NEWS

Four teams participated in the Regional President’s Cup at Willow Bend Polo Club in Little Elm, Texas, September 29 through October 1, 2017. The teams were well-matched with all the games closely contested, including the preliminary games one of which went into overtime. Mayer Ranch (Clark Mayer, Brendon Stenzel, Hector Galindo, Jake Klentner) and Palo Pinto (Allen Custard, Pipa Turrabriates, Robert Payne, Benjamin Panelo) played for the consolation match with each team trading back and forth dominating a chukker. As the sixth chukker began, Palo Pinto was up by three goals, but Mayer Ranch would not be deterred, scoring three goals in the last chukkers. Palo Pinto answered with two goals to maintain the lead, resulting in a 12-10 victory over Mayer Ranch.

The final match between Tiburon (who defeated Palo Pinto by a score of 10-8 in the preliminary match) and Mokarow Farms (who had come off an overtime win against Mayer Ranch) proved to be a nail-biter until the last 30 seconds. Mokarow Farms (Kevin Mokarow, Robert Payne Jr., Joaquin Panelo, John Muse) came out charging and were up by three goals at the half. Tiburon (Don Stemaly, Patrick Uretz*, Rob Stenzel, Collen Clark) saved their best ponies for the second half, resulting in five unanswered goals in the fourth and fifth chukkers, making it an 8-6 game at the start of the sixth. Mokarow Farms, like Mayer Ranch earlier in the day, refused to concede without a fight and quickly scored three goals versus Tiburon's one goal and tied up the game with 90 seconds left in regulation time.

At the bowl-in Mokarow Farms took control of the ball, but Patrick Uretz's defensive maneuvers got Tiburon the ball back and he quickly passed to Rob Stenzel who took it all the way down the field. Mokarow Farms was successful in preventing Stenzel from shooting on goal, but Don Stemaly of Tiburon was following closely and tapped the ball through the uprights shortly after the thirty-second horn sounded to break the tie and take the win 10-9 over Mokarow Farms!

*Patrick Uretz 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.