FMB takes the USPA Piaget Silver Cup
in Santa Barbara
By Alex Webbe
FMB (Dan Walker, Inaki Laprida, Lucas Criado and Henry
Walker)got eight goals from Lucas Criado, including two in the final chukker as
they outlasted La Herradura (Alvaro Fernandez, Marianito Obregon, Memo Gracida,
Carlos Gracida) 12-11 in the hotly
contested final of the 2013 USPA Piaget Silver Cup at the Santa Barbara Polo Club Sunday afternoon.
Inaki Laprida scored the first goal of the game for FMB,
with La Herradura’s Carlos responding with the tying goal. The two teams played defense for the balance
of the opening chukker that ended in a 1-1 tie.
The two teams exchanged goals throughout the second period
with Lucas Criado, Dan Walker and Laprida scoring for FMB while Carlos Gracida,
Memo Gracida and Marianito Obregon (penalty goal) responded with single goals
for La Herradura. The score was all even
at 4-4 after two chukkers.
Goals were hard to come by in the third chukker with fouls
and penalty shots accounting for all of the scoring. Carlos Gracida converted a 60-yard penalty
shot for La Herradura while Criado scored on penalty shots from 30 and
40-yards, giving FMB a narrow 6-5 halftime lead.
Consecutive goals (one on a penalty conversion) from Criado had
FMB in front by three goals, 8-5 before La Herradura responded. A single goal from the field from Carlos
Gracida ended the chukker with FMB leading by two goals, 8-6.
Criado and Obregon exchanged goals in the fifth, 9-7, with
Carlos Gracida scoring the final goal of the period to cut the FMB lead to a
single goal, 9-8.
Laprida extended the FMB lead to two goals with a shot from
the field in the opening minute of the sixth chukker. Carlos Gracida countered with a 40-yard
penalty conversion, 10-9. Criado’s
seventh goal of the game put FMB back on top by two goals, 11-9. An FMB foul allowed Carlos Gracida an
opportunity to score on another penalty shot, which he did, 11-10, and moments
later he tied it up at 11-11 with a goal from the field. The final goal was scored by Criado with the
ball hitting the goalpost and trickling over the line for the victory.
Criado was credited with eight goals on the day (three on
penalty shots) and was named MVP for his efforts. Laprida scored three times and Dan Walker
added a goal. Carlos Gracida scored half
of his team high eight goals on penalty shots.
Obregon added two penalty goals and Memo Gracida scored once.
Criado’s mare, La Bamba, was
honored as Best Playing Pony.
The final 20-goal tournament of
the season, the bombardier Pacific Coast Open, is slated to begin this week,
with a playing schedule yet to be released.
The Bombardier Pacific Coast Open will mark the end of the high-goal
season in Santa Barbara.