Nov 19, 2019 7:45 PM
The National Arena Amateur Cup at Orange County Polo Club in Silverado, California, left spectators on the edge of their seats when Straight Shooters (Ashley Owen, Davey Kral, Jasmine Lu) and the Silverado Sharks (Heather Perkins, Mark Osburn, Allie Bushong) went into a penalty shootout to determine the champion. Little separating the two teams, it was Silverado Sharks that emerged the victor, capturing a sensational 15-14 win in what proved to be an exceptional weekend of polo with players traveling from as far as Texas to compete.
“This was my first time playing polo in California. My husband and I stayed in Laguna Beach and commuted 30 minutes to get to the Orange County Polo Club which was a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility. The polo was as good as the company and the club was very warm and welcoming.” – Ashley Owen
The game began at a lightning quick pace with a ten-goal first chukker that resulted in Silverado Sharks holding a slim 6-4 lead. Receiving contributions from all three players, the Silverado Sharks were led by three goals from Heather Perkins, while Straight Shooters’ Ashley Owen responded with three goals of her own. The balance on the field was evident with all six players finding the scoresheet within the first two chukkers. A clean match, the whistle was rarely used in the first half, leaving the two teams to battle it out in open play. Mark Osburn and Jasmine Lu highlighted the second chukker by scoring three goals each for their respective teams, while Straight Shooters edged closer on Owen’s fourth goal of the game to narrowly trail 9-8 at halftime.
“Over all the experience and the facility was awesome. The people were nice, George Dill’s horses were really good, and staying in Laguna Beach was also great! There were plenty of good eats and I had a wonderful weekend with my lovely bride!” – Mark Osburn
Consecutive goals from Osburn to begin the second half pushed Silverado Sharks into a three-goal lead for the fourth time in the game, Straight Shooters were unwilling to let their opponent pull away however, responding each time with a run of their own. Owen brought her team all the way back into an 11-all tie behind her fifth and sixth goals of the game in the third. Osburn returned the lead to Silverado Sharks to begin the fourth chukker, but a crucial stretch of the game changed the momentum in an instant. Three unanswered goals from Straight Shooters, one each from Owen, Kral and Lu gave them their first lead since the first chukker, leaving Silverado Sharks facing a two-goal deficit with time running out. The high-pressure situation resulted in fouls on both sides. Osburn brought the game within one, but it was Allie Bushong that converted the penalty to tie the game 14-all to send the game into a penalty shootout. Stepping up again, Bushong scored the deciding penalty which gave Silverado Sharks the dramatic 15-14 victory in a memorable final.
“The facilities are immaculate, every detail was taken into consideration and it has been an incredible club to play really great polo,” Owen said after capturing Most Valuable Player honors, while the Sportsmanship Award went to 15-year-old Jasmine Lu. Heather Perkins’ second chukker pony Cake owned by Shelley Geller took home the Best Playing Pony blanket to cap off the weekend. A nine-year-old off-the-track-thoroughbred mare, she was purchased from Karen Reese. “She is very fast and powerful with a great bump,” said Perkins. “She got her name because she loves to eat cake, donuts, you name it!” continued Perkins with a laugh.
Other competitors complimented the well-run event, including Off the Wall’s Nicole Bankhead, “what an incredible experience and opportunity to participate in the National Arena Amateur Cup! It was fun getting to know and play with different players throughout the U.S. and it was also a unique opportunity to be placed on teams. It challenged me to learn to play a different position and grow my personal game.”
All photos courtesy of ©Jim Bremner.
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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