The format of the Polo Skins Game, played in conjuction with the USPA Rossmore Cup, allows that on occasion, the number of chukkers won can be even and, at the same time, one team can win the overall count by many goals.
Such was the case on Sunday afternoon, March 24th – presented by Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky – as Ben Soleimani’s Bensoleimani.com (Ben Soleimani, Santiago Von Wernich 5, Remi Du Celliee Muller 3, Tomi Alberdi 4) and Canadian Ron Matherson’s Highwood (Ron Matherson, Marcelo Rodriguez-Abbiati 4, Marcos Llambias 4, Francisco Rodriguez-Mera 4) met in the 25th annual Skins contest with each team winning three chukkers – to split the $30,000 available – and Highwood winning the Rossmore Cup by a final count of 13 – 8.
In front of a typical Skins crowd – huge with a party atmosphere – and on a perfect afternoon, the first period saw the early money going to Highwood as Rodriguez-Abbiati and Llambias scored field goals with an open goal reply from Bensoleimani.com’s Alberdi with a spot hit from inside thirty yards. Highwood $5000 and a Rossmore lead at 2- 1.
The second frame featured extremely tight play with three penalty three coversions – a pair from the Soleimani group’s Alberdi and a single from Highwood’s Rodriguez-Mera. Bensoleimani.com $5000 and the Rossmore tied at 3 – 3.
The designers continued the second period pressure into the third as Alberdi counted another penalty three award along with a field goal. The lone Highwood goal came from Rodriguez-Mera with another 40 yard free-throw conversion and Bensoleimani.com won their second skin and now had banked $10,000 and led the Rossmore at 5 – 4.
Following the Sophia halftime divot stomp, play in the fourth chukker opened up considerably and was all Highwood as Rodriguez-Mera scored three field goals with nary a reply from the rug merchants. The addition of the $5000 gave the Canadian crew $10,000 and a Rossmore lead of two at 7 – 5.
The Soleimani group recovered in the fifth period as Alberdi counted another penalty three award along with a field goal and Von Wernich counted one from the field. Highwood kept it close with a pair of 40 yard open goal counters from Rodriguez-Mera but the skin was Bensoleimani.com’s and gave them a total of $15,000. However, Highwood continued to lead the Rossmore at 9 – 8.
With many on hand thinking that the designers would come out strong in the sixth – they didn’t. Instead the strength was with the Canadians as they took absolute control and ran over the Soleimani group to score four unanswered goals – Rodriguez-Mera with three more open goal counters – a two from the spot, a two, and a three – and another field goal from Llambias. Bensoleimani.com was powerless as Highwood grabbed the final $5,000 to even the count at $15,000 each. With the deluge, Highwood won the Rossmore Cup by a large margin at 13 – 8.
With each team winning three chukkers to split the money, the difference in the Rossmore Cup was two strong chukkers from Highwood in which they scored seven unananswered goals. As mentioned earlier, in the Skins, an even game by the money count can be – and was – much different in the overall score.
With his strong effort inside the game to move the ball to advantageous spots along with his strong defensive play, Llambias was selected as the MVP and as such, he was the recipient of a check for $2,500.
Argentina, owned and played by Rodriguez-Abbiati in the fouth was chosen as the Best Playing Pony. Along with the BPP Blanket, Argentina garnered a $2,500 award.
Ed Adams, Master of Whisky and representing Oban & Lagavulin, presented bottles of Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky to the winners.
Mike Ward, the President of the Eldorado Polo Club, was on hand to award the $5,000 Skins checks as well as the USPA Rossmore Cup to Highwood.
Tony Gregg