Steve Crowder's Polo Report -Sept. 2002

Sept. 30, '02: A BLOWOUT IS WHAT IT IS and it was a blow out. The Sexy Lady (Lisa Bosstick) became the first woman patron to play all the games and win it all! She had some help as the Palomino (Jason Crowder), Mr. Torpedo (Mariano Fassetta) and Augie the Doggie (Agustin Zavaleta). Agustin showed us yesterday is history and tomorrow is another day. Agustin blasted 7 goals to nearly stop the Banditos from the pretzels. Mighty Mike Matz was no match for what happened. Daring Dave Dollinger found out what a buzz saw was, as the sexy Lady had him in her back pocket all day. That was the biggest factor of the day as Madison Square made IT official. Madison Square made it an all-star (!*!*) beating on the Banditos and took no prisoners. A U G I scored 7 goals just following Lady Lisa and she put in 2 . Her opponent never raised the flag except to surrender. We just never will believe team work-works, but it sure did on Sunday! Madison was fired up on Sunday and showed us all that it was time to burn the past and win it all. It was so nice to see pretty lady Lisa smile

It was a great show and it was a Gypsy sweep in the 6-goal as Lady Suzanne Figi did it all. She played 3 chukkers of the Rancho Valencia Cup and came out with a broken arm. Suzanne coached the first two games of the Spreckels Cup, was head cheerleader, and then took off her cast on Friday and went back on the field to win the semis. In the finals she put a good stop on a very promising young player named David and finally took home the Spreckels Cup. It will go in the new super-sized trophy case with about 4 other cups she has won from this summer. Both Suzanne Figi and Sexy Lady Lisa Bosstick have something for the Maintenance Man (Khai Agon) to do . . . build some new trophy cases. Women continue to dominate the winners circle in high-goal polo this summer. Abby Riggs took 5 out of 7 cups home from Santa Barbara. These ladies did the same in San Diego. Lady Lisa becomes the First Lady to go to both finals in the high-goal in San Diego and won the Spreckels from start to finish. She also scored 2 goals to make things even better. Suzanne one ups her by winning both of the fall classics. Well done ladies! See you in the Desert.

It was a great day on Sunday as well as a great month for polo in San Diego. The place was a blast. With a little more time on the fields and a new group of umpires, it will be the place to play polo in September every year.

Some other results from the final's day. San Fernando put another minus in CasaBlanca's column in the 6 goal. They took home the silver without Roberto Estudillo, who we hear is doing wel,l but not home in his own bed yet. The Canadian Cowgirl (Dyan Pettigrew) stopped Mrs Ellen at the other 6 goal finals and team Owens won another one. In the consolation of the 14-Goal it was CasaBlanca saving face and winning something to put on the wall. We had it all in S.D. Great parties, very good polo and most of all a very good time.

See ya downtown or somewhere they play polo.

Steve Crowder

Dave Dollinger (Los Banditos) -he is 2 goals.
Lisa Bosstick (Madison Square) - she is much prettier.

At # 2 Position

Francisco Lanusse (Los Banditos)- he is 6 goals and experienced.
Jason Crowder (Madison Square )- he is 19 and ready at 3 goals.

At # 3 Position
Marcello Abiatti - he has been here before.
Mariano Fassetta (Madison Square ) - he has won here before.

At # 4 Position
Mike Matz (Los Banditos) - he is 0 goals.
Agustin Zavaleta (Madison Square) - he is not.

In the 6 goal finals it is a Gypsy vs Rancho del Rio. It will be a battle as both teams had nail biters to get here. Gypsy came by 2 solid rocks and won as the Roberto Estudillo & surfer Doc just barely lost. Then the polo surfer (Diego Cossio) and 1 eye (Daniel Fernandez) just lost in the last 9 seconds. They also kept the polo photos (Photo Polo) out of all photos today. Sister Susan Figi is back out of the cart and smokin down Sunday lane again, so somebody will have a man on Sunday and it will be Susan (I know it). On the other side it was Topo Mendez and a giant 4th chukker, 5 goals that is. The squad doing the impossible and doing a meltdown on the Canadian Cowgirl (Dyan Pettigrew) to find themselves watching the burning house (CasaBlanca) go down in ashes in O.T. Believe it or not, the Owens team have found themselves in the finals at high noon. So if you want to see polo drive in at 9.30 a.m. and you will see more polo in 1 day than you will most likely see in a lifetime as a spectator. As the sun sets there will be a wide-open party for it all and it will be over when the party's over.

Be there. We will.

Some good news came from just down the road at Scripps Hospital. The word on the street is Mr. Roberto Estudillo is doing fine after a little head injury on Thursday. He won't be unable to play this weekend and that is no good, but he is fine. So good luck R.E. The worst part about it is we do not get to see the beautiful women he is always near, Lady Monique and Miss Anna. Roberto, you do have the prettiest nurses for sure.

Party time at the Crash & Burn. It was as good as you get and only the cool weather to gripe about. The food was good and Tom Goodspeed and the group had a wild thing corralled. Tom let them out of their cage last night. Silent Julio, Tomas, Alfonso, Mariano aka Mr. Chris Maloney and his very sexy wife, went on the wild side of life for a spectacular show. It was a great party. Many people showed up for the party including Jim Williams, Howard Birndorf, Gary White, but any show done by Chris and Laura will draw a crowd. It does not have to be on Sat. night. Great show Mr. G o o d s p e e d.

See ya at polo. Steve Crowder

Well it was a beautiful day in Del Mar and it was polo time in the high goal Spreckels. It was the Voyagers and CasaBlanca playing a practice and the big time was at 1 p.m. Madison Square, following the Sexy Lady Lisa Bosstick down the field showing anything but squares as she scored a giant neck shot to start it all. The Silver Fox, Harry Collins, does not stop to see the grass grow and he came right back pushing Rancho Valencia to the top. They were close in the worst refereed game I have seen in 27 years of polo, but it was always just a goal or so missing. Twinkle toes or as in England they call it T.P. (Tomas Pieres) kept rolling just behind Fast - etta (Mariano Fassetta) and the Palomino (Jason Crowder) and in the end it was the Lovely Lady escaping the Fox one more time by 2. Rancho Valencia with one more shot will meet the Surfer (Ron Bonaguidi) and boys + the Fat Boy (Georges Daou) to see where they are at on the weekend.

Game 2 on Sunday was a little better and the umpires were a lot better. It was the Banditos with Mighty Mike Matz and Daring Dave Dollinger controlling the tempo as they gave Macho Man Julio Zavaleta all the chances he wanted. It was not his day or Double D's to put them in they needed to be 100 yards not 30,40 or 60 yards. It was a crowd pleasing game as they hit, they ran and they tried, but it was the super bug Mighty Mike and his Patron Dave from S.F. leading them down to a slow day on Wed. to see who is in the trap on the Friday night show. Voyager gets to see if the house Mr. White built is burned or just smoldering as even Ronai lost today and that does not happen often. Dudley White ain't happy today.

In the 6-goal Spreckels it is Graham Bray and gang keeping the seat warm for Mrs. Susan Figi to recover from a broken arm to play for the silver next week. They beat San Fernando and Little Creek and will advance to the finals. Polo No Photo is on the sidelines and the Canadian Cowgirl (Dyan Pettigrew) seems to keep a sleeping giant just under the covers as they thumped Mrs. Norma Owens and then slipped by the burning house CasaBlanca Too today. They have just 1 more to play to see the Gypsy's next Sunday for the gold.

Standings 14- goal

Madison Square 2 & 0 Los Banditos 2 & 0
Voyagers 1 & 1 Hanalei Bay 1 & 1
Rancho Valencia 0 & 2 CasaBlanca 0 & 2

Wed. at 2 p.m.

Hanalei Bay vs Rancho Valencia

at 4 p.m.

Voyagers vs Casa Blanca

See ya Wednesday and it does not cost a dime, just some well spent time. See ya at polo

Sept. 23, '02: There are 8 teams after the Spreckels and it's not a walk in the park. They all see the chance of action on super Sunday, Sept. 29th. It all stared on Saturday, the first day of the Fall and they fell, but not hard. Stormin Norma and team Owen ran into the Canadian wave (Cymric) and were swept under. Photo Polo, Mr. Ed (Masterson), and the Sign Man/Waiter/Mr. Maintenance (Khai Agon), could not keep the black and yellow from the down turn as the Surfer (Diego Cossio) and Goodeye (Daniel Fernandez) led Dick Laventhol and Ellen Greenhill to the + side of things by 2. Then it was the Gypsy's putting down San Fernando in the last moments as the fastest low-goal day in town. Graham Bray had the last HEE HAW to win by 1 over the Flying Doc. To finish the 1st day, it was CasaBlanca Too getting by Rancho Del Rio as Ronai let her hair down and ran the show.

Day 2 was just as busy with all 8 making the field and it was fast from 10 to 1:30. Somewhere at the Surfland Photo Polo did not make the photo as the Doc was flying and they did not have time to take his picture except at the goal line .

As Roberto Estudillo and San Fernando go on the + side to go 1 & 1.
Gypsy got in the finals the old fashion was as they came out 1 ahead of the Surfer and Good Eye. Mrs. Greenhill put on a big battle with some pretty good shots for a little lady, but she needed 1 more and there were no mas. Team Owen had another good day as Rancho del Rio did a tap dance on Norma's Group. The Big Show saw the Canadian Waves (Cymric) make a big splash on the White House and sent them floating down the creek, but they need 1 more to shut the door.

AS IT IS

SAN FERNANDO 1 & 1 TEAM OWEN 0 & 2
GYPSY .COM 2 & 0 CASA BLANCA 1 & 1
PHOTO POLO 0 & 2 CYMRIC 2 & 0
LITTLE CREEK 1 & 1 RANCO DEL 1 & 1

SEE YA SATURDAY MORNIN EARLY.

Game 2 was Casa Blanca vs the Champs from Sunday, Los Banditos. Mighty Mike Matz went to the wall again and Los Banditos did burn the White House down for 4 chukkers, but they came back in the fifth and stuck it to the boys in blue as Mr. White rocked in 3 to follow only by 1. Mr. MVP went to work in the 6th and finished the fire on the White House to send them to 0 - 2, not seen often. There is a lot of polo tomorrow whether you are in Santa Barbara or down in Del Mar, so be there.

See ya at polo.

Spreckels Cup, first game, had Rancho Valencia going hard to take out the Voyagers and it was 2 Chris', both sons, trying to help Pops to the top. It was a booming shot from the Cabazon (Mariano Gonzalez) who sent Silent Chris Maloney to the + column in overtime. Twinkle Toes (Tomas Pieres) could not find the mark one more time before O.T.

At the 11:30 game it was the Macho Man (Julio Zavaleta) and he had the Fat Boy (Georges Daou) on the run to goal quite often. As the Surfer (Ron Bonaguidi) took out the sticks and double D kept the pressure on the White House gang and put the first big win on the board by a 2 patron team since this show started. It takes a lot of time to get rolling for the big show, but they have 1 big win and that's better than the other way.

The "C" finals at 10 a.m consolation kept Dyan Pettigrew happy as Cymric slid thru to win the consolation in the 6 goal. At 1.pm it was the Gypsy's doing a not so photogenic thing to big Ed Masterson and the Maintence Man (Khai Agon). As Jocelyn Parker & Mike Jordan took it to goal and big Graham Bray made the photos pay for missing 2 open goals. They should not have smiled. There were no photos as the boss of the red, Ms. Susan Figi, was shedding her cast to get them going. She did and they won the 6 goal portion of the Rancho Valencia Cup.

The 3 p.m. game was a barn burner. Los Banditos got out quick and up by 3 then Lady Lisa Bosstick fired up the troops and here come Madison Square, at 1 time up by 5. As soon as the 4th started it was Bandit time again. Mighty Mike Matz was the star of the show and he left the ball to Francisco Lanusse as often as needed and put them on top again as they scored 6 unanswered goals. Then with the clock falling down it was Lady Lisa making a big run down Sunday Lane to help the Palomino (Jason Crowder) put the board even at 19 ticks of the clock and it was off to O.T. With 4 minutes to go in the 7th Chukker and 2 mistakes by Madison Square it was Marcelo Abiatti stealing a wayward pass and going the 220 needed to put them on the victory stand as 2002 champions of the Rancho Valencia Cup.

The Spreckels Cup started yesterday and all teams will have 1 game finished by Friday's nights party time.

Spreckels

Bracket A B

Rancho Valencia 0 - 1 CasaBlanca 0 - 1
Voyagers 1 - 0 Hanalei Bay 1 - 0
Madison Square 0 - 0 Los Banditos 0 - 0

The low goal is waiting until sun down to finish so we won't know until dark as the combos are mathematically unknown.

Sunday will be fun as Mighty Mike Matz from the East Coast and Daring Dave Dollinger try to lead the big sticks Marcelo Abiatti and Francisco Lanusse against the boys in black (Madison Square). With Sexy Lady (Lisa Bosstick) leading the charge and the Palomino (Jason Crowder) trying to stay in front of Fas-tea (Mariano Fassetta) he is a rocket and they have the Doctor of air balls (Agustin Zavaleta) shutting the door so be there because you will be glad you are.

See ya.

At noon all hands aboard can hit, run and take a man. Lisa Bosstick is proving she is where she wants to be -- top of the ladies class. Lisa and Mighty Mike are the only 0's in the big show and they are across the tracks from each other. We will have a Draw Party as soon as the dirty 4:30 hits 6:60. See ya at Sundown.

Sept. 12, '02: Powers not Towers Fall on 9-11 - It was not a good day to be the big stick on the field today. It started early and just kept on falling. Not the towers, but the powers of polo. The highest rated player here today started it with with Mr. Mariano Gonzalez getting a lesson as the Banditos came out tough and got tougher. Mighty Mike and the hustle of him and his mates made it a non-mating time for Voyager. As Silent Chris was not in town and maybe happy to be out of town, but it was a drill. Banditos were ahead by 2 at the end of 3 and 6 at the end of 6. They went on to win by 7, 16 to 9 and say so long to the Voyage of the day.

The real shipwreck was at 2:30. Another of the powers, Santiago Trotz, was put in the pocket of a 3-goaler called Palomino and there were no paints, just black wash. Madison Square followed the Sexy Lady (Lisa Bosstick) all the way to the goal for 18 trips to the flag raiser until his arm got tired. Fast-etta (Mariano Fassetta) and the Dog Augi (Agustin Zavaleta) let them in the house for a few and it was only by 10 and Lady Lisa scored nearly that many. So they won by a square 18 to 8.

Game 3 was at 3 and not by 3 as the sleeping 3 came out as 3 and helped Rege White go for 3 goals. It was a real ass-beating to the Fat Boy (Georges Daou) who has not read the book "Take a Man and Have the Ball." We know he knows women. Will he remember it's a mans game mostly, so Georges take a man. Not home, just away from the ball. That must be the worst kicking the Macho Man (Julio Zavaleta) and the Surfer (Ron Bonaguidi) have had in so l-o n g. They must come back and they will with Georges Daou "maybe."

Well its down to 3 and they are :

CasaBlanca 1 & 1 + 3
Los Banditos 2 & 0 + 10
Madison Square 2 & 0 + 15

Down but not dead

Ranch Valencia 1 & 1 - 8

Gone.

Haneli Bay 0 & 2 - 11 they play each other
Voyager 0 & 2 -9

The other games:

Madison Square vs Los Banditos a close game means
another game on 12 noon on Fri.

Sunday

Rancho Valencia vs Casa Blanca -Santiago Trotz will have to lay down to get them in and take a nap for Twinkle Toes (Tomas Pieres) to win.

Friday will tell and there is a party!!!!

Be there. See ya.

Come high noon it is Cabazon, whatever that is, and the Silent Man (Chris Maloney) trying to get in the win column. He has to deal with Mighty Mike Matz and Los Banditos, who did a tap dance on the roof of Casa Blanca last Sunday in the big show.

At 2.30 its Twinkle Toes, Tweetie Bird (Tomas Pieres) getting the nod to try to tip toe past Fast - etta (Mariano Fassetta) and the boys following the sexy lady of Madison Square (Lisa Bosstick). One team will be 2 - 0 and one will be 1-1. That's the way it is.

At 4.30 before sundown there will be one in the dark and with some fog, but not history yet. The boys from CasaBlanca try to prove their siesta on Sunday was just a bad day. They look to give Macho Man (Julio Zavaleta) and the Surfer (Ron Bonaguidi) the pipeline back to the big island. But hey, the surfs up here and Big Ron don't want to go home. He just bought a piece of the rock for his very sexy lady (Krista Hawley) next year. It will be horses. Good luck to them and I do not mean buying horses. So this just might be a good show if the Fat Boy (Georges Daou) shows up.

Sept. 8, '02: Well they say Harry Collins never likes to get outdone. I guess he figured if Pete Sampras could be the oldest winner in New York, he would just 1 up him in California and he did. Rancho Valencia was able to shut down Silent Chris Maloney and Pop from getting in the + column as they, with some big time plays from both Harry Collins and Chris Collins, the other son and pop team, protected their name from being sent down by the Voyager team. They even had a little help from Twinkle Toes or is it Tweetie Bird Tomas Pieres. It was a good game and ended up by 2.

Game 2 brought the other 1/2 of the title, pretty lady Lisa Bosstick, as she made her debut in the 14-goal a golden one. She went on to beat Fat Boy (Georges Daou) and the Surfer Ron Bonaguidi by 5. The boys in black (Madison Square) followed the little lady right down to goal so many times as the Palomino (Jason Crowder) and Fast- etta (Mariano Fassetta) took the ball from Agustin Zavaleta when he sent it, they put the postage on it.

Game 3 was just what it was supposed to be, rock star time. They were rolling as the Banditos caught the Cowboys on a siesta at Casa Blanca. Mighty Mike Matz might have that 10, but he will soon lose that 0 and he is only 9 away from there. He had a brilliant debut where the surf meets the turf. We have to tell you we had a rainout in old S.D. and it was the first real water not from a hose or the sea in 200 days, so everybody will be back at work come Wednesday on 9 -11 from 1 to 4.30 so be there. It will be last Friday's schedule and hope it will be a much better 9/11 than 01.

They stand as we speak.

Voyager's 0 & 1 - 2
Hanalei Bay 0 & 1 - 5
Casa Blanca 0 & 1 - 4
Rancho Valencia 1 & 0 + 2
Madison Square 1 & 0 + 5
Los Banditos 1 & 0 + 4

Sept. 6, '02: The Polo Report by Steve Crowder - They meet at high noon and there will be a very interesting match at high noon. Its Silent Chris Maloney against Daring Dave Dollinger (D.D.) D.D has the experience of the U.S. Open, but he will find out how tough a quiet boy from the surf can be. An inflated 2 aganist a real 0. So lets roll it over as D.D. has a Mighty Mike Matz on his team. Mike Matz, who like the other Mike Azzaro, has a 0 in his handicap, but it does not have a 1 in front of it. Mike could be a secret weapon.

Game 2 brings Tinker Bell Tomas Pieres into town again. He is a defender of this title and he will have to look up at everybody. I think if Lisa Bosstick has a small horse they will be the same size, but he may have to work much harder this year as Friday the sticks are big and the power is following a wild woman. You have Mr. Fassetta to deal with, the Palomino (Jason Crowder) and the Doctor of Defense to find the bouncing ball and mail it forward and he will find a ball in the air on the end of his taco in this town.

Game 3 at 3.30 is the Cowboys Casa Blanca coming back from the hills to feed Dudley some sea food at the red door against the surfer Ron Bonaguidi and Fat Boy George Daou. Although I think he is skinner than me now, but only by a bit. Macho Man Julio Zavaleta will need Daniel Roensich and some help from the ends to see the + side. Be there. It's a showdown at Rancho Santa Fe .

Draw (Friday)
Voyager > Los Banditos
Madison Square > Rancho Valencia
Casa Blanca > Hanalei Bay

Sunday
10 a.m Voyager > Rancho Valencia
12 noon Madison Sqaure > Hanalei Bay
3 p.m Casa Blanca > Los Banditos

See ya at polo.

Sept. 4th, '02: The Polo Report by Steve Crowder - Friday high-goal polo comes to Rancho Santa Fe, one of the richest towns in America and at a Polo Club that just does not match its surroundings. But it will for the next 3 weeks as some of the better polo players in the world ride into town.

Show time starts this Friday and for the next 3 weeks there will be few prisoners taken.

Here is my rundown. . .

Haneli Bay - Daou Polo - 14 goals but they face a mighty task. Ron Bonaguidi has won most of the majors in the U.S., but even Macho Man Julio Zavaleta can not carry Fat Boy George Daou to a title. Julio Zavaleta is probably the best player on the West Coast for his handicap, but if he wins I have made a fatal error on polo.

Los Banditos - they played in the U,S. Open and did well, but they are behind the 8 ball here as you all have to play polo here and to play you need to practice. We will see, but I do not think Carla will be at the finals as a groom, just in the stands bothering somebody else besides Dave.

Voyager - if you think Silent Chris Maloney is gone, your wrong. He is here and has 3 titles to his belt this year and has to be a very under rated player. When S.H. catches him he has a problem. He brought a kid from Santa Barbara with a pretty wife who has a chance to win any time as he can be 90 % on any day with penalty shots. Dalton is not asleep and Pop (Steve Maloney) don't just paint, he can be an addresser of the goal and he has always been ambassador. Can he be a Secretary of Defense?

Casa Blanca - They have filled the record book the last 3 years in San Diego and they hired the guy who won it all last year with Mr. Gaston Von Wernich. If you have met Dudley White you know he does not play for peanuts. He came here for a full steak dinner and he has the fire power to do just that. Tim Rudy takes a man so well they say he goes to the trailer with him and takes him home. So watch for these Cowboys, they are looking for a chicken-fried steak every night.

Rancho Valencia - They own the joint so who knows, but it will take a large effort to see Tomas Pieres take Julio Zavaleta, and Mariano Gonzalez. Tomas is very small and finds women more his size sometimes, but if he gets the ball its his call and polo is a ball game.

Madison Square - There are no squares on this team, lots of curves and they're nice ones. They belong to the Captain, but if the Palomino (Jason Crowder) and Mariano Fasetta can follow, no one else may be able to. It's a team of speed and danger. The trouble is the danger is themselves, but if they turn the danger out, somebody will have to look out and it will be a very short look.

The draw this week will tell the story, but you will see some locals on next Sunday afternoon.

See ya. -- Steve Crowder

The lady Lisa Bosstick turned another year, but the Owens group wished they were not there for the party as they took a lickin and there was no tickin in them after the 4th. Graham Bray and the Texan, Mr. Nevins, gave Suzanne Figi and Lisa all the help they needed to take home their 3rd cup of the summer and head to the big month ahead. Susan took a Rice taco to the elbow and was replaced by Rhea Hosea for about 1 1/2/ chukkers. Gypsy Madison Square was in front by 3 and they just made sure it was so long to the Norma Owens crew and went over and picked some very nice bronze trophies. It was a very nice ending to a super summer and now its time for the big show in town which starts this Friday.

It was a real treat to see the gorgeous Monique and little Fernando as he follows in those polo footsteps. Will get out a run down on the Spreckels real soon.

See ya at polo.

--Steve Crowder