Audi Wins Texas Polo Challenge Cup
By Alex Webbe
Audi scored two goals at the tail end of the match to ride off with an 8-6 win over Palm City in the finals of the Texas Polo Challenge Cup at the Port Mayaca Polo Club on Monday afternoon.
Audi received two goals by handicap from the 16-goal Palm City team and managed just a single goal by Stevie Orthwein in the opening chukker to trail, 2-1.
Stevie Orthwein scored the first goal of the second chukker to tie it at 2-2. Julio Gracida’s first goal of the game put Palm City up 3-2, but the lead was short-lived. Kris Kampsen tied it at 3-3 as he converted a penalty shot for a goal as the chukker ended.
Marc Ganzi led the Palm City charge in the third period scoring once from the field and converting a penalty shot for another goal. Ganzi’s teammates helped him shut out the Audi offense, and Palm City retired to the end of the field at the end of the first half with a 5-3 lead.
“I never thought we would lose,” said Audi’s Juan Bollini. “I thought that if we could hold on during the third and fourth chukkers we would have the horses to outplay then at the end of the game.”
Kampsen’s second goal of the day cut the Palm City lead to a single goal, 5-4, but a closing goal by Ganzi had Audi trailing 6-4.
Bollini’s prediction began to come true in the fifth chukker as Audi rang up two goals while holding Palm City scoreless. At the end of five chukkers of play the teams were tied at 6-6.
Both teams pressed for the ball throughout the final chukker of play. Kampsen scored the first goal to put Audi up 7-6 while Orthwein’s second goal of the game iced it. The Audi defense had shutout Palm City for a second consecutive chukker while its offense put two more goals on the scoreboard for the 8-6 win.
Kampsen led all scoring with five goals, teammate Orthwein scored three times in the win. Marc Ganzi led Palm City with three goals. Gracida scored once and Palm City received two goals by handicap.
Audi’s solid Back, Steve Orthwein, was named MVP while Main Attraction; a 14-year-old gray gelding ridden by Juan Bollini was named Best Playing Pony.
PORT MAYACA 14, GRAND CHAMPIONS 5
Earlier In the day, a balanced Port Mayaca attack destroyed Grand Champions 14-5 in the consolation round of the tournament.
Brothers, Mariano and Carlitos Gracida combined for four first-half goals as Port Mayaca galloped off to a 9-2 halftime advantage.
Grand Champions made a run for it in the fourth chukker, as Brandon Phillips scored two goals from the field and Brad Blake added a third, but Port Mayaca had plenty of ammunition of its own left. Single goals from Mariano Gracida, Carlitos Gracida and Charlie Muldoon put Port Mayaca on top 12-5, and shut down the Grand Champions offense for the duration of the match.
Carlitos Gracida scored his fourth and fifth goals in the final chukker as Port Mayaca took the tournament title in a 14-5 game.
Tournament action is scheduled to continue at the Grand Champions Polo Club this week with matches slated for Thursday and Friday.