Polo Field Notes: Piaget USPA Gold Cup

Wellington’s favorite sport kicks into high gear this month as the International Polo Club Palm Beach’s 2014 high-goal season begins March 7 with the Piaget USPA Gold Cup.

Sapo Caset (9-goal) of Valiente on a breakaway during the final of the CV Whitney Cup against Orchard Hill. Photo by Alex Pacheco

   The second leg of America’s 26-goal triple crown, the Gold Cup heats up the polo pitch. Fresh off the C.V. Whitney Cup, IPC’s first 26-goal affair of the season, Valiente defeated Orchard Hill 12-8 on March 2 with a great showing from six-goal Santi Torres, the match’s MVP. This bodes well for the Adolfo Cambiaso-led foursome, who won 2013’s Gold Cup and lost in the Maserati 109th U.S. Open Polo Championship finals 16-13.

10-goal Adolfo Cambiaso controls the ball during the final match of the CV Whitney Cup at the International Polo Club. Photo by Alex Pacheco

    2013 U.S. Open Polo Championship winners 10-goaler Facundo Pieres and eight-goaler Magoo Laprida are now teamed up with eight-goaler Paco de Narvaez on George Rawlings’ Crab Orchard team. Flight Options is complete with a trio of Astrada brothers: nine-goalers Miguel and Eduardo and eight-goaler Alejandro. Eight teams have signed up to test their 26-goal mettle this year, down from 11 last year, meaning a higher concentration of top talent in a smaller pool of roster spots. Quality of play is at its highest level now, yet fewer than two months remain of the 2014 season—so those looking to watch a match or two better do so soon before the season ends.

• Match play for the Piaget USPA Gold Cup begins March 7 with Alegria taking on Flight Options at 3 p.m., followed by a full slate of play scheduled March 9, with matches taking place at 10 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. For the complete lineup, click here.
• Sunday general admission to IPC is $10; lawn seats cost $20 (north and south stadium); center stadium seats cost $30. Champagne brunch costs $120.
• For more information, visit internationalpoloclub.com.