Biddle leads Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club to arena win

Biddle leads Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club to arena Win

ByAlex Webbe

For the fourth straight week the Palm Beach Polo and HuntClub provided the venue for high-goal arena polo under the stars as Tommy Biddleled the home team (Biddle, Tom Blake and Brett Gearwar) to a hard-fought 10-6win over a talented trio representing The Tackeria (Jorge Estrada, MartinRavina and Whistle Uys) in front of a relatively sparse but enthusiastic crowd.

“I think the threat of rain might have scared off some ofour usual crowd,” offered polo club manager Juan Olivera.  “We got rain earlier in the day and somepeople thought that we wouldn’t be able to play tonight,” he added.

Scattered among the spectators were USPA Chairman ChuckWeaver and USPA Secretary Joe Meyer.

“I’m really looking forward to this,” said Meyer, “It’s agreat facility and there’s a good deal of support here as well.”

Jorge Estrada (2) scored the first goal as a quick paceof play was established from the beginning. Biddle showed why he is the arena game’s only 10-goal player momentslater with his first goal of the game, 1-1. Martin Ravina (6) closed out the opening chukker with a go-ahead goalfor The Tackeria who left the arena for fresh ponies on top of a 2-1 lead.

Bret Gearwar (1), a member of the young USPA team scoredfor Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club in the second chukker to tie it up at 2-2,but a goal from Estrada put The Tackeria back in the lead, 3-2.  Biddle’s second goal of the game pulled PalmBeach Polo and Hunt Club even at 3-3, but a goal from South African 5-goalerWhistle Uys ended the first half with The Tackeria on top of a 4-3 score.

“It looks like a great playing surface,” said Middleburg,Virginia’s Andrea Ross.  “We’ve got agreat arena in The Plains (Great Meadow Polo Club), but the level of playtonight is superb.”

A refreshed Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club team returnedto the arena after a brief halftime intermission, and Biddle quickly went towork.  In less than a minute the10-goaler tied it up at 4-4, but Estrada responded almost as quickly, giving TheTackeria a one goal, 5-4 advantage. Biddle’s fourth goal of the game tied it up at 5-5, and teammate TomBlake scored the go-ahead goal with Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club riding out ofthe arena at the end of the third chukker with their first lead of the game,6-5.

“I knew that Brett (Gearwar) was a good player,” saidBiddle, “I had played with him in Long Island, but I don’t think he wascomfortable with the horses he played in the opening three chukkers.  In the final chukker, he showed what he coulddo.”

Biddle continued to be the pupped-master for his team inthe fourth period, passing the ball ahead to waiting teammates, turning defenseinto offense with powerful backhanders and carrying the ball through theopposition with relative ease, but his supporting cast took the limelight inthe final chukker of play.

Blake extended the Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club lead totwo goals, 7-5, with his second goal of the game, but Uys answered with a goalfor The Tackeria.  Gearwar scored atwo-pointer from beyond the midfield line as Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club’slead grew to three goals, 9-6.  Behindthe intimidating presence of Biddle, Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club continued topress the attack, with Gearwar scoring the final goal of the match for the 10-6win.

“For such a powerful hitter, I can’t believe howdelicately he handles the ball on his approach shots,” observed Aimee Waters.  “I only wish I had that kind of control onthe field.”

Biddle and Gearwar both accounted for four points for PalmBeach Polo and Hunt Club.  Teammate Blakeadded two goals for the win.

Estrada led The Tackeria attack with three goals.  Uys scored twice and Ravina added a goal in alosing effort.

I”I was terribly impressed with the play of Brett(Gearwar) said Biddle.  I think he showsa lot of promise.  As for Tom (Blake) he’sa solid player,” he added.

LASAZUQUITAS 6, IDLEWILD 5

Earlier action saw the women take to the arena as adetermined Las Azuquitas team (Scarlet Davenport, Jennifer Williams and SiobhanGallagher) jumped all over Idlewild (Laura Willson and Aimee Waters) in theopening chukker and held on for an exciting 6-5 win.

Las Azuquitas scored four unanswered goals in the firstchukker as Idlewild was caught by surprise by the speed of their opponents’attack.  Two goals from Siobhan Gallagherwere followed by a pair of goals from Scarlet Davenport for a 4-0 start.

Idlewild tamed the Las Azuquitas offense in the secondframe, holding them scoreless, but managed only a single goal from CanadianJulia Vigeon.  Idlewild trailed by threegoals, 4-1, but seemed to finally have their game faces on as the first halfended.

Idlewild seemed to control the opening minutes of thethird chukker with Vigeon putting the first two goals of the period on the scoreboard.  Scarlet Davenport scored a goal for LasAzuquitas as the chukker ended.  LasAzuquitas continued to enjoy the lead, but the margin was cut to two goals,5-3.

Laura Willson showed what she could do in the finalchukker as she scored consecutive goals to tie it up for the first time at 5-5,but the comeback was not to be.  Withtime running out, Gallagher scored her third goal of the contest for the 6-5victory.

Gallagher and Davenport scored three goals apiece in the LasAzuquitas win.

Vigeon led the Idlewild effort with three goals.  Willson scored twice in the loss.