Quite on Z, trailing for most of the game, rallied in the sixth chukker for a thrilling win in the opening game of the USPA Bronze Trophy 12-Goal Tournament Thursday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
With 18 seconds left in the game, Joaquin Panelo scored to give Quite on Z (Alecia Seidler, -1, Artemio Figueras 2, Joaquin Panelo, 6, Lucio Ocampo, 5) a thrilling 12-11 victory over Los Machitos (Larry Austin, 0, Antonio Aguerre, 2, Torito Ruiz, 7, Martin Velez Suarez, 2).
Action continues on Sunday with Quite on Z and Casablanca playing in the feature game at 4 p.m.
Both offenses got off to a quick start in the first half. At the 7:06 mark, Ocampo scored from 50 yards out to tie the game at 1-1. Los Machitos, an 11-goal team, was given one goal on handicap.
Los Machitos scored three unanswered goals early in the second and third chukkers, taking advantage of Quite on Z penalties and cold shooting. Ruiz converted back-to-back penalties from 60 and 130 yards out for a 3-1 lead in the second and converted a 30-yard penalty for a 4-1 lead early in the third chukker.
Quite on Z, having problems getting its offense untracked, closed the gap to 4-3 when Panelo scored on a broken play with 6:15 left in the third chukker. Figueras followed up with a well-placed near side goal out of the saddle behind players. Ruiz converted another 30-yard goal for a 5-3 lead. A minute later, Figueras lofted a 60-yard penalty shot with 32 seconds left to trail 5-4 at the half.
In the first half, Quite on Z outshot Los Machitos, 10-6, and led in throw-ins 5-3, but couldn’t take advantage. Los Machitos led in knock-ins, 6-2. Quite on Z had seven fouls to Los Machitos’ one.
Quite on Z tied the game, 5-5, for the second time when Panelo scored early in the fourth chukker but was still plagued by missed scoing opportunities.
The game picked up pace in the fifth chukker with Panelo scoring with 7:03 left to give Quite on Z its first lead of the game, 6-5. Los Machitos was given a penalty-one to tie the game and went ahead, 7-6, when Aguerre picked up a loose ball and turned to goal quickly for a 7-6 lead.
Los Machitos continued to control the momentum to take a 9-6 lead with back-to-back goals from Ruiz, on a tap-in and 35-yard shot. Ocampo cut the lead to two scoring with 10 seconds left in the chukker, to trail 9-7.
The momentum swithced to Quite on Z in a thrilling sixth chukker. Early in the chukker, Ocampo scored after coming up with a steal to trail 9-8. Ruiz cleared a potential goal but Ocampo bounced right back to tie the game, 9-9 with 5:05 left. A minute later, Figueras converted a 30-yard penalty to give Quite on Z a 10-9 lead with 4:43 left and followed up with another penalty conversion for an 11-9 lead.
Los Machitos was awarded its second penalty-one of the game to trail 11-10 with 2:43 left. Thirty seconds later, Aguerre scored to tie the game 11-11 with 2:15 left. After a play was called and reviewed with no foul decided, Panelo came up with a great hook on Aguerre’s attempted run to goal with 32 seconds left. After another foul came up for review, again with no foul decided, Panelo scored the game-winner with 18 seconds left for hugs all around after the game.
Quite on Z finished leading shots on goal, 22-13 and throw-ins 13-7. Los Machitos led knock-ins, 10-3. Quite on Z had nine fouls while Los Machitos had four.
Panelo, Figueras and Ocampo each had four goals for Quite on Z. For Los Machitos, Ruiz scored a game-high six goals including four penalty conversions, two from 120 and 60 yards. Aguerre had two goals. Los Machitos was awarded two penalty-ones and received one goal on handicap.
The remaining two teams in the four-team tournament are: Casablanca: (Grant Ganzi, 3, Santos Bollini, 2, Matias Gonzalez, 4, Juan Bollini, 3) and Globalport (Mikee Romero, 0, Anthony Garcia, 4, Jack Whitman, 2, Santos Merlos, 6, Alt. Lucas Diaz Alberdi, 6).
Last year’s winner was Maharlika (Gina Padilla, 0, Miguel (Miki) Astrada Jr., 2, Santino Magrini, 4, Matias Magrini, 6) who defeated Los Altos (Alvaro Fernandez, 0, Keko Magrini, 6, Memo Gracida, 3, Luis Saraco, 3), 13-9, at La Herradura Polo Club in Santa Ynez, Calif.
It is the first time Grand Champions, the nation’s largest club, is hosting the USPA Bronze Trophy 12 Goal Tournament.
Established in 1980, the Bronze Trophy is a prestigious national tournament played at the 8- to 12-goal level. Originally hosted at Gulfstream Polo Club (now defunct) until its closure, the tournament relocated in 2015 to New Bridge Polo & Country Club in Aiken, S.C.
During the winter polo season, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation’s largest and most innovative USPA-sanctioned polo club nestled in the heart of the world’s winter equestrian capital, hosts a wide range of tournaments: 6, 8, 12, 20, and 26-goal leagues, 26-goal World Polo League, The Polo School Women’s Weekly Polo League, WCT Finals, several Polo Training Foundation junior tournaments, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 10 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its’ expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its’ Polo On Demand program.
The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. The stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. The Polo School has nurtured several junior, men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.
For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.