INDIO –-Jason Crowder’s 270-yard breakaway Sunday in the final 40 seconds of the Pacific Coast Circuit Governor’s Cup won the match for Carnation, clinched the MVP award and likely added another star in the books of ratings committee members expected to raise the three-goaler next season.
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| Carnation Farms won the 2006 Governor's Cup Finals @ Eldorado Polo Club. From left to right: Whitney Crowder, Woody Stuart, Dina Stuart, Joseph Stuart, Jason Crowder and Juan Jose Gonzalez. Click here for more photos from the Governor's Cup Finals. |
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| The Golden Falcon's were the runner's up of the Governor's Cup Finals. From left to right: Ernie Ezcurra, Robertito Zedda Mr. and Mrs. Denny Geiler, Santi Torres, Khaled and Amin Badr El Din. |
But he also provided his younger opponents with a spectacular demonstration of fluidity and timing that left two of them wide-eyed and awestruck at the grandstand after the match.
“I couldn’t stop him but I hooked him,” said Golden Falcons’ No. 1 Khaled Badr El Din, 16.
“It was just bad luck,” 12-year-old Santi Torres said.
Clearly dejected by the loss—despite the shiny silver platters--the pair looked on as Carnation’s Joseph Stuart sprayed his teammates with bubbly and, along with Crowder, lifted the Silver Cup high overhead.
“You guys played really well,” Crowder told them, filing down the stairs and away from the crush of photographers. “They’re the MVPs,” he said, pointing at their chests.
“I was just in the right place at the right time. I was being chased and hooked. It was lucky it went through.”
The Golden Falcons, led by Robert Zedda and backed by Ernie Ezcurra, started strong in the first chukker, shutting down Carnation and advancing on a pair of goals by Torres and Ezcurra. Carnation reversed that trend in the second, going up 3-2 on Crowder’s back-to-back goals and Juan Jose Gonzalez’s offside strike from 40 yards. Crowder scored on an offensive drive from his own knock-in early in the third, pressing forward on a zig zag pattern while returning Ezcurra’s tail shots into the line of fire. Falcons’ Badr El Din caught a pass from Zedda and scored midway through the chukker and Zedda converted a penalty 4 for a 4-4 standoff with 1:29 left on the clock.
Zedda’s goal shot attempt went wide of the posts as the 30-second horn rang. Crowder knocked the ball in and it dropped midfield. Stuart glanced back, picked up Ezcurra and allowed Crowder to prepare for a second bomb. He connected as Gonzalez rode in to pressure Torres. Unchallenged, Crowder hit an easy tap-in for the 5-4 lead.
Ezcurra scored the tying goal with 3:43 remaining. Golden Falcons’ Zedda scrambled for a short offside shot but it rolled wide. Then, on a spot hit 30 yards from Golden Falcons’ goal, Crowder made the game-winning carry with .44 left on the clock. Centering his horse on approach, he reached out and hit a long offside that dropped near centerfield. He beat Ezcurra to the ball, prepared quickly and struck a 100-yard high flyer at a dead run. Before it could roll to a stop, Crowder held his line, checking quickly to the side for defense. They were 35 yards behind him. His offside tap bounced through the uprights.
“It was all just fast horses. It really comes down to that,” Crowder said.
Crowder scored five of Carnation’s six goals in the match and accepted the MVP award from Alex Jacoy.
Photo: Jason Crowder, MVP.
Corky Linfoot presented the annual Chongo Galindo award to Pablo Medina, who handcrafts mallets and repairs them at his shop at Empire West.
We take a lot of pride in presenting this award to people who bring happiness to our sport with a positive attitude, like Chongo did,” Linfoot said. The recipient’s name is placed on a plate and the portrait is passed from one recipient to another on an annual basis.
Medina made no speeches, choosing to show his appreciation with a big grin and a “Thank you.”
