Valiente secured a tight 10-9 win over Pilot to win the CV Whitney Cup, the first leg of the prestigious The Gauntlet of Polo, on Sunday, February 26, at the brand new USPA-owned National Polo Center-Wellington, set in Wellington, Florida. The winning goal was scored by Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez halfway through the last chukka.
Reigning champions Pilot got off to a better start, ending the first chukka 3-2 up. From the second chukka onwards, however, Valiente, with Adolfo Cambiaso back in the saddle after a quick trip to Argentina due to urgent family affairs, bounced back and claimed the lead. However, the goal difference between both teams was always very close. Curtis Pilot’s team put pressure on Bob Jornayvaz’s lineup until they were down by just one goal (8-9) with one chukka left to play. In the sixth chukka, Pilot were able to tie the game 9-all, but Valiente replied quickly. Halfway through the last chukka, Peke Gonzalez found the flags, scoring to give Bob Jornayvaz’s team the title. Valiente’s victory was one of the best comebacks of the 22-goal season in Palm Beach for the Colorado-based organization.
Originally known as the U.S. Handicap, the C.V. Whitney Cup was first played in 1979. Nine years later, in 1988, the tournament was renamed for C.V. (Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny”) Whitney, an avid polo player, three-time winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship (1928,1937, 1938) and son of 10-goal Hall of Famer, Harry Payne Whitney. Serving as the first tournament of the three-part Gauntlet of Polo since 2019, the C.V. Whitney Cup sees twelve teams, up to 22 goals, compete, all of which will play the USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship, following the starting leg of the series.
CV WHITNEY CUP – FINAL – SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
VALIENTE 10-9 PILOT
Valiente: Bob Jornayvaz 0, Lucas Criado Jr. 6 (6 goals), Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez 6 (3), Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (1). Total: 22.
Pilot: Curtis Pilot 0, Facundo Pieres 10 (8 goals), Lucas Escobar 4 (1), Matias Torres Zavaleta 8. Total: 22.
Score Valiente: 2-3, 5-3, 6-4, 8-6, 9-8, 10-9.
Umpires: Gastón Lucero & Kimo Huddleston.
Third man: Martín Pascual.
MVP: Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez.
BPP: Carpacho, ridden by Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez.
Best Polo Argentino Bred, presented by the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Assn.: Mega Espía, ridden by Facundo Pieres.
IMAGES
CV Whitney Cup, Final – Valiente vs. Pilot
The CV Whitney Cup saw twelve teams, split into four leagues, compete.