Along the Sideboards
By Alex Webbe
January 18, 2010
The semifinals were finally set for the 2010 20-goal Joe Barry memorial Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington Florida when Lucchese held on to beat the Hawks this afternoon 12-11 and win its respective bracket with a 2-0 record.
Zacara (2-0) and Patagones (2-0) had already won their respective brackets, earning them a trip to the semifinals. Ironically, in spite of the loss suffered by the Hawks, they, too, will be playing in the semifinals. While the three bracket winners automatically advance, the fourth playoff team was to be chosen from three 1-1 teams, decided on net goals scored (+6).
Thursday’s semifinals of the 2010 Joe Barry Memorial Cup will feature Zacara against Lucchese at 1 pm while Patagones will face the Hawks at 3 pm. The finals are scheduled to be played at 3 pm on Sunday.
Following Thursday’s semifinals, there will be a draw for the 2010 Ylvisaker Cup with the same field of nine teams competing. The 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup will run thru February 14.
Introducing medium-goal polo for the first time, the International Polo Club has fielded six teams in both the 14-Goal Wanderer’s Cup as well as the 12-Goal IPC Cup.
“Smokin” Joe Henderson is in Wellington and he’s playing in the 12-goal league at the Gulfstream Polo Club. A former 8-goaler on the field who was named MVP of the 1993 US Open, Henderson is only the third player in history to be rated at 10-goals in the arena.
Henderson and Ruben Gracida have organized a polo school at the Gulfstream Polo Club with instruction in both arena and field polo. No stranger to the US Open himself, Ruben was also a former 8-goaler who played on four winning Open teams. His brand new arena was constructed on his property at the club.
The Annual Outback 40 Goal Challenge to benefit the Polo Players Support Group is scheduled to take place at the International Polo Club on Saturday, February 13. To date, the Polo Players Support Group has issued 54 assistance grants to 32 different injured or ill players and grooms.
Although the team lineups haven’t been listed yet, Dave Offen, the event organizer, promised an all-star roster. With eleven 10-goal players in town this winter it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Piggybacking the 40-goal is this year’s fundraiser for the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. With the theme “So You Think You Can Ride?”, the event will feature a Mechanical Bull Riding Contest that is expected to tax even the best horsemen.
Although it’s been three years since Erich Koch’s Jedi team (with son Thorston Koch leading the team) played in the finals of the US Open, he continues to bring top players to his Wellington facility for ongoing practice games. Numbered among his cast of players this year are Sebastian and Agustin Merlos and Alex Goti.
Peter Grace and his wife Elizabeth have returned to Florida for another season. He will offer coaching and instruction to individuals at the International Polo Club throughout the winter, Elizabeth will meet with friends and enjoy the high-goal polo matches.
Outback at Hobe Sound finally got the Hobe Sound Polo Club off the ground with eight teams playing in the 8-goal Norman Brinker Memorial Tournament.