teams traded goals in the second with Cotterel getting single goals from Ruben Coscia and Jenny Luttrell. Spindrift matched them goal for goal with Curbelo scoring for the third time and Luis Saracco getting on the scoreboard for the first time on the day. Spindrift continued to lead, 5-3.

Saracco added two more goals in the third while a resolute Spindrift defense held Cotterel to a single penalty goal from Coscia. At the end of the first half, Spindrift had expanded its lead to three goals, 7-4.

Coscia struck first in the fourth, cutting the Spindrift lead back to two goals, 7-5, but the Spindrift attack was pressuring the Cotterel goal. Fouls proved to be costly for the Cotterel defenders as Bickford took advantage of the opportunity to convert two 30-ayrd penalty shots for goals. After four chukkers the Spindrift lead had grown to four goals, 9-5.

A determined Coscia took the field in the fifth and quickly scored two goals for Cotterel. A solid defensive effort shut down the Spindrift attack, cutting the lead to a manageable two goals, 9-7, with one chukker of play remaining in regulation time.

Cotterel continued to press the attack in the sixth, with Coscia converting a 60-yard penalty shot for a goal, when the Spindrift defense held firm. Time expired in the 9-8 Spindrift win with Cotterel pressuring the Spindrift goal.

Bickford, Curbelo and Saracco scored three goals apiece for the win. Coscia was high-scorer of the game with six goals. Luttrell added a goal and the team received one goal by handicap.

The win inflated the Spindrift record to 2-0 while Cotterel fell to 0-2.

STG 16, Lockton 10

In a noon 8-goal Patton Cup battle of the unbeatens, STG (Max Menini, John Ziegler, Tommy Costello and Francisco Guinazu) handed Lockton (Tim Kelly, Bryan Middleton, Jessica Bailey and Alejandro Gonzalez) their first loss of the tournament (1-1) while improving to 2-0 themselves.

Lockton received one goal by handicap from STG and went up, 2-0, with a goal from the field from Alejandro Gonzalez. John Ziegler responded with a 40-yard penalty conversion for STG followed by a 30-yard penalty goal from Max Menini and a goal from the field from Francisco Guinazu for the 3-2 lead. Gonzalez leveled the score at 3-3 with the final goal of the chukker.

A stubborn STG defense shut out Lockton in second chukker play. Single goals from Guinazu, Tommy Costello and Ziegler were supported by shutout defense, sending Lockton off the field at the end of the second period behind by three goals, 6-3.

Ziegler added a 40-goal penalty goal in the third followed by goals from teammates Menini and Costello, 9-3. Gonzalez and Bryan Middleton kept Lockton from getting blanked with goals to end the chukker trailing, 9-5.

Costello and Ziegler added goals in the fourth with Lockton responding with a 30-yard penalty goal from Middleton. The STG lead had grown to five goals, 11-6.

Gonzalez scored twice in the fifth for Lockton, scoring once from the field and once on a penalty shot. STG kept pace with goals from Menini and Guinazu (40-yard penalty goal). The STG lead held at five goals, 13-8.

Two penalty goals from Tim Kelly in the sixth was the extent of Lockton’s attempt to rally with STG adding three more goals to their total. Two goals from Guinazu and a goal from Ziegler had STG galloping off with the win, 16-10.

Guinazu and Ziegler led the STG attack with five goals apiece. Costello and Menini each scored three times for the win. Gonzalez set the offensive pace for Lockton with five goals. Middleton and Kelly each scored twice, and the team received one goal by handicap.

Play continues in 8-goal General Patton Cup tournament on Friday, February 23rd with STG (2-0) facing La Herradura (1-1); Spindrift (2-0) taking on Lockton (1-1) and Granite Bay (0-2) playing Cotterel (0-2). At the end of the day, the two teams with the top records will go to Sunday’s 2pm final.

The 2017-2018 Empire Polo season attracts players from across the country and around the world and offers fourteen weekends of fast-paced polo in the beautiful and relaxed setting of California’s winter playground.

The Empire Polo Club is located at 81-800 Avenue 51 in Indio, CA. For further information go to the club website at http://empirepolo.com or call 760-342-7755.

STG remains undefeated in Regional USPA Presidents Cup competition

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The winning STG polo team (L to R)-Francisco Guinazu, Max Menini, Tommy Costello and John Ziegler at the Empire Polo Club.

STG (Max Menini, John Ziegler, Tommy Costello and Francisco Guinazu) handed Lockton (Jorg Ferrau/Athena Malin, Jessica Bailey, Bryan Middleton and Alejandro Gonzalez) their first loss of the 2018 Regional USPA Presidents Cup play Sunday afternoon at the Empire Polo Club.

Max Menini converted a 60-yard penalty shot for the first goal of the game and a 1-0 STG lead.  Alejandro Gonzalez countered with a 40-yard goal of his own to level the score at 1-1.  Consecutive goals from STG’s Tommy Costello ended the second period with STG on top, 4-2.

Goals were scarce in the second.  John Ziegler scored on a 30-yard penalty shot for STG while Bryan Middleton was credited with Lockton’s only goal.  STG left the field at the end of the first half in front by five goals, 7-2.

Costello added two more goals in the third while a resolute STG defense held Lockton scoreless for the chukker.  Francisco Guinazu scored the final goal of the period, giving STG a comfortable 7-2 advantage.

Menini opened the second half with a goal from the field, extending the STG lead to six goals, 8-2, before the Lockton offense stirred.  Bryan Middleton scored Lockton’s first fourth chukker goal on a 30-yard penalty shot and added a goal from the field to close out the period trailing STG, 8-4.

Middleton added another penalty goal in the fifth followed by Jessica Bailey’s first score of the day, 8-6.  Guinazu kept STG from getting shutout with his second goal of the day.  The fourth period ended with STG protecting a three-goal lead, 9-6.

Menini added three more goals from the field in the sixth with Baily scoring a single goal in the 12-7 Lockton loss.

Menini led the STG attack with five goals.  Costello accounted for four goals with Guinazu scoring twice and Ziegler adding a penalty goal for the win.  Middleton was high scorer for Lockton with four goals.  Bailey added two goals and Gonzalez scored once.

The STG win kept them undefeated in Presidents Cup play at 2-0.  Lockton suffered their first loss of the tournament and fell to 1-1.

Cotterel 10, Spindrift 9

In earlier President’s Cup action, Cotterel (Jenny Luttrell, Juan Curbelo, Matthew Gonzalez and Gary Saccullo) broke open a 9-9 sixth chukker tie with her fifth goal of the match to carry her team to a 10-9 victory over Spindrift (John Bickford, Luis Saracco, Ruben Coscia and Leslie Timms) in a noon faceoff.

First chukker goals from Jose Rodriguez and Gary Saccullo were countered a single goal from by John Bickford in a hotly-contested opening seven minutes of play.  Cotterel emerged with the early 2-1 lead.

Bickford’s second goal of the game tied the score at 2-2, but defense continued to be the focus of both teams in the period.  Saccullo scored the only other goal of the chukker, allowing Cotterel to escape by a 3-2 score.

Jenny Luttrell lit it up for Cotterel in the third, scoring twice from the field and adding a 30-yard penalty goal.  Spindrift got single goals from Luis Saracco and Bickford, but continued to trail, 6-4 as the first half ended.

Spindrift came alive in the fourth.  Goals from Ruben Coscia, Bickford and Saracco were answered by a penalty goal from Luttrell and Juan Curbelo’s first goal of the of the afternoon.  Spindrift came within a goal of the lead as Cottrell held a one goal advantage, 8-7.

Play intensified in the fifth with neither team able to score from the field.  Bickford converted a 30-yard penalty shot for the only goal of the chukker. With one period left in regulation play, the score was all even at 8-8.

Rodriguez put Cottrell on top, 9-8, with the opening goal of the sixth.  Bickford responded with a 40-yard penalty shot, 9-9.  Luttrell came through with the final goal of the match for a 10-9 Cotterel victory.

Luttrell led the Cotterel attack with five goals (two on penalty conversions).  Saccullo and Rodriguez each scored twice with Curbello adding a goal for the win.  Bickford’s six goals led all scoring for Spindrift.  Saracco added two goals and Coscia scored once in the loss.

The win boosted Cotterel’s record to 1-1 with Spindrift falling to 0-2.

All four teams will return to action in next weekend’s conclusion of the 2018 Regional Presidents Cup at the Empire Polo Club.

Two Sunday wins give World Gym league title

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The World Gym team of (L to R)- Tom Schuerman, Todd Randall, Claudia Uretz and Wiley Uretz finished two days of competition with an undefeated record for the title in the week’s 1-goal competition at the Empire Polo Club Sunday.

In the second day of 1-goal league competition at the Empire Polo Club, World Gym (Claudia Uretz, Sydney Jordan, Tom Schuerman and Wiley Uretz) recorded wins over the Flaming Chickens (Joey Gallemore, Devon Gallemore, Victor Soto and Hayward Pardue) and Grande Prairie (Ross Adam, Lolo Payan, Craig Nelson and Suki Piper) to take first place in the six-team field Sunday afternoon.

The Flaming chickens opened the noon round-robin scoring a narrow 3½-3 win over Grande Prairie behind the offensive push of Victor Soto.

Soto and Grande Prairie’s Lolo Payan exchanged goals in the opening chukker of the four-period mini-match with Soto giving the lead to the Flaming Chickens with the final goal of the chukker for a 2½-1 lead (Flaming Chickens received one-half goal by handicap).

Soto’s third goal of the match had the Flaming chickens on top, 3½-1 before Grande Prairie responded.  Consecutive goals from Payan ended the game with the Flaming Chickens riding off with the win, 3½-3.

World Gym 5, Grande Prairie 2

World Gym exploded for four first chukker goals against a shell-shocked Grande Prairie lineup.  Two goals apiece from Wiley Uretz and Tom Schuerman were complimented by shutout defense as World Gym went up, 4-0.

Tod Randell’s first goal of the day made it 5-0, World Gym with Grande Prairie struggling for an answer.
Grande Prairie got single goals from Craig Nelson and Payan in the final period, but it was World Gym riding off the field at the end of the contest with a 5-2 victory.

World Gym 4, Flaming Chickens 2½

It was Wiley Uretz with the hot hand as the final two chukkers of the round-robin got underway.  He former college All-American scored the first three goals of the chukker while the World Gym defenders held the Flaming Chickens scoreless.

Soto and Devin Gallemore scored the first two goal of the final chukker, cutting the World Gym lead to one -half goal, 3-2½.  Tom Schuerman scored the final goal of the game for a 4-2½ win.

Club Polo Cabo takes consolation

Earlier in the day, Club Polo Cabo (Tony Yahyai, Scott Walker, Domingo Questel and Alyssa/Ella/Clair) defeated Gold Rush (David Barnett, Manny Rodriguez, Jeffrey Rewald and Zinta Rewald) and Vashon (Stephanie Davidson,  Kim Bergman and Jessica Bailey) to win the consolation 1-goal round-robin.

Club Polo Cabo got first chukker goals from veteran Domingo Questel and Club Polo Cabo team captain Tony Yahyai while Gold Rush had to settle for a 30-yard penalty conversion.  After the first seven minutes of play Club Polo Cabo held a narrow 2-1½ advantage (Gold Rush received one-half goal by handicap).

Questel’s second goal of the match extended the Club Polo Cabo lead to 2-1½, with Gold Rush in hot pursuit.  Disciplined defense held Gold Rush to another penalty goal that had Club Polo Cabo escaping with the 3-2½ victory.

Vashon 4, Gold Rush 2½

In the second mini-match of the morning, Vashon handed Gold Rush their second defeat of the day in a 4-2½ bout.

Vashon rattled off the first three goals of the opening chukker with JMG coring twice and Kim Bergman adding a goal, 3-½ (Gold Rush received one-half goal by handicap). Jeffrey Rewald got Gold Rush on the scoreboard with his first score, 3-1½.

Jeffrey Rewald cut into the Vashon lead with his second goal of the match, 3-2½, but it wasn’t to be. JMG scored the final goal of the match for the 4-2½ win.

Club Polo Cabo 4, Vashon 3

The final two chukkers of the round-robin pitted Club Polo Cabo against Vashon, with the winner capturing the consolation round-robin.

Club Polo Cabo picked up goals from Yahyai and Questel while Vashon countered with a pair of goals from Gutierrez.  After their first chukker the two teams remained tied at 2-2.

Bergman’s second goal of the day and first of the game had Vashon on top, 3-2, but Club Polo Cabo wasn’t through.  Two goals from Questel (one on a penalty conversion) ended the game with Club Polo Cabo riding of with the win, 4-3.

Flaming Chicken, Grande Prairie and World Gym record Saturday wins

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Club Polo Cabo’s Tony Yahyai made his 2018 debut in league play at the Empire Polo Club Saturday afternoon.

Six teams lined up for the second 1-goal league of the season at the Empire Polo Club Saturday, with the competition getting started with a 10:15AM game on Field 9.

Grand Prairie (Ross Adam, Lolo Payan, Craig Nelson and Suki Piper), Gold Rush (David Barnett, Manny Rodriguez, Jeffrey Rewald and Zinta Rewald) and Club Polo Cabo (Tony Yahyai, Scott Walker, Domingo Questel and Alyssa/Ella/Clair) joined last week’s World Gym (Claudia Uretz, Sydney Jordan, Tom Schuerman and Wiley Uretz), Vashon (Stephanie Davidson, JMG, Kim Bergman and Jessica Bailey) and Flaming Chicken lineup (Joey Gallemore, Devon Gallemore, Victor Soto and Hayward Pardue) as the Empire Polo Club kicks off the season with its official Opening Day.

Flaming Chicken 11, Gold Rush 6

Flaming Chicken got the ball rolling as they scored the first three goals of the game on their way to an 11-6 win over Gold Rush in the morning match.

Consecutive goals from Joey Gallemore, Hayward Pardue and Victor Soto were answered by a single goal from Gold Rush’s Zinta Rewald as Flaming Chicken took the early 3-2 lead.

Soto added two more goals in the second.  Goals from Joey and Devin Gallemore expanding the Flaming Chicken advantage to four goals, 7-3.  Jeffrey Rewald scored the only goal of the chukker for Gold Rush.

Both defenses stepped it up in the third and goals were scarce.  Zinta Rewald added her second goal of the game, 7-4 with Soto recording the only other goal of the period.  With one period left to play, Flaming Chicken continued to lead by four goals, 8-4.

Two more goals from Joey Gallemore and a single goal from Pardue boosted Flaming Chicken to an 11-6 win in spite of goals from Gold Rush’s Jeffrey Rewald and David Barnett.

Soto and Joey Gallemore led the Flaming Chicken attack with four goals apiece.  Pardue added two goals and Devin Gallemore added a goal for the win.  Jeffrey Rewald and Zinta Rewald each scored twice for gold Rush.  Barnett added a goal in the losing effort.

Grande Prairie 8, Club Polo Cabo 7

Lolo Payan scored four first chukker goals, giving Grande Prairie built an early 4-1 lead over Club Polo Cabo in first period play.  Club Polo Cabo came up with a single goal from veteran Domingo Questel in the chukker.

Club Polo Cabo fought their way back into the game in the second.  Club Polo Cabo scored consecutive goals from Questel, Scott Walker and team captain, tony Yahyai to level the score at 4-4.  Payan scored the final goal of the first half for Grande Prairie for a narrow 5-4 halftime lead for Grande Prairie.

Questel tied the game at 5-5 with the opening goal of the third, but back-to-back goals from Payan gave the lead back to Grande Prairie, 7-5.  Questel closed out the period with his fourth goal of the day, but trailed Grande Prairie, 7-6.

Craig Nelson’s first goal of the afternoon had Grande Prairie in front by two goals, with Club Polo Cabo struggling to stay alive.  Questel scored the final goal of the match to bring Club Polo Cabo to within a goal of the lead, but that was where it ended as Grande Prairie held on for the 8-7 victory.

Payan was top scorer in the game with seven goals.  Nelson added a goal for the Grande Prairie win.  Questel cored a team-high five goals for Club Polo Cabo.  Yahyai and Walker each added goals in the loss.

World Gym 4, Vashon 3

World Gym and Vashon fought to a 2-2 halftime tie before World Gym managed to eke out a 4-3 victory in the final 1-goal game of the day.

JMG scored the first goal of the game, giving Vashon the 1-0 lead when the World Gym defense clamped down.  Tom Schuerman countered with a goal for World Gym in a hotly-contested opening chukker that ended in a defensively-dominated first chukker, 1-1.

JMG and Wiley Uretz exchanged goals in the second period as both sides struggled to generate an effective attack, but the defenders won out.  At the end of the first half the score remained tied at two goals apiece.

Goals continued to be elusive in third period play, with the only scoring coming from penalty conversions from Wiley Uretz and Sydney Jordan.  Vashon was unable to score, and fell behind, 4-2.

Both defenses continued to set the pace for fourth chukker play.  A single goal from the field from Jessica Bailey was the only score of the period as World Gym held the lead in a 4-3 victory.

Wiley Uretz scored twice for world Gym with teammates Jordan and Schuerman each adding a goal.  JMG was credited with two goals for Vashon with Bailey accounting for the team’s only other goal in the loss.

The 1-goal competition will field two round-robin matches on Sunday with Gold Rush, Club Polo Cabo and Vashon meeting at 10AM followed by a noon contest featuring Flaming Chicken, Grande Prairie and World Gym.  Both round-robins will take place on Empire Polo Club’s Field 9.