Team Dublin Captures Gladiator Polo

Team Dublin Captures Gladiator Polo™ Championship Final Presented by Palm Beach County Sports Commission After Intense Match with Team Palm Beach in U.S. Polo Assn. Coliseum

Team Dublin sponsored by Horseware Ireland rallied from a loss at the beginning of the season to reign supreme atop the Gladiator Polo™ standings after besting Team Palm Beach sponsored by Five Star Builders in the Gladiator Polo™ Championship Final with a final score of 17-14. Team Dublin surged back from an early deficit in the first few chukkers of the match to overtake the lead in the fifth chukker to ultimately secure their win. Gladiator Polo™ will return to Wellington in 2020 and a game schedule for the remainder of the 2019 season will be published in the coming weeks.

Team Dublin presented by Horseware Ireland raced to victory in the

Gladiator Polo™ Championship Final over Team Palm Beach presented by 5 Star Builders

on a final score of 17-14.

Team Dublin’s three players shined as Mariano Obregon, Juan Martin Obregon, and Tito Ruiz worked efficiently and effectively to help bring their team back into the match after halftime. The trio cut the score to one in the fourth chukker after keeping Team Palm Beach scoreless. Team Palm Beach, which saw fantastic play from Geronimo Obregon, Toro Ruiz, and Tommy Biddle, almost sent the match into overtime after nearly tying the game in the sixth chukker with Obregon and Ruiz tallying a combined three points for Team Palm Beach.

Team Palm Beach’s Toro Ruiz played a masterful game, tallying points in each chukker except the fourth to help keep Team Palm Beach in the hunt for the 2019 title. Geronimo Obregon supported the effort with five points, while the team’s anchor in Tommy Biddle, played a more defensive role in the match.

Team Dublin surged in the second half of the match to claim top honors in front of a full house at

U.S. Polo Assn. Coliseum at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Mariano Obregon, who has played strongly throughout the 2019 season earned his second Most Valuable Player Award presented by Palm Beach Equine Clinic of the season, this time honoring his performance in the final match, which saw him total five points in the match and help lift Team Dublin to victory. Obregon, who has been an integral player in the Gladiator Polo™ league since its inception in 2017, commented on the season and his team’s performance in the final match.

Team Dublin’s Mariano Obregon was presented with his second Most Valuable Player award

of the season for his outstanding team play.

“We started shooting on goal early, but didn’t make that many and then in the second half they started to go in. We just kept shooting and even when we were down by three or four, we kept our cool and kept going through the game and it eventually paid off,” he said. “We had a team change early in the season since one of our players was injured. Juan Martin jumped in and I’ve played with him a lot. He’s my brother, so it worked out really well.”

As for the future of Gladiator Polo™, Obregon is excited to explore the potential opportunities that will come from this new derivative of polo, which he believes will help expand and grow the sport. “It’s amazing. I really hope that we can get it going and get it on television, but it’s a lot of fun to play for sure and I think the spectators really enjoy it. There’s a lot of contact and back and forth. We try to make it quick and make it fun for everyone,” he explained.

Team Dublin (L-R) Juan Martin Obregon, Mariano Obregon, and Tito Ruiz in their presentation ceremony with Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Gladiator Polo™; Tom MacGuinness, CEO & Founder of Horseware Ireland; George Linley, Executive Director of Palm Beach County Sports Commission; and Glen Allen, Director of Sports Development for Palm Beach County Sports Commission.

Team Dublin’s owner and CEO & Founder of Horseware Ireland, Tom MacGuinness, commented on the success of the final match and expressed his support and appreciation of the creativity and passion of Gladiator Polo™ CEO Mark Bellissimo, who helped bring the league to life at its new home in U.S. Polo Assn. Coliseum at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank Mark because this is a product of Mark’s imagination and Horseware was a product of my imagination. The world is about our imagination and how we can imagine something better and something different. I personally believe we can get this on ESPN and turn polo into a phenomenal mainstream sport.”

To learn more about Gladiator Polo™, please visit www.gladiatorpolo.com.