Polo Players' Edition is the official publication of the U.S. Polo Association. Dedicated to the sport of polo, it features player profiles, game strategy, horse care, playing tips, polo club news and tournament results.
Issue link: https://polo.epubxp.com/i/31965
POLO REPORT The ranch polo tournament included teams from Denver Polo Club, Willow Creek Polo Club, and Colorado Land & Capital, LLC. Bobby Hawkins umpired the matches. Jeff Halpape opened the event on horseback carrying the American flag. Colorado State Senator Mark Scheffel led the Pledge of Allegiance and opening prayer. The fast-paced match, held at the Christensen’s arena, was played in a round-robin format. Willow Creek and Colorado Land & Capital played the first and second chukkers ending 3-0 and 6-2 respectively. Denver expanded its presentation by Douglas County Sheriff Dave Weaver. Erica Gandomcar was named Most Valuable Player, and Michelle Christensen-Huber’s mare, Evie, took Best Playing Pony honors. EASTERN LIVIN’ THE VISION ACES 6-GOAL CHALLENGE CUP Four teams competed in the Brandywine Polo Club 6-goal Challenge Cup held during the last week of July. The tournament included seven new players including high school players Alan Medina, Marissa Wells, Tyler Garber, Jeffrey Garber, Shaun Garber and Brandywine Polo Academy players Sarah Runnells and Justin Flood. Game One matched Livin’ the Vision with Simon Sheriff Dave Weaver presents trophies to Erica Gandomcar, Ty Overcash, Melissa Borgel, Kayla Murphy, and Lacey Safonovs. advantage over Willow Creek to 4-1 in the third, and 6-3 in the fourth. Colorado Land & Capital, LLC tried to cut the margin in the last chukker, but their efforts were not enough and Denver Polo Club won with 13 goals. Following the final chukkers the Christensens held a closing party in the barn where players, special guests, and friends enjoyed a ranch barbecue with country western music provided by Bill Sparkman. The Christensens thanked the participating teams and players who came from as far away as Texas and Utah to play the tournament. Senator Scheffel recognized the spectators, many of whom were experiencing polo for the first time. The festivities continued with a trophy 52 POLO PLAYERS EDITION Garber’s SLS Jets in a game where no team led by more than one goal. The Jets Juan Monteverde quarterbacked a trio of young players, scoring nine goals himself and getting an additional three goals from Jeffrey Garber and one goal from Shaun Garber for a total of 13 goals, which was one short of the 14 needed to beat Livin’ the Vision. For Vision, Jake Brown scored 11 running goals while team professional Pablo Avalos added three from the penalty line. Game Two saw Maureen Hall’s Mopolo team lose to Doe Run 10-9 despite seven goals from Mopolo’s Juan Martinez Baez. Two young Brandywine interns, Chad Bowman and Jesus Ontiveros, played for Dr. Cindy Buchanan’s Mercer Hill in the third game. They battled hard but lost to a very strong Livin’ the Vision team 9-8. The final matched Livin’ the Vision versus Doe Run in a lopsided game controlled by Livin’ from the outset with the one-two punch of Jake Brown, scoring six goals, and Pablo Avalos scoring an additional four goals for the 10-7 win. MVP went to Jake Brown who scored 24 goals over three games. ᑄᑒᑡᑒᑔᑢᑀᑙᑑᑐᑀᑈᑒᑘᑒᑕᑔ—Alan Medina/alt. Sarah Runnels (A), Justin Flood (A), Jake Brown (3), Pablo Avalos (4); ᑅᑕᑖᑕᑓᑕ—Maureen Hall (A), Scott Brown (1), Kathy Fowser Whitman (A), Juan Martinez Baez (5). ᑁᑕᑐ ᑆᑠᑔ—Marissa Wells (A), Tim Jones (2), Trevor Wells (3), Jose Pasten (2); ᑅᑐᑗᑉᑐᑗ ᑂᑒᑓᑓ—Jesus Ontiveros (1), Chad Bowman (1), Dr. Cindy Buchanan (1), Dominic State (2); ᑇᑄᑇᑀᑃᑐᑙᑘ—Tyler Garber (B), Jeffrey Garber (A), Shaun Garber (A), Juan Monteverde (5); TINICUM 2-0 OVER EGYPT Ty Overcash and Mike Naughton race for the ball in the Patriot Celebration match. Tinicum Park Polo Club hosted two week’s of international polo at their home field in Erwinna, Pennsylvania to end its season. Five polo players traveled from Egypt with their spouses to enjoy some competitive games with the Tinicum Club. Many of these players had met two seasons ago when the Egyptian team hosted a U.S. AUDREY AND BARRY SMITH AUDREY AND BARRY SMITH
