Category Archives: Polo

April 10, 2017 · 8:38 pm

POLO: U.S. OPEN – DAY THREE RESULTS

International Polo ClubBalladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. Polo had already been around for centuries when it was being played by Alexander the Great’s men.   

FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE 

Orchard Hill Polo shirtGAME ONE: ORCHARD HILL VS AUDI – Starting off Day Three of Polo’s 114th U.S. Open was a Match between Defending Open Champions Orchard Hill – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Clubmen – and Audi – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Bavarians.  

FIRST CHUKKER – Facundo Pieres of Orchard Hill was back in form, swatting in 3 Goals for himself in this opening Chukker of play. Audi replied with just 1 Goal of their own, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Clubmen going into the 2nd.

SECOND CHUKKER – The offenses virtually exploded for SIX Goals this time around, evenly divided into 3 Goals apiece. The score now stood at 6-4 with Orchard Hill still on top.

THIRD CHUKKER – The Bavarians began to make their move, thwacking in 2 Goals to the 1 scored by the Clubmen in this Chukker. The Orchard Hill lead had been cut to 7-6 headed into Halftime. Continue reading →

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April 7, 2017 · 7:36 pm

POLO: U.S. OPEN DAY TWO RESULTS

Polo 2Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. There were a pair of games today in U.S. Open play. 

FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE 

FlexJet polo shirtGAME ONE: FLEXJET VS AUDI – Husband and wife played on opposite sides in this Match as Melissa Ganzi and her three Flexjet teammates clashed with Marc Ganzi’s foursome from Audi.  

In Chukker Number One Marc himself swatted in the 1st Goal for Audi – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Bavarians. His teammate Alejandro Novillo Astrada scored as well while the Bavarians shut out Flexjet – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Aviators. The opening Chukker ended with Audi on top 2 Goals to none.

The Second Chukker saw Flexjet really get rolling on offense. The Aviators notched 3 Goals this time around while limiting the Bavarians to just 1 Goal of their own. Chukker Two came to a close with the score knotted up at 3-3.

In the Third Chukker Goals virtually flew between the Uprights with giddy abandon. Flexjet racked up a colossal FOUR Goals to the pair knocked in by Audi. The two teams headed into Halftime with the Aviators in the lead by a count of 7 Goals to 5.    Continue reading →

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April 6, 2017 · 11:55 pm

POLO: U.S. OPEN DAY ONE RESULTS

International Polo Club overheadBalladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport.

FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE  

Polo’s U.S. Open was first played in 1904 and has become one of the most prestigious events on the Polo calendar. Moreover, it is the third of the Big Three Polo Matches held in the U.S. each year.

valiente shirtValiente – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Valiants – come into the U.S. Open having already won the first two titles in the American Triple Crown – the U.S. Polo Association Gold Cup and the C.V. Whitney Cup. If the Valiants can win the Open as well they will have taken that Triple Crown. 

Yesterday’s opening match at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach was full of drama. The Defending Champions of the U.S. Open, Orchard Hill – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Clubmen – played Valiente as the Polo World sat riveted. 

FIRST CHUKKER – Polito Pieres swatted in a Goal from the field to give Orchard Hill a 1-0 lead but the next Toss-In saw Valiente’s Adolfo Cambiaso tie things up at 1-1. Facundo Pieres scored a Goal on a Penalty Shot from 40 yards out to put the Clubmen back on top 2-1. His teammates Jota Chavanne and Polito Pieres each scored a Goal from the field but the Valiants’ Diego Cavanagh scored on two separate 40-yard Penalty Shots to make the score 4-3 in favor of Orchard Hill.  

Orchard Hill Polo shirtSECOND CHUKKER – Besides trailing on the scoreboard Valiente lost Matias Torres Zavaleta to an injury in the opening Chukker. Pablo Spinacci replaced him and accomplished the seemingly impossible task of shutting out Facundo Pieres of the Clubmen, whose only scores in the Match came from Penalty Shots. This Second Chukker was typical of that kind of stellar defense and ended with Orchard Hill on top by just 5-4.

THIRD CHUKKER – The Valiants thwacked in 2 Goals to the 1 scored by the Clubmen in Chukker number Three, leaving the count all tied up at 6-6 as the two teams headed into Halftime. Continue reading →

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April 3, 2017 · 9:58 pm

POLO: THE RED COLOSSUS WINS THE BUTLER HANDICAP

International Polo ClubYes, it’s the time of year for Balladeer’s Blog to resume its coverage of Polo, the world’s OLDEST team sport! How old?

Consider this: Alexander the Great’s men played Polo, which was even then a well-established game.

FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE 

Polo Red Colossus Butler HandicapBUTLER HANDICAP: The International Polo Club in Florida was the site of the 2017 Butler Handicap. The two teams battling for the cup yesterday  EACH HAD A FEMALE PLAYER ON THEIR TEAM. One of the things I like about Polo is that it has men’s only leagues, women’s only leagues and mixed play.

Coca Cola – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Red Colossus – played Flexjet – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Aviators. The First Chukker ended with Ms Gillian Johnston’s Coca Cola team on top of Melissa Ganzi’s Flexjet team by a score of 3 goals to 2.

In the Second Chukker sterling defense was the name of the game with only one goal being scored the entire time. The Aviators tied things up 3-3.    

The Third Chukker saw the offense on both teams return to life and begin swatting goals between the uprights with abandon. The Red Colossus managed 3 goals to the pair notched by Flexjet and went into Halftime holding a 6-5 edge. Continue reading →

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June 27, 2016 · 9:32 pm

POLO: WHITE BIRCH WINS THE WATERBURY CUP

White Birch 2016 Monty Waterbury Cup

White Birch players hold up the Monty Waterbury Cup for the 3rd year in a row! Hilario Ulloa (Deuce), Mariano Aguerre (Back), Peter Brant (Chevy) and Santino Magrini (Ace) 

Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport – Polo. The 2016 Monty Waterbury Cup has wrapped up at the Greenwich Polo Club.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The storied WHITE BIRCH Polo Team took on GOOSE CREEK – Official Balladeer’s Blog Name – the VIRGINIANS – for the 2016 title. In the First Chukker White Birch started the scoring with a goal from Hilario Ulloa but Goose Creek came charging from behind to take a 3-1 lead.

Greenwich Polo ClubChukker Number Two saw the Virginians outscore the team from Connecticut 2 goals to 1 for a 5-2 advantage. In the Third Chukker White Birch exploded for 4 goals – 3 from Ulloa and 1 from Mariano Aguerre – while Goose Creek could muster just 1. Both teams went into Halftime tied up 6-6.   Continue reading →

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May 1, 2016 · 10:34 pm

COLLEGE POLO CHAMPIONS FOR 2016

Balladeer’s Blog’s coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport continues. Here are the men’s and women’s college polo champions for this year.

Texas A&M logoMEN

Champions – TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AGGIES

Runners-Up – UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CAVALIERS 

Score – The Aggies defeated the Cavaliers 16-15. Continue reading →

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April 26, 2016 · 11:21 pm

POLO: ORCHARD HILL WINS THE U.S. OPEN

Orchard Hill

The victorious Orchard Hill team: Steve Van Andel, Facundo Pieres, Julian de Lusarreto and Juan Martin Nero.

Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport – Polo. The 112th U.S. Open has wrapped up at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Orchard Hill – the Clubmen as they’re known to readers of Balladeer’s Blog – took on the Dubai Gushers for the 2016 title. In the First Chukker the Clubmen took a quick 1-0 lead off a Facundo Pieres goal just 30 seconds in. As is often the case the Polo Grounds were fecund with Facundos and soon the Gushers tied the score at 1-1 when Facundo Sola swatted in a goal from the field and later made a 40-yard penalty shot for a 2-1 Dubai lead. Adolfo Cambiaso made it 3-1 to end the opening Chukker.

Scoring in the Second Chukker got started with a 30-yard penalty shot from Pieres to make the score 3-2. Rashid Albwardy put the Gushers up 4-2 with a goal from the field but Pieres pulled Orchard Hill to within a goal with less than a minute left, ending the Chukker with a score of 4-3.

International Polo ClubJulian de Lusarreta managed the first goal of the Third Chukker, tying things up at 4-4 and his teammate Juan Martin Nero went on to put the Clubmen on top 5 goals to 4 with a shot rocketed in from ONE HUNDRED YARDS OUT! Facundo Pieres notched a pair of penalty shots later in the Chukker for a 7-4 Orchard Hill advantage but Cambiaso scored the lone goal for Dubai in the Chukker, making the score 7-5 in favor of the Clubmen going into Halftime.     Continue reading →

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July 26, 2015 · 4:57 pm

POLO: WHITE BIRCH WINS BUTLER HANDICAP

Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport.

The victors and the vanquished on stage after the match.

The victors and the vanquished on stage after the match.

Mere weeks after winning the Waterbury Cup the storied WHITE BIRCH polo team won the Butler Handicap, clobbering AIRSTREAM by a score of 16-9 in the championship match. The Greenwich Polo Club was the scene of the action.

When White Birch wins my female readers like to see pics of their player Hilario Ulloa.

When White Birch wins my female readers like to see pics of their player Hilario Ulloa.

White Birch rode onto the polo grounds playing like a team possessed on both offense AND defense.

They swatted in 3 goals in the 1st Chukker, an amazing 5 in the 2nd Chukker and 2 more in the 3rd to head into Halftime with an intimidating 10-4 lead over their opponents from Airstream.  Continue reading →

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July 22, 2015 · 8:05 pm

POLO: FINAL MATCHUP SET FOR THE BUTLER HANDICAP

Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport.

Airstream NomadsThe other team playing in the championship match of the Butler Handicap at Greenwich Polo Club has been established. The AIRSTREAM NOMADS defeated the K.I.G. LIVERYMEN to advance to Thursday’s title game against Greenwich’s own WHITE BIRCH.

The Airstream team:

The Airstream team: Peter Orthwein (Ace), Guillermo Aguerro (Deuce), Michel Dorignac (Chevy), Mariano Gonzalez (Back)

The first Chukker ended in a 2-2 tie and set the pace for the rest of this defense-heavy match. At the end of Chukker number 5 Airstream held a 7 to 4 advantage over K.I.G. In the 6th Chukker the Liverymen shut out the Nomads and tied the game at 7-7, forcing a Golden Goal sudden death situation.    Continue reading →

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July 17, 2015 · 7:32 pm

POLO: WHITE BIRCH CONTINUES TO ROLL AS THE BUTLER HANDICAP BEGINS

When White Birch wins my female readers like to see pictures of their player Hilario Ulloa.

When White Birch wins my female readers like to see pictures of their player Hilario Ulloa.

Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport.

White Birch, possibly the most storied Polo Team in U.S. history, continues to pile up the wins here in 2015. After just having taken the Waterbury Cup without losing even one match during the event, the team carried their momentum with them into opening round play in the Butler Handicap.

That  event is being held at the Greenwich Polo Club.  Continue reading →

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