Legends Cup ends in a
draw
By Alex Webbe
It was only a four chukker exhibition match on the grounds
of the Grand Champions Polo Club as a prelude to the day’s international game
between the United States and Chile, but the opportunity to see some of the
most storied names in polo on the field was something to behold.
Playing as Grand Champions White were two-thirds of the
once-all powerful 38-goal Boehm team, a team comprised of the brother
combinations of 10-goalers Carlos and Memo Gracida and 9-goalers Julian and
Howard Hipwood. Filling in for the
missing Memo Gracida, however, was his cousin, former 8-goaler Ruben Gracida
(four-time US Open winner, the second US Open MVP in history).
Grand Champions Blue was comprised of former 9-goaler Hector
Galindo, veteran Argentine and former 8-goaler Juan Bollini, former 7-goaler
Joey Casey and Peter Rizzo, CEO of the United States Polo Association.
The pace was quick from the opening throw-in with Julian
Hipwood scoring first for Grand Champions White at the 4:08 of the first
chukker. Carlos Gracida made it 2-0,
scoring a goal with under a minute on the clock for the early lead.
Grand Champions Blue got on track behind Hector Galindo in
the second period. After struggling to
break through the Grand Champions White defense in the early goings, Galindo
got his team on the scoreboard with a goal from the field with 1:04 left to
play. A foul by the white team send
Galindo to the penalty line with 25 seconds to play, where he converted a
60-yard penalty shot for the 2-2 tie.
Grand Champions White got third chukker goals from Carlos
Gracida and Howard Hipwood while Grand Champions Blue was held to a single
penalty conversion by Galindo. The third
period ended with Grand Champions White on top of a 4-3 score.
Carlos Gracida put Grand Champions White ahead by two goals
in the fourth on a 60-yard penalty conversion, but Grand Champions Blue fought
back. Goals from Juan Bollini and Joey
Casey closed out the scoring in the classic match with a well-deserved 5-5 tie.
At the trophy presentation following the match, Howard
Hipwood was honored as MVP from this group of storied players.