HPC Newsletter: 5.28.23

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

LIVINGSTON MEMORIAL CUP

presented by

THE FITZPATRICK GROUP

It was a beautiful day for Sunday polo in Houston on Memorial Weekend, as the featured 12 Goal match of the week between Tonkawa and Eureka kicked off at 5pm. With a team handicap of 13 Goals, the Tonkawa team faced a 12 Goal Eureka team, which allowed Eureka to start with one goal on the scoreboard due to the team handicap difference.

Tonkawa’s Pipe Marquez controls the ball

Pipe Marquez, team Tonkawa’s 6 Goal player, wasted no time in the first chukker. Marquez and Australian teammate Jack Kiely, played hard scoring one goal a piece, ending the chukker with Tonkawa leading of 2 to 1. It was game on in the second chukker with Tonkawa players, Marquez, Kiely, and Lequerica each scoring a goal. Team Eureka’s Tommy Alberdi fought to keep his team in the game with 2 goals of his own, leaving Eureka trailing 3 to 5 going into the third chukker. Both teams battled and fought for the lead for the remaining first half. Tonkawa’s Marquez and Kiely traded goals with Eureka’s Alberdi and Jorge Cernadas to end the first half with Tonkawa holding a 7 to 5 lead.

Tonkawa’s Herndon Radcliff breaks away from the pack on his best playing pony, Juicy

As the umpire’s whistle ended the chukker, HPC’s announcer, Marty Salinas, opened up the halftime festivities and spectators were invited to enter the field for a traditional champagne divot stomp. After some steady crowd stomping of the divots, the field was looking back to pristine condition and the second half began.

Eureka’s Jorge Cernadas (black jersey) reaches to make a hook on Tonkawa’s Pipe Marquez (white jersey)

Tonkawa maintained an offensive control of the game as Marquez traded goals with Eureka’s Alberdi in the fourth chukker. Tonkawa player Herndon Radliff found his first goal of the game flying coast to coast on his chestnut best playing pony, Juicy. At the end of the chukker, Tonkawa lead 9 to 6. Both teams scored one each in the fifth chukker which left Tonkawa ahead 10 to 7. In the final chukker, team Tonkawa showed discipline and consistency as they scored two additional goals, putting them ahead 12 to 7 with three minutes remaining. Eureka was not going down without a fight, scoring a trio of goals from Alberdi, Cernadas, and Alvaro Ara. Unfortunately for Eureka, the clock ticked down and their comeback was cut short as Tonkawa took the win with a final score of 12 to 10.

Winning team: Tonkawa
Lily Lequerica, Herndon Radcliff, Jack Kiely, Pipe Marquez
presented by Luke Jander with The Fitzpatrick Group

MVP: Pipe Marquez,
presented by Luke Jander with The Fitzpatrick Group

BPP: Juicy, played by Herndon Radcliff,
pictured with groom Jeronimo Amador,
presented by Brooks Ballard & Alex Chavez with Engel & Völkers Houston

2023 6 GOAL USPA MASTER’S CUP

The 2023 6 Goal USPA Master’s Cup played out over the month of May, hosting 12 teams and fierce competition! The two undefeated teams in the tournament Island Time Polo/Plank Companies faced off against BTA. Island Time Polo/Plank Companies was looking to win their second tournament in a row this spring season!

Island Time Polo/Plank Companies’ Tommy Alberdi makes a run down field on Caudillo

As the game kicked off on Saturday morning, the teams proved to be evenly matched as each chukker ended in a tied score. As the teams battled it out in the fourth chukker, Island Time Polo/Plank Companies’ Tommy Alberdi scored to give his team a one goal lead with not much time left on the clock. BTA kept playing, trying to find a tying goal, then finally found a penalty 1 to tie the game again! As the clock ticked down in regulation, Alberdi hit one more powerful neck shot toward his goal, but the horn blew and the teams prepared for overtime.

BTA’s Jimmy Seward controls the ball on his homebred mare, May

Sudden death overtime started where the fourth chukker left off, right in front of the Island Time Polo/Plank Companies’ goalmouth. Island Time Polo/Plank Companies won the throw-in as Alberdi dribbled it around the defense and passed it to teammate Kendall Plank who hit an impressive tail back shot toward the goal. BTA’s Chrys Beal jumped on the line and drew a foul narrowly keeping BTA’s hopes alive. After much back and forth play, BTA was awarded a spot hit and drove it down field, ultimately ending the game with the golden goal by Jimmy Seward!