NEWS

Article courtesy of Tryon International Equestrian Center

Gladiator Polo™ "Battle for the Carolinas" Final presented by Coca-Cola® Set to Take Place Saturday, September 30, Pitting Team Greenville Against Team Asheville.

Team Greenville presented by Greenville Turf and Tractor paved their way to the Gladiator Polo™ "Battle for South Carolina" presented by Coca-Cola® win, topping Team Spartanburg presented by Greenville-Spartanburg Airport by a score of 13-10 in a thrilling match under the lights. The Gladiator Polo™ "Battle for the Carolinas" Final presented by Coca-Cola® will take place on Saturday, September 30, at 8:00pm ET to conclude the Fall Gladiator Polo™ Series at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, North Carolina.

Team Greenville, who already captured an impressive win in the first Gladiator Polo™ match earlier this summer on June 24, played Team Spartanburg to a tight match before running away with the victory. The group of veterans Carlucho Arellano, Mariano Obregon and Pelon Escapite played well, moving the ball quickly around the arena, leading to a powerful surge on offense.

"I think keeping our team together was a great advantage for us. We had only played together once before, but I feel like we were a little more in-sync then they were. We understand each other and I think that makes a big difference going out into that arena, which really helped," said Carlucho Arellano.

Arellano noted that the arena footing played superb once again in the George H. Morris Arena and commented on his eagerness to return to TIEC, as the fast-paced nature of the game helps to engage the crowd and make for an exciting match.

"This arena is great. The footing is excellent. It's a big arena. It's long, so it's a lot more like our outdoor game, which makes it much more fun than normal arena polo. It's a lot of fun because of all of those elements. It creates for an open, fast-paced and exciting game," he added.

The team meshed quickly, returning to their strong form displayed in the team's opening appearance, giving Team Spartanburg a tough run for the win. Mariano Obregon, a member of the talented Obregon family, will play his brother in the final match in two weeks, and was pleased with the team play and overall pace of the match this evening.

"The final will be fun. I get to play against another brother, which will be interesting. We all have different styles of playing, so it's cool to get to play against each one out there at different times," he said. "The arena here is amazing. I love coming here. The footing is great for the horses. It's so open and really allows for a fast-paced game. It was a very exciting tonight. We got a little lucky, all of our goals went in."

Pelon Escapite, one of the top scorers this season, noted that the intensity of the environment helps to motivate the players, as they want to perform well in front of the massive crowd that attends each game. He commented, "I love coming here because it is a different environment. The crowd gets into it and I feel like we can put on a good show for them. It's like when you go to a good basketball or football game and the crowd gets so into it. They cheer for every goal. It's amazing."

Already mentally preparing for the final match in two weeks’ time, Escapite and Arellano discussed their palpable excitement as they look towards the last match of the series. The pair, who has played well all season, will need to bring their best game to TIEC in two weeks, as Team Asheville is a strong competitor and will be gunning to take the overall Gladiator Polo™ "Battle for the Carolinas" presented by Coca-Cola® title.

"I am looking forward to the final. It's a tough team, we played really well last week and I know that those guys are tough. It's a good combination and it's going to be a very exciting match," said Escapite, while Arellano added, "I'm so excited for the final because I'm just happy it's not over. I'm glad that I get to come back again because I have so much fun doing this and being here. Especially with this team, it just feels special and I'm enjoying all of it."

Click here to view a gallery of Gladiator Polo™ "Battle for South Carolina" presented by Coca-Cola®.

The Gladiator Polo™ "Battle for the Carolinas" Final presented by Coca-Cola® will take place on Saturday, September 30, at 8:00pm ET at Tryon International Equestrian Center. General admission and parking is free to the public. For those interested in purchasing VIP Argentine Asado tickets, please visit www.tryon.com.

To learn more about Gladiator Polo™, please visit www.gladiatorpolo.com and to learn more about Tryon International Equestrian Center, please visit www.tryon.com.

Photo Credit ©Meg Banks/TIEC.