Four teams played hard for the season's third 6-goal tournament in perfect Santa Barbara weather on 5-6 May. Immi Pictures won from Nicoma 9 goals to 8.
On Saturday, Long Beach and Nicoma played for a place in the final Ð with two Walkers on each side the competition was intense and the score was 7-all at the close of the sixth chukker. A 2nd minute goal in overtime from Henry Walker clinched the game for Nicoma, Chadmar Farms was beaten by Immi Pictures 9 goals to 11, and went on to win the consolation with a 9-3 win on Sunday.

A big crowd turned out to see the well established 6-goal teams of Nicoma and Immi Pictures battle it out for this trophy.

The first two chukkers belonged to Joel and Doreen Ladin, with Joel scoring the match's first and best goal with a 80 yard neckshot into goal from the clubhouse corner of the field 2 seconds from the final bell. Doreen Ladin made up for two good near-miss 1st chukker runs with a long run to an early goal in the second chukker. Sebastian Tkacik scored a goal with a half-field run off his own penalty 5 hit to bring Immi Pictures behind, but within reach by one goal.
The third and fourth chukkers were dominated by a battle between Matthew Walker and Hector Monserrat for two goals each Ð Matthew Walker with a penalty 2 given away by Monserrat's goal-mouth defence, and a wonderful near-full field run to goal. HectorÕs two goals and two wonderful penalty 4 shots from four attempts by Sebastian Tkakic Ð including one (missed) onto the freeway and the next (goal) whacked into the scoreboard.

At half time the score was tied up at 4-all Ð but Immi Picture's had a lucky break when the ball bounced of Matthew Walker's pony through the blue goal early in the fourth chukker. Marshall Allen scored well after an earlier near miss off a near-side backshot, and the second of Tkakic's penalty four goal shots put Immi Pictures into a 3 goal lead after the fourth chukker.

The highlight of the final chukkers for this bystander, as Nicoma struggled to catch the opposition and so nearly did, was Henry Walker's full field sprint to goal after his pony (Lapointe) spun a full speed stop and turn which simply left everyone else to watch the run to goal. The Nicoma team was thus making ground when Heriberto Schoeffer put another on the board for Immi Pictures. A terrific cut-shot goal from Henry Walker and Joel Ladin's second of the game gave the sixth chukker to Nicoma, but time was on Immi Picture's side, and the gray team emerged triumphant at 9 goals to 8.

Visit Santa Barbara Polo Club's Web site for more information about this tournament and the participating teams.