With three talented teenagers, Chateau D’esclans won the Sunny Hale’s Legacy WCT Final Tournament with a 7-3 victory over CrossFit El Cid Sunday at Grand Champions Polo Club. They dominated the game from start-to-finish. After three chukkers, Chateau D’esclans led CrossFit El Cid 7-1. Chateau D’esclans, the lowest handicap team rated at 21 goals advanced into the final with impressive round-robin qualifying wins over CrossFit El Cid, 8-5, and San Saba, 11-2.
Several fathers watched proudly from the sidelines including Miguel Novillo Astrada.
8-Goal championship final
Grand Champions (Summer Kneece, 0, Gracie Brown, 2, Malia Bryan, 3, Sydney Jordan, 1) led by MVP Bryan, defeated Catena (Olivia Uetztrich, 2, Catherine Roze, 1, Malicia Von Falkenhausen, 2/Rebecca Clark, 2, Jennifer Williams, 3), 5.5-0 in a shortened game in the third chukker. Bryan and Kneece each had two goals.
Captain MVP Award: Jennifer Williams.
MVP: Malia Bryan.
Whispering Angel Wine BPP and APHA best registered horse of the final: Tiare, played by Malia Bryan.
16-Goal title game
G-String/Amista Polo (Olivia Merlos, 2, Hope Arellano, 4, Malia Bryan, 3, Gillian Johnston, 2), led by MVP Arellano, defeated Hawaii Polo Life (Olivia Uetztrich, 2, Pamela Flanagan, 3, Mia Cambiaso, 5, Courtney Asdoourain, 6), 3.5-3. Cambiaso, who competed in two finals, scored all three of her team’s goals. Merlos, Arellano and Johnston each had one goal.
Captain MVP Award: Gillian Johnston.
MVP: Hope Arellano.
Museum of Polo BPP and APHA best registered horse of the final: Canadian thoroughbred Cricket, played by Pamela Flanagan.
The tournament is named in honor of legendary Hall of Famer Sunset “Sunny” Hale. The WCT is the only women’s polo event of its kind. The largest polo league in the world has grown in popularity since its inception in 2005. The WCT Final, adult and junior qualifiers have U.S. and international players with more than 20 qualifiers in the U.S. alone.
Hale, the first woman in U.S. history to win the U.S. Open in 2000 with Outback and part-time Wellington resident, died February 26, 2017 in Norman, Okla. due to complications from cancer. She was 48.
Women’s polo remains the largest growing sector in polo, aided by the WCT Series which has helped consolidate women’s polo and promote high quality competition throughout the world.
Chateau D’esclans: Riley Ganzi 2, Mía Cambiaso 5 (3 goals), Mía Novillo Astrada 4 (1), Nina Clarkin 10 (3). Total: 21.
Crossfit El Cid: Paige McCabe 6, Cecelia Cochran 5, Tiffany Busch 6 (3 goals), Sarah Wiseman 8. Total: 25.
MVP of the final: Mía Cambiaso.
Whispering Angel Tournament MVP and Captain MVP awards: Nina Clarkin.
Catena BPP and APHA best registered horse of the final: Open Oro, played by Clarkin and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm.