The Limited Edition 8-Goal opener was just the start of what promises to be the most competitive 8-goal tournament of the season.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
In a hardfought, physical game, TuffRider (Benjamin Obregon, 0, Timmy Sharma, 0, Agustin Obregon, 5, Nico Eurnekian, 3) defeated Tanakhanda (Dr. Tanwerr Khan, 0, Piers Bossom, 2, Luis Escobar, 4, Santiago Moyano, 2) with a thrilling 8-7 overtime victory at windswept Grand Champions Polo Club.
Teenage sensation Benjamin Obregon weaved his way past his defender to score the winning goal with 4:23 left in overtime.
The lead changed hands five times before overtime. TuffRider, behind 14-year-old Benjamin Obregon, started off strong with leads of 2-0 in the opening chukker and 3-0 in the second chukker.
Tanakhanda clawed its way back in the third chukker tying TuffRider, 3-3, on Bossom’s backhanded tail shot. Tanakhanda took the lead, 4-3, for the first time with 5:24 left in the fourth chukker on Bossom’s 30-yard penalty conversion.
Tanakhanda pulled away with leads of 6-4 and 7-4 in the fifth chukker. Agustin Obregon got hot late in the fifth chukker, closing the gap to 7-5.
Obregon’s hot mallet continued in the sixth scoring back-to-back goals from the field and penalty line for a 7-7 tie with 1:30 left. Both teams had scoring opportunities in the final minute of regulation time but could not capitalize.
Agustin Obregon led TuffRider with a game-high five goals, including three penalty conversions. Benjamin Obregon added three goals. For Tanakhanda, Piers Bossom led with four goals, Escobar had two and Mayano added one.
The Limited Edition 8-Goal tournament features six teams. In addition to TuffRider and Tanakhanda, there is Quite on Z (Alecia Seidler, -1, Artemio Figueras, 2, Joao Pedro Souza, 2, Hilario Figueras, 5), winners of the first two 8-goal titles; Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Inaki Wulff, -1, Milo Dorignac, 4, Michel Dorignac, 5); Victory Polo (Kevin Schmeits, 0, Cecilia Cochran, 0, Jason Wates, 4, Segundo Caimi, 4); and Amaro (Scott Sorbaro, 0, Michael Armour, 0, Nick Manifold, 2, Kris Kampsen, 6).
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, 16, 20, and 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.