Cambiaso, Magrini Lead New Bridge La Dolfina over Pony Express 16-9 on Opening Day of 2007 season …

Superstar Adolfo Cambiaso and Matias Magrini continued their dominance at International Polo Club Palm Beach, leading New Bridge La Dolfina over Pony Ex press 16-9 on Opening Day of the 22-goal Joe Barry Memorial Cup on Stanford Field on Sunday 14th. The 2007 season-opener drew a record Opening Day crowd of 6,349 spectators, with cars streaming in throughout the first half.
Cambiaso scored a game-high 10 goals to guide New Bridge La Dolfina to its 11th consecutive victory at International Polo Club, improving its record to 13-1 over the last two seasons.
In other Sunday games, Julio Arellano scored seven goals as Skeeterville edged Privilege/ Gracida International 12-11 and Audi topped 2006 Joe Barry Memorial Cup runner-up Lechuza Caracas 11-6.
Pony Express controlled the game early before New Bridge La Dolfina found its stride, scoring five of the next six goals to take a 10-7 halftime advantage. Both Cambiaso and Magrini said they didn’t do or say anything special in between chukkas. “(Pony Express’ Tomas) Goti got hurt a couple of times early in the game and we couldn’t get our rhythm,” said Magrini, a 9-goaler who seems fully recovered from a broken leg suffered last April. “It was a weird game. There’s a lot of difference in the goals on the scoreboard, but it didn’t feel that way on the field.”
“We didn’t do much different,” said Cambiaso, who was named the game’s MVP. “(The game) stopped many times and we couldn’t get going. We were a bit unlucky with (scoring) goals (in the first two chukkas). We were strong in the second half. The horses played very well.”
Tomas Goti led Pony Express with six goals. His injuries were not serious and he is not expected to miss any playing time. “We’re not as well-mounted … they out-horsed us,” said 8-goaler Nicolas Roldan of Pony Express who scored one goal, as did Gonzalo Von Wernich. “It was a tough game, it just wasn’t our day.”
Magrini finished with six goals while patron Russ McCall and Martin Valent did not score. “Once he (Cambiaso) started grabbing the ball, he’s fantastic,” said Magrini. “It’s great to play with him. It’s not complicated. It’s very very - you just go along with him.”
In the first game, Skeeterville led by two goals most of the game before holding on for victory. Privilege/Gracida International battled back in the fifth chukka to come within one, 10-9. Privilege/Gracida International tied the game at 10-10 with 5:01 left in the sixth chukka on Carlos Gracida’s nearside goal with Owen Rinehart on his hip. Skeeterville retaliated with a pair of goals by Arellano in a 40-second span to take a 12-10 lead with 3:30 left. Then Gracida cut the margin to 12-11 with 33 seconds remaining and Privilege/Gracida International missed an opportunity to tie the game when Roberto Gonzales missed a short forehand as time expired. Privilege/Gracida International featured four members of the famous Gracida family – nine-time U.S. Open champion Carlos and his 16-year-old son Carlitos, Carlos’ nephew Julio and their cousin Gonzales.
“It’s good to get the first game out of the way and win,” said Arellano. Patron Skeeter Johnston added three goals and Rinehart had two goals for Skeeterville. Carlos Gracida led the way with five goals while Gonzales scored three and Julio Gracida added two goals.
Nine-goaler Gonzalito Pieres and 7-goaler Fred Mannix Jr. scored five goals each to lead Audi, which scored five unanswered goals in the third chukka to take a 6-4 lead. Pite Merlos led Lechuza Caracas with four goals and Santiago Allaria added two goals.
The Joe Barry Memorial Cup is named after American polo legend Joe Barry, who died on May 18th, 2002 at the age of 58. Born and raised in Texas, he achieved a 9-goal rating and dominated polo in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Barry won six U.S. Open championships, three Gold Cups, three Silver Cups as well as the Coronation and Camacho Cup trophies. One of the greatest No. 4s in polo history, Joe Barry was elected to the Polo Hall of Fame in 1999.
The polo matches are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $10 for adults. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased in advance and they are also available at the gate on the day of the game. International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
Previous champions:
2006 – Catamount defeated Lechuza Caracas 9-7 (22-goal)
2005 – Lechuza Caracas defeated Millarville 13-10 (22-goal)
2004 – Catamount defeated Bendabout 13-10 (22-goal)
2003 – La Herradura defeated Brigadoon 8-5 (18-goal)