NEWS

During the spring season Houston Polo Club (HPC) in Houston, Texas, was forced to suspend the Western Challenge due to a record amount of rainfall, which left roads, barns and polo fields flooded. After a summer hiatus the club resumed the tournament with six remaining teams. After one decisive game of bracket play and two semifinal matches, ERG (Scott Wood, Duilio Diaz, Michel Dorignac, Mike Azzaro) and Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Steve Krueger, Matt Coppola, Tommy Biddle) emerged victorious.

This past Sunday, September 18, the two teams met for the featured 5pm match to decide the winner of the 2016 Western Challenge. Despite the first goal being scored by Team USPA member Steve Krueger for Tonkawa, ERG dominated the first three chukkers of play. Seven combined goals from Azzaro and Dorignac ended the first half 7-2, ERG with the five-goal lead. Tonkawa came back in the fourth outscoring ERG by one and then maintained their momentum in the fifth with two unanswered goals, one each from Krueger and Coppola. Wood required a substitute in the fourth and was replaced by 16-year-old Harrison Azzaro, son of Mike Azzaro. ERG’s lead narrowed to only two goals going into the sixth and final chukker, but two unanswered goals, one by Harrison Azzaro and another from Dorignac, secured ERG’s victory 10-6 over Tonkawa.

Most Valuable Player was awarded to ERG’s Michel Dorignac, the game high-scorer with five goals from the field. Best Playing Pony honors were presented to Machitos Ganja, owned and played by Matt Coppola.