Will a ‘team with a Pieres in the line-up’ do the triple in the USA high goal?
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
As polo ponies across England are toning up from their daily schedule of sets in anticipation of the start of the English summer polo season which is almost upon us, in the USA the final leg of the Triple Crown is about to get underway this weekend with the announcement of the schedule of the 26 goal, 111th USPA U.S. Open Polo Championship.
Held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach, the USAP U.S. Open Polo Championship is in its 111th year, first having been played at Meadowbrook Polo Club in Old Westbury, NY in 1904. This year will be the 11th year the International Polo Club Palm Beach has hosted what is considered to be ‘the most prestigious tournament in the United States’ – all the high goal action that the US Open brings with it was first played on the pitches under the Florida sun in 2004.
Judging from the results in the opening tournaments of the USA Triple Crown it seems if you have one, or a pair of Pieres in your team a win is almost guaranteed, with wins to date having been secured by Orchard Hill (C.V. Whitney – Orchard Hill 16 v 13 Alegria) with Facundo and Polito making up half the line-up, and Audi Polo Team (USPA Piaget Gold Cup – Audi 16 v 15 Orchard Hill in OT) whose team included Gonzalito Pieres.
Last year in the 110th U.S. Open it was Alegria and Valiente who made it through to the Final, with Alegria finally defeating Valiente 11-10 in OT. First up this Saturday at 10am (2pm UK time) in the opening matches of the 2015 tournament are Orchard Hill against Valiente. If you aren’t currently located in the Florida sun all the matches from the International Polo Club Palm Beach will be brought to you live on Polo TV at www.hurlinghampolo.com via Horseplay TV.
So all that remains is to sit back and soak up all the polo action and see if one (or two) of the Pieres included in the tournament are once again lifting another USPA trophy skywards on Sunday April 19th – concluding the USA triple crown with a triple ‘team with a Pieres in the line-up’ win.
SCHEDULE – March 28th – April 19th 2015
Sat. Mar. 28
10:00 am Orchard Hill vs. Valiente (Bracket I)
4:30 pm Las Monjitas vs. Coca-Cola (Bracket I)
Sun. Mar. 29
10:00 am Audi vs. FlexJet (Bracket II)
3:00 pm Lechuza Caracas vs. Alegria Assist Card (Bracket II)
Wed. Apr. 1
10:00 am Valiente vs. Las Monjitas (Bracket I)
Sat. Apr. 4
10:00 am FlexJet vs. Alegria Assist Card (Bracket II)
4:30 pm Audi vs. Lechuza Caracas (Bracket II)
Sun. Apr. 5
10:00 am Orchard Hill vs. Las Monjitas (Bracket I)
3:00 pm Valiente vs. Coca-Cola (Bracket I)
Wed. Apr. 8
10:00 am Orchard Hill vs. Coca-Cola (Bracket I)
Thu. Apr. 9
10:00 am Audi vs Alegria Assist Card (Bracket II)
4:30 pm FlexJet vs Lechuza Caracas (Bracket II)
Sun. Apr. 12
10:00 am Quarterfinal
3:00 pm Quarterfinal
Wed. Apr. 15
1:00 pmSemi-final#1 in Bracket I vs TBA
5:00 pm Semi-final #1 in Bracket II vs TBA
Sun. Apr. 19
3:00 pm U.S. Open Final
Subsidiary Final winners will be presented with the Hall of Fame Cup.
TEAMS
Bracket 1
Orchard Hill, Valiente, Las Monjitas and Coca Cola
Orchard Hill – 26 Goals
Patron: Steve Van Andel 0
Facundo Pieres 10
Polito Pieres 9
Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario 7
Valiente – 26 Goals
Patron: Bob Jornayvaz 2
Alejo Taranco 6
Guillermo Terrera 8
Adolfo Cambiaso 10
Las Monjitas – 26 Goals
Patron: Camilo Bautista 0
Facundo Sola 8
Sebastian Merlos 9
Eduardo Astrada 9
Coca- Cola – 26 Goals
Patron: Gillian Johnston 2
Pelon Sterling 10
Julio Arellano 8
Sugar Erskine 6
Bracket 2
Audi, Flexjet, Lechuza Caracas and Alegria/Assist Card
Audi – 25 Goals
Patron: Marc Ganzi 1
Gonzalito Pieres 9
Rodrigo Andrade 9
Freddie Mannix 6
FlexJet – 25 Goals
Patron: Melissa Ganzi 0
Nic Roldan 8
Miguel N. Astrada 9
Magoo Laprida 8
Lechuza Caracas – 26 Goals
Patron: Victor Vargas 1
Nico Pieres 8
Juan Martin Nero 10
Agustin Garcia Grossi 7
Alegria Assist Card – 26 Goals
Patron: Julian Mannix 4
Hilario Ulloa 9
Mariano Aguerre 9
Sterling Giannico 4