WINNERS: LOCKTON
WINNERS: RANCHO DEL SOL
WINNERS: WILDPOLO/FOLDED HILLS
WINNERS: DOORN DESIGN/CHAPPAQUA
WINNERS: BUSH LEAGUE
BENSOLEIMANI.COM Jimmy Wright, Gustavo Usandizaga, Agustin Bottaro, Ben Soleimani
By winning five of six chukkers, Ben Soleimani and his Bensoleimani.com foursome won both the 2022 Rossmore Cup and the 27th Polo Skins Game over Ron Mathison and his Highwood group by a final score of 14 – 7.
With $5,000 awarded to the winners of each period, the dotcommers were victorious in numbers two through six by counts of 3 – 2, 4 – 1, 1 – 0, 2 – 1, and 3 – 1, to take home $25,000. Highwood won the first 2 – 1 to take the initial check.
By playing alert and opportunistic polo throughout, Agustin Bottaro earned the title of MVP and Valencia, played by Bottaro and owned by Ben Soleimani, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.
BENSOLEIMANI.COM 12 – Ben Soleimani (4 goals), Augustin Bottaro 3 (2 goals), Gustavo Usandizaga 5 (3 goals), Jimmy Wright 4 (4 goals – 3 fouls, 1 a #4), 1 penalty # 1.
HIGHWOOD 12 – Ron Mathison, Marcelo Abbiati 3 (2 goals), Jared Sheldon 4 (5 goals – 3 fouls), Martin Tassara 5.
EVERGREEN Nicolai Galindo, Tom Sprung, Carlitos Galindo & Steven Paulson with Carlos & Ryder Galindo & Cindy Sprung
Tom Sprung won his second Pacific Coast Governor’s Cup in as many years as Evergreen defeated Grant Palmer and Antelope by a final count of 7 – 6 to take the 2022 victory in a very entertaining game.
Tied at halftime with three apiece, Evergreen barely hung on in the final 30 seconds as Antelope came within a ‘whisker’ of sending the game to overtime.
By playing a strong ‘two-way’ game, Antelope’s Charlie Caldwell was selected as the MVP and Nicolai Galindo’s Blue Moon was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.
EVERGREEN 6 – Tom Sprung -1, Carlitos Galindo 4 (4 goals), Nicolai Galindo 3 (2 foul conversions, 1 a #4), Steven Paulson (1 goal).
ANTELOPE 6 – Grant Palmer 1 (2 goals), Charlie Caldwell 2 (3 goals – 1 foul), Tommy Costello 2 (1 goal), Ian Schnoebelen 1.
K2/HERON HILL Gary Tondini, Kim Kelly, Dayelle Fargey, Bauti Von Wernich
K2 Heron Hill defeated Excellens Solutions by a score of 4 – 1.5 to win the 2022 USPA Amateur Cup played at the Eldorado Polo Club.
The win capped off an undefeated tournament for the winners.
Bautista Von Wernich was named the MVP and Smitten, played by Chulo Duggen and owned by Susie Dix was picked as the Best Playing Pony.
K2/HERON HILL 2 – Gary Tondini -1, Kim Kelly, Dayelle Fargey 1.5 (2 goals – 1 foul), Bautista Von Wernich 1.5 (2 goals).
EXCELLENS SOLUTIONS 1.5 – Lamar Rutherford -.5 (sub. -1), Joseph Mullens -1, Topo Mendez 1.5, Chulo Duggen 2 (1 goal).
BENSOLEIMANI.COM: Jimmy Wright, Gustavo Usandizaga, Agustin Bottaro & Ben Soleimani
Ben Soleimani and his Bensoleimani.com polo team appeared to have a rather easy time of it as they won the 2022 Spreckels Cup 12 Goal championship over Ron Mathison’s Highwood group by a final score of 14 – 8.
Leading 8 – 3 at halftime, Soleimani and Co. outscored the Canadian foursome 6 – 5 in the second three to earn the win.
With ‘his nose in every play’, Gustavo Usandizaga undoubtedly earned the title of Most Valuable Player to his team and his mare, Vuida Negra, played in the second period, was selected as the Best Playing Pony.
BENSOLEIMANI.COM 12 – Ben Soleimani (1 goal), Augustin Bottaro 3 (2 goals), Gustavo Usandizaga 5 (3 goals – 1 # 5 from 85 yards left), Jimmy Wright 4 (6 goals – 5 fouls, 1 a #6), 2 penalty # 1.
HIGHWOOD 12 – Ron Mathison, Marcelo Abbiati 3, Jared Sheldon 4 (5 goals – 1 foul), Martin Tassara 5 (3 goals – 1 penalty #4).
ANTELOPE: Grant Palmer, Jimmy Wright, Tomas Obregon & Santi Trotz with Karlene Garber & Paul Von Gontard
The 2022 12 goal Carlton & Keleen Beal Cup final, played on a perfect ‘Eldorado afternoon’, turned out to be a somewhat choppy affair as over half the goals came via foul opportunities along with one penalty #1.
To get to the decider, both Ron Mathison’s Highwood and Grant Palmer’s Antelope had to survive a shootout to decide a three-way tie at the top - with Bensoleimani.com.
Antelope led early by a 2 – 1 count going into the second but Highwood scored the only goals of that frame to lead by one at 3 – 2.
The pronghorns outscored the Canadians by a count of 3 – 1 in the third - the only Highwood goal via a penalty #1 - to lead at the half with a tally of 5 – 4.
Antelope went on to lead in the fourth and fifth periods by counts of 6 – 4, 7 – 6, leading to a final result in their favor of 10 – 7. The win was the pronghorn’s second Beal 12 goal championship in as many years.
Polo Hall of Fame Member Karleen Beal Garber was on hand to bestow the winner’s spoils to Palmer and his group, and she also presented the Most Valuable Player award to Antelope’s Santiago Trotz and Grant Palmer’s Noche Salvaje - fifth chukker – as the Best Playing Pony.
ANTELOPE 12 – Grant Palmer 1, Santiago Trotz 3 (1 goal), Jim Wright 4 (6 goals - 5 fouls of which 2 #4) Tomas Obregon 4 (3 fouls).
HIGHWOOD 12 – Ron Mathison, Marcelo Rodriguez Abbiati 3, Jared Sheldon 4 (3 goals), Martin Tassara 5 (3 goals – 3 fouls of which 2 #4), 1 penalty #1.
BUSH LEAGUE Virgil Kyle, Ulysses Escapite, Alejandro Gonzalez, & Quinn Kyle with Eiza Escapite & Andrea Salas
Virgil Kyle’s Bush League organization was victorious in the Beal 8 goal final over Sy Zahedi and Leslie Tim’s Chogan/Wild Polo.
Tied at halftime and after the fourth period, Bush League went on to outscore Chogan/Wild by a count of 5 – 2 in the final two frames to take an 11 – 8 win.
Ale Gonzalez was chosen as the MVP and Sahara, played by Ulysses Escapite wore the BPP blanket.
BUSH LEAGUE 8 – Virgil Kyle, Quinn Kyle (4 goals – all fouls), Ulysses Escapite 4 (2 goals), Alejandro Gonzalez 4 (5 goals).
CHOGAN/WILD POLO 7 – Sy Zahedi (1 goal), Leslie Tims (4 goals), Tim Rudy 3, Mariano Gutierrez 4 (2 goals), 1 goal on handicap.
Lockton Tim Kelly, Mica Saracco, Maximiliano Menini, Bayne Bossom with Jorge & Reagen Ferrau, Felipe Saracco, Karlene Garber & Paul Von Gontard.
Tim Kelly and his Lockton polo team have had a perfect 2022 season in the Eldorado 6 Goal series.
Their third championship win, in as many tries, and played in front of a very large and boisterous Cantina lunchtime crowd, came in the February 12th Carlton and Keleen Beal Cup by a final tally of 11 – 6 over Elise Bigelow and Sukey Forbe’s La Fortuna/Mother Chukker.
Trailing only once – 2 – 1 in the early first chukker – Lockton ran easily to a ‘halftime’ lead at 8 – 3 after the third in the five period contest.
The count was 10 – 4 after the penultimate frame and the Kelly group moved on to easily earn the podium trifecta.
Polo Hall of Fame member Karleen Beal Garber – daughter of Carlton and Keleen Beal – was on hand to present the awards.
Showing a maturity beyond her years and continuously being able to make plays to help her teammates, Micaela Saracco was tabbed as the Most Valuable Player to her team, and Max Menini’s Barquito earned the title of Best Playing Pony.
LOCKTON 6 – Tim Kelly, Micaela Saracco (1 goal), Max Menini 4 (4 goals) Bayne Bossom 2 (6 goals – 3 fouls).
LA FORTUNA/MOTHER CHUKKER 6 – Elise Bigelow -1, Sukey Forbes -1 (1 goal), Luis Saracco 4 (4 goals – 1 foul), Ignacio Deltour 4 (1 goal).
