Along the Sideboards
By Alex Webbe
December 28, 2009
The Argentine Polo Association issued its latest handicap adjustments resulting in one fewer 10-goaler as Agustin Merlos has his handicap lowered to 9-goals. Argentina continues to have bragging rights as the home of all ten 10-goalers, eight of which will be traveling to Florida to compete in the 2010 winter season at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Other Argentine handicaps that were affected were Adolfo Cambiaso’s winter teammate on the Crab Orchard team, Hilario Ulloa, who saw his handicap raised from 8 to9, as did Pelon Sterling. Inaki Laprida’s handicap went from 5 to 6-goals; both Magoo Laprida and Alejandro Novillo Astrada’s handicaps went from 7 to 8; while both Tomas Garcia Del Rio and Fred Mannix, Jr. saw their handicaps go from 5 to 7-goals. Lucas James also saw his handicap elevated from 7 to 8-goals while aging polo icon Memo Gracida had his handicap lowered from 8 to 7-goals.
The 2010 polo winter polo season in Florida is just around the corner and will get a kick-off on Wednesday, December 30th when the International Polo Club Palm Beach holds its annual Press Conference. Eleven 20-goal teams will be taking part in the club’s opening 20-goal Iglehart Cup, slated to begin on Sunday, January 3rd. There will be a draw for the opening Iglehart Cup, 20-goal competition as well. Action is slated to begin on Sunday, January 3, 2009.
Piaget CEO Larry Boland will be on hand to launch the number one field, Piaget Field, for the 2010 season as well as player and the face of Ralph Lauren’s POLO brand, Nacho Figueras and America’s highest rated player, 9-goaler Nick Roldan. Lechuza Caracas manager Esteban Scott will speak to the press following their 2009 US Open tragedy while IPC club owner John Goodman and President of Club Operations, John Wash introduce the VIPs to the press.
The Holiday Family Tournament at the Port Mayaca Polo Club is scheduled to begin play in two brackets on Tuesday, December 29th. Four teams in each bracket will compete in 6-goal and 10-goal play. The Quraeshis, the Scherers, the Orthweins and the Von Gontards as well as Omar Sosa and son Matias will take the field in 6-goal action while Mike and Robbie Egan, Carlitos and Weston Gracida, the Gracidas, the Gonzalez family and the Orthweins and Tiffany Busch will compete in 10-goal match play.
Tournament play will continue on Thursday, December 31st and end with the finals on Saturday, January 2nd.