Polo's top professionals donated their time and
talents to help raise funds for the sport's less fortunate who are battling injury or illness.
With gray skies dumping a couple
inches of rain on International Polo
Club Palm Beach in Wellington,
Florida in the days leading up to
the Outback 40-goal Challenge, it
looked like the Polo Players
Support Group's largest annual
fundraiser might be a washout.
The dinner and auction would go
on regardless, but the match pitting
today's best players was in question.
Fortunately, the sun came out just in
time, and with the cool Florida breeze
helping dry the fields, club officials decided
they would allow the match to be played, the
only game in town. Guests in town for the
action-packed weekend, including the Hall
of Fame inductions, were in for a treat.
First, eight kids took to the field for an
exhibition chukker of future talent. Then, a
four-chukker all-star exhibition game
featured seven of the world's eight 10-
goalers. Ten-goaler Juan Martin Nero
missed the game because of a scheduling
conflict. He was replaced by 9-goaler Julio
Arellano, who grew up in
Wellington and is currently
the highest-rated (outdoor)
American player.
Gonzalito Pieres scored
four goals, including a rare two-pointer, to
lead Equus & Co. over EFG Bank 7-3 in the
annual event, the ninth time it has been
held at IPC. Pieres' 90-yard forehand early
in the fourth chukker earned him the Grey
Goose Long Shot of the Game Award. Two
points were awarded for goals shot from at least 80-yards out.
Sponsor Grey Goose designed a specialty
drink for the occasion and had the Grey
Goose Girls handing out free samples
throughout the match.
Facundo Pieres, Pelon Stirling and
Miguel Novillo Astrada each scored one goal
for Equus & Co. Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo
MacDonough and Arellano scored one goal
apiece for EFG Bank.
The game also marked the return of Sapo
Caset, who was playing in his first game in
the U.S. after being hospitalized in
Argentina with a serious staph infection last
April. Caset spent six days in a medicallyinduced
coma but fully recovered and began
playing in mid-September.
Malaquita, ridden by Facundo Pieres,
received the Best Playing Pony Award,
sponsored by Aon.
After the game, a sold-out VIP dinner
courtesy of Tim Gannon and Outback
Steakhouse was held in the Pavilion with a
who's who of players, patrons and fans
attending the largest post-event affair in the
history of the 40-Goal Challenge. Presenting
sponsor Nespresso offered a variety of
specialty coffees at the invitation-only postevent
dinner.
Proceeds from the gate, the VIP dinner
as well as silent and live auctions benefit the
Polo Players Support Group, Inc., 501(c)(3),
created to provide financial assistance to
seriously injured or ill polo players or
grooms. So far, the PPSG has provided
more than $1.5 million to 45 seriously
injured or ill players and grooms.
The success of the event is in large part
thanks to the players, who not only put on a
show on the field, they help bring in auction
items and come to the dinner which helps
drive up the bidding.
PPSG founder and event organizer Dave
Offen said, "At one time, four people were
bidding over $20,000 for Cambiaso's shirt."
Cambiaso helped by sweetening the deal,
adding in a practice game. With two bidders
left battling, and the high bid at $26,000,
Cambiaso made them both winners after
agreeing to include them both in a practice
and supply them each with a jersey. The
high bidder committed to $26,000 while
the other committed to $25,000 for a total
of $51,000, the largest amount ever paid.
This helped make the event one of the
best years in terms of fundraising,
bringing in $400,000. Offen said a new
silent auction bidding system using a
smart phone also allowed people from
around the country to bid on items. Overall it was great. We had about half a
dozen people bidding, including buyers
from California and Texas, that wouldn't
have been able to otherwise. After having
tried it this year, next year we will get the
word our earlier so more people can
participate," explained Offen.
Aside from Cambiaso's jersey, the top
live auction items were a VIP package
for the Breeder's Cup for four people,
which went for $12,000; a duck hunt at
world-renowned Belleau Farm, which
sold for $9,000; and a week in Argentina
playing polo with Mariano Aguerre,
which went for $8,000.
–– PHOTOS BY ALEX PACHECO
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