Nov 06, 2018 4:37 AM
Besting six teams in a competitive field of eight total, Good Thunder and DI Polo met in the Regional President’s Cup Final on Thursday, November 1, at New Bridge Polo & Country Club in Aiken, South Carolina. Dominating the scoreboard from the second chukker, Good Thunder held tight to their lead, despite DI Polo’s best efforts in the fifth and sixth, to secure the win 11-7.
A close match-up in their first encounter of bracket play, Good Thunder once again came out on top against a newly-formed DI Polo; Pedro Lara* and Matt Sekera substituting for Tomas Obregon and Facundo Iglesias. An even first chukker, Good Thunder capitalized from the penalty line in the second with three combined goals from father-son duo Alan and Eddy Martinez to double up the lead 4-2. Continuing their forward momentum, Good Thunder shut out their opponents in the third and fourth; Eddy and Alan Martinez each contributing two field goals to the tally along with a goal from Jim Deal and a Penalty 1 to cement a substantial lead 10-2.
Two goals in the fifth jumpstarted a steady comeback for DI Polo as the tables turned, keeping their opponents scoreless and at bay. At the beginning of the sixth a goal by DI Polo’s Lara cut the deficit in half, but an answering score from Good Thunder team owner Bill Patterson maintained the deficit; all Good Thunder players now on the board. A valiant effort by DI Polo’s Sekera with back-to-back goals proved the final push as time ran out. Undefeated throughout the tournament, Good Thunder secured the Regional President’s Cup trophy with a final score 11-7.
Most Valuable Player was awarded to Alan Martinez, an ace from the penalty line and game high-scorer contributing five of his team’s total goals. Best Playing Pony honors were presented to Alan Martinez’s fourth chukker mare Ninja. “She is a nine-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred made by my dad [Eddy Martinez] and Matt Sekera,” Martinez stated.
*Pedro Lara is a member of Team USPA. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher-rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.
All photos courtesy of ©Katie Roth.
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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