Category Archives: Polo

The Champions: Bob Jornayvaz (Back), Alejo Taranco (Chevy), Guillermo Terrera (Deuce) and Adolfo Cambiaso (Ace).

From the International Polo Club at Palm Beach, Valiente defeated Orchard Hill for the 111th U.S. Open Championship! Valiente – the Valiants – had been to the title match in 2013 and 2014 as well and avoided becoming 3-time losers with this victory.  

The 1st Chukker saw Orchard Hill – the Clubmen – get out to a 3-1 lead but in the 2nd Chukker they went cold from the field AND when shooting penalty shots, missing no less than FOUR from the penalty line! That ultimately proved to be the difference in the match but neither team knew it yet. This sextant ended with Valiente pulling one goal closer at 3-2.  

Chukker number 3 was a comparative orgy of offense as the score went from a 4-2 Clubmen lead to a 4-4 tie and finally to a 5-4 Orchard Hill edge going into Halftime.   Continue reading →

The 111th U.S. Open continues at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach.

ORCHARD HILL VS COCA COLA – This first semifinal saw Orchard Hill – the Clubmen – end the 1st Chukker with a 2 goals to 1 lead over Coca Cola – the Red Colossus. The offenses got in rhythm in the 2nd Chukker of play during which the Clubmen went up 3-1 before the Red Colossus tied the match at 3-3. The Chukker ended with Orchard Hill on top 4-3. In Chukker number 3 the Clubmen grabbed a 5-4 lead headed into Halftime.  Continue reading →

The 111th U.S. Open continues at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach.

VALIENTE VS LECHUZA CARACAS – This battle for a berth in the Semifinals was all defense in the 1st Chukker, which ended in a 1-1 tie. The offenses got rolling in the 2nd Chukker, which finished with a 5-3 lead for Lechuza Caracas – the White Owls – over Valiente –  the Valiants. Chukker number 3 saw the Valiants come from behind to hold a lead of 7 goals to 6 headed into Halftime.   Continue reading →

The 111th U.S. Open continues at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach.

ORCHARD HILL VS COCA COLA – This match was a tale of two Halves. Coca Cola – the Red Colossus – led Orchard Hill – the Clubmen – by a score of 4-2 after the 1st Chukker, 5-4 after 2 Chukkers of play and ended the 3rd Chukker leading by a count of 6 goals to 5 headed into Halftime.  Continue reading →

The 111th U.S. Open continues at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach.

LAS MONJITAS VS ORCHARD HILL – As always, for those Balladeer’s Blog readers who prefer regular nicknames for sports teams I’ll recap: Think of Las Monjitas as “the Little Nuns” (the literal meaning of Las Monjitas) and Orchard Hill as “the Clubmen”.  

The 1st Chukker ended in a 3-1 Orchard Hill lead courtesy of scores by Polito Pieres and Facundo Pieres plus a goal awarded because of a Penalty One called against Las Monjitas. The lone goal for the Little Nuns this Chukker came from Facundo Sola on a 30 yard penalty shot.  

In the 2nd Chukker Facundo Sola and Facundo Pieres scored 2 goals apiece for a 5-3 advantage for the Clubmen. Gallego Ferrario scored his first goal of the game to put Orchard Hill up 6-3 by the end of the sextant.  

Chukker number 3 saw the Little Nuns pull closer to the Clubmen as Eduardo Astrada followed up another Sola goal with one of his own to put his team within one of Orchard Hill at 6-5. Polito Pieres slammed in another goal to make it a 7-5 Clubmen lead going into Halftime. Continue reading →

The 111th U.S. Open continues at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach.

FLEXJET VS ALEGRIA – For the benefit of Balladeer’s Blog readers who have told me they prefer non-corporate names for the teams Flexjet is unofficially known here as the Aviators and Alegria – the defending U.S. Open champions – are known as the Cantinas.

In the 1st Chukker of the game Alegria got off to a quick start as Hilario Ulloa and Sterling Giannico slammed in goals from the field for a 2-0 advantage. Flexjet got on the board when Miguel Novillo Astrada scored on a 30 yard penalty shot but Julian Mannix of the Cantinas nailed a goal to give his team a 3-1 lead at the end of the 1st.   Continue reading →