Action continued at International Polo Club, in Wellington, with two matches for the US Open Polo Championship.The weekend marked the debut of Flexjet and Valiente, finalists of the USPA Gold Cup, the second most important tournament of the season. Melissa Ganzi’s Flexjet played on Saturday, taking a comfortable 9-4 victory over Colorado. Towards the end of the match, Alejandro Novillo Astrada stepped in for an injured Rodrigo Andrade.
Valiente & US Polo Assn headlined first Sunday Game of the tournament. Grant Ganzi’s team put up a good fight in the first half – the match was tied 4-all by halftime – but Valiente pulled ahead in the fourth and fifth, and they were able to claim their first US Open win. Valiente remains undefeated so far this season.
The detail on the matches was as follows:
VALIENTE 9-6 US POLO ASSN
Valiente: Bob Jornayvaz 2, Tommy Beresford 4 (3 goals), Facundo Pieres 10 (4), Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (2). Total: 26.
US Polo Assn: Grant Ganzi 2 (2 goals), Juancito Bollini 4, Alejandro Novillo Astrada 8, Juan Martín Nero 10 (4). Total: 24.
Score Valiente: 2-2, 3-2, 4-4, 6-4, 8-5, 9-6.
BPP: Pecorina, played by Facundo Pieres, owned by Curtis Pilot.
MVP: Tommy Beresford.
SÁBADO: FLEXJET 9-4 COLORADO
Flexjet: Melissa Ganzi A, Nico Pieres 8 (4 goals), Gonzalito Pieres 9 (5), Rodrigo Andrade 9 (Replaced by Alejandro Novillo Astrada 8). Total: 26.
Colorado: Rob Jornayvaz 1 (1 goal), Magoo Laprida 8, Juan Britos 7 (1), Diego Cavanagh 9 (2). Total: 25.
Score Flexjet: 1-0, 2-1, 3-4, 5-4, 7-4, 9-4.
The order of play at the International Polo Cup for the upcoming days is as follows:
US OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP (26 Goals)
Wednesday:
12pm: Daily Racing Form vs. Flexjet
4pm: Audi vs. Valiente