CAVALLO RANCH - Tomas Obregon, Alejandro Gonzalez, Max Menini, John Bickford
USPA rule 18 states; the team with the most goals wins the game. Doesn’t say anything about when you get them.
On another perfect afternoon at Southern California’s Eldorado Polo Club, John Bickford’s Cavallo Ranch (John Bickford 1, Max Menini 4. Tomas Obregon 4, Alejandro Gonzalez 3) proved that this is indeed the way it goes as they trailed pretty much throughout but scored four unanswered goals in the sixth and final period to defeat Ben Soleimani and his Bensoleimani.com foursome (Ben Soleimani, Juan Curbelo 5, Tomas Alberdi 4, Remy Du Celliee Muller 3) by a final count of 10 – 8 to win the 2012 USPA Spreckels Cup 12 Goal.
In a running and open game that featured seven goals in the first, five in the sixth, and only six in the middle four chukkers, Bensoleiman.com started quickly as Alberdi, Curbelo, and Du Celliee Muller each counted from the field to lead by three. Obregon got one of those back with a penalty three conversion for Cavallo, but Curbelo replied with a 40 yard conversion of his own and the lead was once again three at 4 – 1. Gonzalez scored his first of the contest for Cavallo to come within a pair followed by a second successful Obregon penalty three effort and the high scoring first was over with Bensoeimani.com led by one at 4 – 3.
The wide open polo with great defensive play continued in the second. However, goals were hard to come by and only two were posted. Alberdi with his second for the internet group and Obregon for the ranchers. Bensoleimani.com again led by one at 5 – 4.
The third chukker was pretty much the second – a lot of wide open polo with just a single goal for each side. Cavallo drew even with another Obregon penalty three conversion, but a well placed Soleimani took back the one goal lead going to the half at 6 – 5.
The wonderful offensive and defensive polo continued in the fourth period. But with nary a goal to be found and the Bensoleimani lead remained one.
In the fifth, an Obregon open goal strike from 30 yards brought Cavallo back to even at 6 – 6 but Alberdi’s third field goal took back the lead for the Soleimani group at 7 -6 with one period to go in regulation.
Bensoleimani.com pressure on the Cavallo goal in the early sixth resulted in a Curbelo penalty three conversion to extend their lead to a pair at 8 – 6 and given the course of the game to this point, it appeared that the internet foursome might very well win. However, the Cavallo group, en masse, pulled it together with a huge effort. The first payoff was another Obregon penalty three goal to again come to within one. Then Bickford, starting from 70 yards and near the boards on the right and under pressure the entire way, carried the ball to score and tie the count at eight. Momentum was most definitely riding with the ranchers now as Menini gave Cavallo its first lead of the day – with 90 seconds left - on a spectacular 125 yard penalty five strike from 30 yards to the left. With Bensoleimani.com on the ropes, Gonzalez completed the unanswered scoring spree to give Cavallo, according to Rule 18, a comeback 2021 12 Goal USPA Spreckels Cup victory.
As is tradition, the winners receive not only the Spreckels Cup, but the two dozen red roses that go along with it.
Gonzalez, with continued strong and unselfish play, was chosen as the MVP and Dobel, owned and played by Gonzalez, wore the Best Playing Pony blanket back to the barn.
Tony Gregg