Dust settles on an emotional USPA Gold Cup win for Park Place
Park Place’s USPA Gold Cup finals 10-9 win against Coca-Cola in overtime – taking the second of the trio of tournaments in the Gauntlet of Polo – was an emotional one. Prior to the start of the high goal season, Argentina’s Rufino Lauhlé – slated to play for Park Place this winter at the National Polo Center – was killed in a car crash in January, before leaving for Florida.
The promising 15-year-old player was on everyone’s mind for the final and Park Place wore a sticker on the team jerseys’ sleeves, that spelled “Rufo”. The victory was bitter sweet. “I want to honor Rufo Lauhlé today,” Park Place’s Captain, 10-goal Hilario Ulloa said. “We had a tough start of the season. I wish he would have been here. Louis did an amazing job, but this final has been very emotional due to what happened. Today we were with five guys on the field, probably he was around and he helped us.”
Louis Hine, a 19-year-old Wellington high-goal rookie from England, tried out for Park Place and once granted the opportunity, proved his mettle, winning the Most Valuable Player award in the final. “When I managed to get the spot on the team, I knew I just had to go throw everything at it and do my best,” he said. “I was lucky that we clicked well with the boys from early on and we kind of got better and better every game getting to know each other.” Hine’s teammate, Peke Gonzalez Jr. was in contention for the MVP pf the finals having been a game changer in defense and attack. His reward came in the form of Best Playing Pony for his impressive grey horse 5 – he played the gelding in the first and fifth chukkers, both times scoring from the field.
Both teams arrived at the final unbeaten – their presence ensuring that the Sunday U.S. Polo Assn. Field One Gauntlet showdown was noticeable by the absence of either Poroto or Adolfo Cambiaso for the first time since the US Open in 2022. In banking a C.V. Whitney Cup win, money was on Adolfo Cambiaso to pull off a first time acquisition of the Gauntlet of Polo, a rare polo accolade that has so far eluded him, and only been acquired once when Pilot took home all three tournaments in the Gauntlet’s inaugural year in 2019. Adolfo’s son, Poroto with La Dolfina/Catamount met La Dolfina/Tamera in the quarterfinal and when Poroto came out on top with a 12-11 win due to his last minute breakaway goal, hopes of a Gauntlet win for his father this year were dashed.
Park Place were ahead 7-5 at halftime in the finals of the USPA Gold Cup but the match went into overtime, as Coca-Cola Captain, Polito Pieres engineered a field goal and a penalty at the culmination of the sixth chukker to bring the score to 9-9. Park Place secured a spot penalty in front of goal in the sudden death period and Gillian Johnston’s Coca-Cola’s hope of securing its first win in the Gold Cup was all but over.
“It’s a pity for them,” said Hilario. “We played an amazing first half but we knew they were going to come back. I feel it has been anybody’s game.”
The victory may not have given Park Place the Gauntlet, but it did give Andrey Borodin’s team a title in all three tournaments. “It’s our first ever Gold Cup win here,” said Park Place Manager, Ash Price. “We won the C.V. Whitney twice and the US Open so to win the Gold Cup here is incredible.”
Next stop for both teams is the U.S. Open Polo Championship, starting tomorrow, March 26 and concluding on April 20, with 12 teams vying for the most coveted polo trophy in North America.
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