Equus & Company scores an11-10 win in the 11th Annual Outback 40-Goal Challenge
By Alex Webbe
Thegathering of every one of the world’s 10-goal players signaled the return ofthe Annual Outback 40-goal Challenge Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellingtonbefore an enthusiastic assemblage. Following the induction of former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida into the PoloHall of Fame the previous evening, the crowd boasted polo VIPS, past andpresent, from across the country and around the world.
AmbassadorHolden and wife Gloria flew in from Santa Barbara, as did Pat Nesbitt and wife Ursula. Jackson Hole’s Paul Von Gontard was presentas well. Dr. Madison Richardson made hisway back to Florida from Beverly Hills while Retama’s Steve and Marty Gose foundtheir way here from Montana, and son Tom Gose managed to join them from hisranch in Texas as well. Midland’s Craigand Roni Duke blended into a crowd that boasted USPA secretary Joe Meyer andwife Susan and Museum of Polo Director George Dupont and wife Brenda. Argentina’s former 10-goal star, DanielleGonzalez was on hand as well as he recalled the very first 40-goal contest thattook place at Palermo in Argentina in 1975 and was billed as the Match of the Century.
Inpreparation for the opening throw-in The EFG Bank team of Adolfo Cambiaso, SapoCaset, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero lined up alongside the Equus &Company contingent of Facundo Pieres, Pelon Stirling, Eduardo Novillo Astradaand Gonzalito Pieres, and play began.
Thepace continued to grow in the opening moments of play with short measured shotsgrowing longer and m0re powerful. The impressive horsemanship was accentuated byexpert mallet work, with balls being snatched out of the air and interceptionsand steals being more of a rule than an exception.
FacundoPieres finally broke the ice with a 95 yard shot that split the EFG Bankgoalposts, registering two points on the scoreboard (by agreement, any goalscored from 80 yards out or more is worth two points). Pablo MacDonough scored a goal for EFG Bankbefore the end of the chukker and trailed by a single goal, 2-1, after theopening chukker of play.
Thepace quickened in the second period with long passes and pinpoint passing beingfoiled by brilliant saves and well-placed backhand clearing shots. Eduardo Novillo Astrada finally broke throughto add another goal to the Equus & Company total and a second scoringeffort by Facundo Pieres ended the second chukker with Equus & Companyriding a 4-1 lead.
PelonStirling scored his first goal of the day to open the third chukker, 5-1, andGonzalito Pieres made it 6-1 before EFG Bank finally got back into the scoringcolumn. Sapo Caset cut the lead back tofour goals as he tapped the ball through. At the end of the first half, Equus & Company held a commanding 6-2 advantage.
Stirlingput on an amazing hand-eye coordination seminar in the fourth chukker as hecarried the ball through the south goalposts, tapping it four times in the airbefore finally batting it through, 7-2. The last thing anyone wants to do, however, is get Adolfo Cambiasoangry, and it appears that’s just what happened. Cambiaso displayed the magical stickwork thatmakes him the bane of every defensive player in the game as he wove his waythrough the Equus & Company defenders for his first goal of the game. Facundo Pieres was ready to respond and didso with gusto. For the second time,Facundo drove the ball through the goalposts from over 80 yards, and at the endof the fourth chukker Equus & Company held a 9-3 advantage.
Adetermined EFG Bank team returned to the field for the fifth period, respondingwith three consecutive goals from Pablo MacDonough (on a picture-perfect tailshot), Juan Martin Nero and MacDonough again. The lead was cut to three goals, 9-6, and it appeared that EFG Bank wasclimbing back into the game when Facundo Pieres converted his third two-pointerto close the chukker with an 11-6 lead.
Casetscored the first goal of the sixth, and fed a cut shot to Cambiaso which he drovethrough the Equus & Company goalposts, but the comeback was not to be. A beefed Equus & Company defense held theline until the final horn sounded in their 11-10 win.
FacundoPieres led all scoring with seven goals and was named MVP for his efforts. Pelon Stirling scored twice and GonzalitoPieres and Eduardo Novillo Astrada added single goals in the Equus &Company win.
JuanMartin Nero and Pablo MacDonough scored three goals apiece for EFG Bank. Adolfo Cambiaso and Sapo Caset each chippedin a pair of goals.
“It’sa great event,†said Outback Steakhouse founding partner Tim Gannon of thecharitable efforts of the Polo Player’s Support Group. “We’ve been involved since its inception,eleven years ago,†he added, “and we’re thrilled to be a part of it everyyear.â€
Gannonwas a successful polo player himself, having captured the US Open Championshipon five separate occasions, but he made it quite clear that it wasn’t aboutpolo alone.
“We’vehad a long tradition of giving back to the community,†he offered, citing thecompany’s recent trip to Afghanistan, making it the ninth year OperationFeeding Freedom sent volunteers overseas to bring a taste of home from the OSIRestaurant Partners in America to U. S. and Coalition Forces.
“Wefeel that with success comes social responsibility,†Gannon added, “and it’s anhonor to participate in charitable efforts and be able to serve our troops andremind them of how proud we are of them.â€
Overthe years, the Outback 40-Goal Challenge has assisted the Polo Players SupportGroup to award over $1.3 million to sick and injured polo players and grooms,and the tradition continues.