Ayala defeated BN Polo by 15 goals to 9 to win the medium goal Terralpa Silver Cup at Santa María Polo Club. The Covap Cup, played prior the main final, went to Dos Lunas La Hacienda. The tournament marks the second stage of the 50th Anniversary Torneo Internacional de Polo by La Reserva Club de Sotogrande.
The much anticipated final got off to a very intense start. The first two chukkas were hard fought. After a 5-all tie, the third chukka saw Babar Naseem’s team, BN Polo, take a two goal lead. Ayala found their rhythm in the second half, even with a player less for two minutes of play. From then onwards, Iñigo Zobel’s boys scored five unanswered goals to take control of the match.
BN Polo struggled to score as Ayala held them back. Polito Pieres, Ayala’s star player, scored 10 goals throughout the final to give Ayala the coveted trophy. A remarkable comeback to the high goal in Sotogrande for Ayala!
In the awards ceremony, the teams were joined by renowned personalities such as Ramón Hermosilla, Delegate Counselor of Terralpa; Alta Expresion Cvap’s Rafael Guerrero; Media Partner Revista Hola’s Asunta Sánchez Moreu; and Ana Ruiz, Delegada de Turismo de San Roque.
Sotogrande’s 50th anniversary tournament is being played at Ayala Polo Club, Santa María Polo Club, and Dos Lunas Polo & Dressage. The tournament sees twelve teams, split into two categories, compete. The high goal is for 18-20 goal teams, while the medium goal is for 12-14 goal teams.
BOTH THE HIGH GOAL 50th ANNIVERSARY TORNEO INTERNACIONAL DE POLO BY LA RESERVA CLUB DE SOTOGRANDE AND THE MEDIUM GOAL SEMIFINALS AND FINAL WILL BE STREAMED LIVE ON POLOLINE TV HERE.
FINAL – TERRALPA SILVER CUP (HIGH GOAL): AYALA 15-9 BN POLO
AYALA: Iñigo Zobel 0, Benjamin Panelo 5 (3 goals) (replaced by Mackenzie Weisz, 4, in the fourth chukka), Santiago Laborde 6 (2), Pablo Pieres 9 (10). Total: 20.
BN POLO: Babar Nassem 0, Marcos Araya 6 (4 goals), Hilario Ulloa 10 (5), Pelayo Berazadi 4. Total: 20.
Score Ayala: 3-2, 5-5, 6-7, 11-7, 14-8, 15-9.
Umpires: Matías Baibiene & Federico Martelli.
Third Man: Esteban Ferrari.
MVP: Pablo Pieres.
Fair Play Award: Babar Nassem.
Best Playing Pony: Fanta, ridden by Pablo Pieres, owned by Juan Martín Nero.
Best Polo Argentino Bred, presented by the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Association: Lavinia Cautiva, ridden by Hilario Ulloa.
FINAL COVAP CUP: DOS LUNAS LA HACIENDA 13-9 SAINTE MESME
DOS LUNAS LA HACIENDA: Pascual Sainz de Vicuña 5, Luis Domecq 2, Joaquin Pittaluga 7, Martin Iturraspe 5. Total: 19.
SAINTE MESME: Pacho Padmanabh Singh 3, Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario 6, Clemente Zavaleta 7, Robert Strom 4. Total: 20.
The 50 Anniversary Torneo Internacional de Polo by La Reserva Club Sotogrande will resume on Monday, August 16, with the 50 Anniversary Gold Cup. Twelve teams, split into High Goal (18-20 goals) and Medium Goal (12-14 goals) categories, will compete.
PHOTO CREDIT: MATÍAS CALLEJO.