U.S.A. Polo joined Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Chile in qualifying for the next FIP Polo World Cup, to be played in Sydney, Australia from October 17th-30th this year.
America secured entry with our 9-7 victory over Mexico. Felipe Viana led the U.S.A. with 5 of those 9 Goals.
Polo is the world’s OLDEST team sport.
FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
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HALL OF FAME CUP: AUDI VS COCA COLA – Audi – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Bavarians – did battle for the 2017 Hall of Fame Cup against Coca Cola – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Red Colossus.
FIRST CHUKKER – Coca Cola – which has the female player Gillian Johnston on its team – seized a 3-0 lead off of 1 Goal from the field and 2 scores on Penalty Shots. Audi squeezed in 2 answering Goals of its own before the Chukker ended with the Red Colossus on top 3-2.
SECOND CHUKKER – The Bavarians took the opening Toss-In of this Chukker and tied things up at 3 Goals apiece. From there Audi and Coca Cola played each other move for counter-move and score for score. The count was now 5-5.
THIRD CHUKKER – Compared to the virtual orgy of scoring to start the Match, this time around the defenses dominated. Neither team was able to sneak the ball between the Uprights and they rode into Halftime with the score still knotted up at 5 Goals apiece. Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: VALIENTE VS ORCHARD HILL – Valiente – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Valiants – came into this 114th U.S. Open having already won the first two titles in this year’s American Triple Crown. History was on the line as Valiente mounted up to face the Defending Open Champions from 2016, Orchard Hill – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Clubmen.
FIRST CHUKKER – On the opening Toss-In of the Match Orchard Hill’s Facundo Pieres received a pass from Polito Pieres and swatted in a Goal. After that the Clubmen and Valiente would alternate scoring on Penalty Shots, ending the Chukker with things knotted up at 2 Goals apiece.
SECOND CHUKKER – With the intensity doubling this time around the two teams matched each other blow for blow and knocking in Goal for Goal. The score now stood at 4-4.
THIRD CHUKKER – Orchard Hill’s offense exploded in this Chukker, putting no less than FIVE Goals between the Uprights. For their part the Valiants managed just 2 Goals in return. The Clubmen headed into Halftime holding a 9-6 lead. Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
SEMIFINAL ONE: ORCHARD HILL VS FLEXJET – Orchard Hill – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Clubmen – are the defending Open champions from last year. Their opponents in this Match, Flexjet – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Aviators – are one of the two teams from this year’s U.S. Open which boast a female team member.
FIRST CHUKKER – Melissa Ganzi and her Flexjet teammates demonstrated once again why they went undefeated in Pool Play and the opening Elimination Round. That earlier excellence earned them a Bye to the Semifinals and the well-rested Aviators shut out Orchard Hill to take a 2 Goals to None lead.
SECOND CHUKKER – The Clubmen showed the proverbial Heart of a Champion this time around, doing just enough to keep Flexjet from getting at their jugular so they could stay alive. Defense was the name of the game in the 2nd as each foursome swatted in just 1 Goal apiece. Orchard Hill now trailed by a count of 3-1.
THIRD CHUKKER – The defending champs not only shut out the Aviators in this Chukker, but they prevented them from getting off even a single shot on Goal from the field! Flexjet did score on a 30-yard Penalty Shot, however, but the Clubmen managed to keep pace with an answering Goal of their own. The teams went into Halftime with the Aviators on top 4-2. Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
DAY FIVE, MATCH ONE: ORCHARD HILL VS AUDI – Orchard Hill – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Clubmen – are the Defending Champions from last year’s U.S. Open. Their opponents in this Match were the foursome from Audi – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Bavarians.
FIRST CHUKKER – Facundo Pieres led the Defending Champs in an opening Chukker assault on Audi which saw Orchard Hill double up on them. At the end of the 1st the Clubmen held a 2 Goals to 1 lead.
SECOND CHUKKER – The onslaught continued as Orchard Hill swatted 2 more Goals between the Uprights, all while shutting out their opponents. The Bavarians now faced a 4-1 deficit going forward.
THIRD CHUKKER – The Clubmen and Audi matched each other blow for blow and Goal for Goal this time around, exchanging 2 Goals apiece. The teams headed into Halftime with Orchard Hill on top by a count of 6-3. Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
MATCH ONE: FLEXJET VS VALIENTE – Day Four of Polo’s U.S. Open began with this clash between the only two teams who remained undefeated in Pool Play. Namely Flexjet – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Aviators – and Valiente – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Valiants.
Flexjet is one of the two teams in this year’s Open which have a female member, in their case Melissa Ganzi. Valiente came into the Open having already won the first two titles in the American Triple Crown this year and need to win the tournament to complete the task.
FIRST CHUKKER – The Aviators accomplished the seemingly impossible task of shutting out the usually hot-out-of-the-gate Valiente team. Meanwhile, Flexjet’s Gonzalo Pieres scored a Goal from the field and another on a Penalty Shot from 30 yards out. Melissa Ganzi and her three teammates held a 2-0 lead.
SECOND CHUKKER – Fans of the Valiants were no doubt pleased to see their team’s Ace, Deuce and Chevy contribute 1 Goal each for their squad’s effort. The Aviators managed just 2 answering Goals themselves but still led the Match 4 Goals to 3.
THIRD CHUKKER – Flexjet continued keeping Valiente’s Diego Cavanagh very, very quiet. The Aviators swatted 3 Goals between the Uprights compared to the 1 scored by the faltering Valiants. Headed into Halftime, Flexjet was on top of Valiente by a count of 7-4. Continue reading
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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.
MEN
National Champions – ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY HAWKS
Runners-Up – Southern Methodist University Mustangs
Score – The Hawks defeated the Mustangs 12-11.
2016 Champions – Texas A&M University Aggies Continue reading
Filed under college sports, Polo
