Catamount Tops Lechuza Caracas to Capture the 2006 Joe Barry Memorial Cup Title Sunday at International Polo Club
Equestrian News Release
WELLINGTON, FL (January 29, 2006) – What a difference two weeks makes.
Catamount claimed its second Joe Barry Memorial Cup championship in three years, defeating defending champion Lechuza Caracas 9-7 Sunday on Stanford Field at International Polo Club Palm Beach before 5,371 spectators.
Two weeks ago, Lechuza Caracas defeated Catamount 13-10 on Opening Day.
Six-goaler Jeff Blake led Catamount with five goals, including a 30-yard penalty shot with 1:40 left in the game that clinched the victory.
“Our preparation, our organization are mainly the only things in the last two weeks we worked on,” said 5-goaler Todd Offen of Catamount, who scored one goal. “We’re four guys, a team without any superstars, who each have a job and we did it.
“Lechuza is a very strong team so we had to go man-to-man defensively. (Catamount patron) Scott (Devon) took Victor (Vargas) and held him in check most of the game. Victor hurt us in the first game. And Jeff Blake had the hardest job, taking (10-goaler) Sebastian Merlos, but we helped out when we could.”
Lechuza Caracas scored three consecutive goals in the fifth chukker, one each by Gaston Urturi, Vargas and Merlos, to tie the game at 7-7 with 1:45 remaining. But Hall answered with a 60-yard penalty shot with 38 seconds left in the fifth chukker to put Catamount ahead for good at 8-7.
Catamount upset New Bridge La Dolfina 13-10 in the semifinals and were the underdogs, although the crowd favorite in the final.
“After the semifinals, we had to carry this through,” said Devon. “We were really hungry. I think we surprised some people. It’s fun winning as an underdog.”
Devon said he put the team together this summer while playing in Santa Barbara.
“Jeff Blake and Jeff Hall played very well together and Todd was playing hard for another team. We’re four guys who like each other and play well together.”
Hall finished with two goals while Devon and Offen had one goal each. Blaked finished the tournament as the second leading scorer with 20 goals (Adolfo Cambiaso was the top scorer with 24 goals). Merlos finished with three goals while Tomas del Rio, who was the team’s leading scorer with 16 goals, was limited to two goals. Vargas and Urturi finished with one goal apiece.
“Thanks for Scott for trusting us and putting the team together,” said Offen. “It’s fun and this makes it all worthwhile.”
The Joe Barry Memorial Cup is named after American polo legend Joe Barry, who died on May 18, 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.
High-goal polo action continues this week with the Ylvisaker Cup. 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 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 http://www.internationalpoloclub.com.
Joe Barry Memorial Cup Scoring Leaders
Player/Team- Games, Goals
Adolfo Cambiaso, New Bridge La Dolfina- 3, 24
Jeff Blake, Catamount- 4, 20
Carlos Gracida, Airstream- 2, 18
Nicolas Roldan, Pony Express- 3, 18
Tomas del Rio, Lechuza Caracas- 4, 18
Jeff Hall, Catamount- 4, 15
Agustin Merlos, Reata- 2, 14
Sebastian Merlos, Lechuza Caracas- 4, 13
Matias Magrini, New Bridge La Dolfina- 3, 12
Adam Snow, Techno Marine- 2, 10
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