HPC Newsletter 10.22.23

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

THE MACALLAN CLASSIC

Sunday Polo’s match between Old Pueblo and Eureka was a battle from the first bowl-in to the last horn. The Macallan’s Halle Garrus helped kick off the game by throwing in the first ball!

Old Pueblo’s Duilio Diaz (green jersey) hooks Eureka’s Tommy Alberdi

Eureka’s Tommy Alberdi was the first to score, as he battled through the Old Pueblo defenders, and earned his team’s 1 to 0 lead after the first chukker. In the second chukker, Old Pueblo’s Cody Ellis put his team on the board as he traded goals with Eureka’s Jorge Cernadas ending the chukker tied 2 to 2. At the start of the third chukker, Alberdi momentarily reclaimed a one goal lead for Eureka, however Old Pueblo’s 6 Goal player, Jeff Hall, found his rhythm scoring three unanswered goals followed by another from teammate Duilio Diaz. Old Pueblo claimed their first lead of the game with a 6 to 3 score as the teams took their halftime break!

Old Pueblo’s Duilio Diaz carries the ball down the field

Spectators enjoyed a break in the game, sipping complimentary champagne and stopping divots. As halftime came to an end, the weather cooled off and it was time to see what the teams had in store for the second half.

Eureka’s Alvaro Ara (black jersey) reaches to make a hook on Old Pueblo’s Cody Ellis

The Eureka team must have changed their strategy during the halftime break, as Alvaro Ara played his best playing pony, Lion, scoring back to back goals, followed up by goals from teammates Alberdi and Cesar Ara. Towards the end of the fourth chukker, Eureka had reclaimed their lead, but Old Pueblo’s Hall was able to sneak in a tying goal to make the score 7 to 7. During the fifth and sixth chukkers, Old Pueblo caught Eureka flat footed as they scored 5 unanswered goals to win the game 12 to 7!

Winning team: Old Pueblo
Cody Ellis, Jeff Hall, Duilio Diaz, Leigh Anne Hall
presented by Halle Garrus with The Macallan

MVP: Jeff Hall,
presented by Halle Garrus with The Macallan

BPP: Lion, played by Alvaro Ara,
presented by Alex Chavez with Engel & Völkers Houston,
pictured with Halle Garrus with The Macallan, and groom Luciano Aranda

12 GOAL TEXAS OPEN

Over the last two weeks, five 12 Goal teams played for the highly coveted Texas Open spurs. After two bracket play games, one playoff game, and a set of semifinal games, teams Tonkawa and Propaganda rose to the top!

Tonkawa’s Santi Zubiaurre (red helmet) reaches to hit the ball away from Propaganda’s Fran Mera

For the final game, Propaganda was playing as an 11 goal team, which meant that their team was awarded 1 goal on the scoreboard since they were playing against a 12 goal Tonkawa team. Tonkawa quickly tied the game at 1 to 1 in the first chukker with the first goal from team captain Santi Zubiaurre. Propaganda found themselves in foul trouble in the second chukker, giving Tonkawa three shots from the penalty line along with two more goals from the field from Zubiaurre and Jack Kiely. Going into the third chukker, Tonkawa converted another penalty shot followed by two more goals from Zubiaurre. Propaganda’s Martin Ravina broke the ice with his first penalty conversion of the day ending the first half trailing 2 to 9.

Tonkawa’s Juanse Olivera keeps his eye on the ball during the Texas Open Final

Tonkawa’s Joe Bob Lequerica and Juanse Olivera extended their team’s lead to 11 to 2 in the fourth chukker as Propaganda’s Fran Mera scored his first goal of the day to end the chukker 3 to 11. During the fifth chukker, Propaganda’s Nick Cifuni played his best playing pony Sarah and was able to score two goals to Tonkawa’s one, as the teams went into the sixth and final chukker with Tonkawa leading 12 to 5. Despite the score, both teams played hard until the end of the game, but Tonkawa walked away with the spurs with the final score of 12 to 6.

Winning team: Tonkawa
Santi Zubiaurre, Jack Kiely, Juanse Olivera, Joe Bob Lequerica, Lily Lequerica

MVP: Santi Zubiaurre,
pictured with Shirley & Carty Krueger and Ava Seward

BPP: Sarah, played by Nick Cifuni,
pictured with Herbert Melgar

2023 USPA 6 GOAL DELEGATE’S CUP

After playing through bracket play of the 11 team 2023 USPA Delegate’s Cup, C-Bar Thoroughbreds/Patagonia reached the final with an undefeated record. Roxstars had a different road to the top, suffering an overtime loss in their first game, then having a double overtime win in their second, Roxstars persevered to the semifinals after winning a 4-team shootout, then onto the finals after their semifinal win.

Roxstar’s Sloan Stefanakis (pink jersey) takes a bump from C-Bar Thoroughbreds/Patagonia Grill’s Nick Dunbar

As the 6 Goal final began, C-Bar Thoroughbreds/Patagonia Grill gained a 2 to 1 lead after the first chukker with goals from teammates, Vaughn Miller Jr. and Bryan Middleton. Roxstars opened the game up in the second chukker, holding C-Bar Thoroughbreds scoreless as Sloan Stefanakis and Shane Rice took back the lead with a 3 to 2 score. Middleton and Miller came back in the third chukker with each scoring another goal to regain a one goal lead. Stefanakis was able to respond at the end of the third chukker, scoring the tying goal to send the teams tied 4 to 4 going into the last chukker. In the fourth and final chukker, the C-Bar Thoroughbreds/Patagonia Grill team kept their focus, as Middleton and Miller each scored their third goal of the day, as Roxstars was held scoreless throughout the chukker to end the game with C-Bar Thoroughbreds/Patagonia Grill winning 6 to 4.