Along the Sideboards
By Alex Webbe
July 13, 2009
A full weekend of polo from coast to coast saw victories in the finals of the East Coast Open at the Greenwich Polo Club and Santa Barbara Polo Club’s first 20-goal competition of the season, the Mayors Cup.
White Birch managed to survive a second half rally by a determined Airstream team to capture the 2009 East Coast Open on the strength of a 10-9victory.
Airstream’s Michelle Dorignac was named MVP, while Mariano Aguerre’s Esterlina received Best Playing Pony Honors.
On the West Coast it was Audi over Piocho Ranch, 16-15, led by 11 goals from Kris Kampsen. Kampsen credited the teamwork of the Audi team for the win while Memo and Julio Gracida and the balance of the Piocho Ranch team blew a two-goal lead in the final chukker.
Kampsen scored two goals in the final chukker to tie the match at 15-15, and with seconds on the clock, Juan Bollini received a long pass from Luis Escobar, wove his way through the Piocho defenders and scored the winning goal.
“We changed the way we were lining up for the throw-ins in the sixth chukker,” said Kampsen, “and Juan (Bollini) won everything.”
Kampsen credited Luis Escobar with pinpoint passing throughout the match and a recently acquired 7-year-old chestnut gelding named Oswald that he recently picked up from John Eicher of Crestview Farm.
“Great horse,” said Kampsen, “he let me do anything I wanted to and then some.”
High goal play will continue this week with the inauguration of the Bill Triller Memorial Cup.
The 2009 Mercedes-Benz Cup is set to kick off at the Bridgehampton Polo Club in the
Black Watch and White Birch will be joined by Certified, Equuleus, Great Oaks and Cinque Terre/Heathcote.