2019 Bella Vista Designs USPA Regional Presidents Cup
Sapa/Gipsy conquered their opponent BenSoleimani.com in the final seconds of regulation play. With 28 seconds remaining, Most Valuable Player Santi Wulff tapped the ball once from centerfield before shooting it through the goal posts with ease to secure the Bella Vista Designs USPA Regional Presidents Cup for Sapa/Gipsy 8-7.
The first score of the match did not come until the second chukker when Santi Von Wernich converted a 30-yard penalty for BenSoleimani.com. The team capitalized on their ability to open up the field, scoring twice more in the chukker to take the lead over Sapa/Gipsy 3-1.
Remy Muller pushed the team further ahead in the third chukker, adding two points to the score. After two missed sixty-yard penalty shots, Sapa/Gipsy kept themselves in the game by converting a penalty three to end the half 5-2 in favor of BenSolemani.com
A scoreless fourth chukker kept both teams alert as three shots on goal missed their mark leaving the score at 5-2 with BenSoleimani.com in the lead.
BenSoleimani.com doubled down on defense preventing Sapa/Gipsy from closing the gap in the score. A penalty conversion by Menini and a field goal by Von Wernich pushed the score up by only one point for each team.
BenSoleimani.com added their final goal of the match early in the sixth chukker to tally seven goals and establish a four-goal lead. Sapa/Gipsy met the challenge head on outscoring BenSoleimani.com 5-1 in the final seven and a half minutes of play. A penalty shot from Menini and a goal by Igor Seyranov were added to two penalty conversions by Wulff. Wulff’s final goal from the field came after a penalty one was awarded to Sapa/Gipsy and the ball placed at midfield after the tying score was placed on the scoreboard. A slight tap forward teed the ball up for Wulff, giving him a perfectly aligned shot to goal, winning the game for Sapa/Gipsy.
Santi Von Wernich’s Cassanova was awarded Best Playing Pony for her performance in the third and sixth chukker. A special Best Playing Patron Pony was awarded to Ben Soleimani’s sixth chukker mare, Eleanor.