Mar 23, 2020 3:12 PM
Story Courtesy of CLICKPOLOUSA.
After surprising qualifiers, the USPA Gold Cup® quarterfinals were as expected, with three of the four semifinalists from the C.V. Whitney Cup reaching the semifinals for the second time during the GAUNTLET OF POLO® at International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida.
As C.V. Whitney Cup champions and the only team still in the running to win the million-dollar prize, Las Monjitas managed to overcome the loss of Mackenzie Weisz, who was injured and replaced by Bautista Panelo. Having lost their winning streak against Dutta Corp, Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas, led by Francisco Elizalde and Pelon Stirling, defeated Patagones 12-10 to rank in the top four.
Pilot, including Curtis Pilot, Facundo Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Lucas Escobar*, extended their own streak after defeating Park Place with a solid 12-8, with 11 of the 12 goals being scored by the Pieres brothers. Pilot, 2019 GAUNTLET OF POLO® champion, is prepared for a rematch after losing their semifinals match to La Indiana during the C.V. Whitney Cup.
La Indiana met the expectations once more, overcoming Dutta Corp, who continues to reach the quarterfinals without any 10-goal players. However, La Indiana’s Polito Pieres and Santiago Gomez Romero managed to lead their team to an 11-10 victory in what was a very close game.
Daily Racing Form, comprised of Agustín Obregón, Costi Caset*, Jared Zenni* and Tommy Collingwood, defeated Santa Clara 10-9 in overtime during the quarterfinals, with Zenni scoring six goals, and completed a penalty shoot-out to secure their spot as the fourth finalist.
The last few games were played without an audience due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The United States Polo Association (USPA) anticipates rescheduling the remainder of the USPA Gold Cup® prior to the start of the 2021 season. To stay informed on official updates and news, please continue to visit uspolo.org. We encourage everyone to take precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to take care of your families and loved ones as we face these difficult times.
*Lucas Escobar is a member of Team USPA. Costi Caset and Jared Zenni are a Team USPA alumni. The mission of Team USPA is to improve the sport of polo in the United States by developing the talent/skills of young American players through mentored training and playing opportunities, ultimately leading to a pool of higher-rated American players.
All photos courtesy of ©David Lominska.
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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