White Birch Edges Lechuza Caracas 12-11 in Ylvisaker Cup Opener for Both Teams Friday at International Polo Club Palm Beach

WELLINGTON, FL (February 3, 2006) – Ten-goaler Mariano Aguerre scored six goals to lead perennial powerhouse White Birch over Lechuza Caracas 12-11 Friday in a penalty-filled 22-goal Ylvisaker Cup opener for both teams at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Twenty-eight penalties were called in the game, 14 against each team. White Birch converted 5-of-6 penalty shots while Lechuza Caracas made only 4-of-8 penalty shots.

It was White Birch’s first game of the 2006 season after a tremendous 2005 in which they won all three 26-goal tournaments at International Polo Club, including the Stanford U.S. Open.

White Birch dominated early, jumping out to an 8-3 midway through the third chukker on Aguerre’s third goal of the game. Lechuza responded with two penalty shots by 10-goaler Sebastian Merlos to cut the margin to 8-5 at halftime.

Lechuza scored four consecutive goals, including a spectacular back shot by Merlos, to tie the game at 10-10 with 3:55 left in the game. It was the third and final tie of the match.

Aguerre converted a 40-yard penalty shot to snap the tie with 3:06 remaining. Lechuza had an opportunity to tie the game, but Merlos’ backhand went wide with 1:53 left.

White Birch clinched the victory on a team goal 56 seconds left. Patron Peter Brant took the knock-in, passed to Aguerre who sent it further ahead to Julio Gracida, who passed it to Miguelito Torres. After a brief struggle for control, Gracida’s backshot in front of goal was tapped in by Brant for the 12-10 advantage. Merlos completed the scoring with a breakaway goal with seven seconds left.

Gracida added three goals, all in the first half, for White Birch (1-0) while Torres scored two goals and Brant had one. Merlos led Lechuza Caracas (0-1) with six goals while Tomas del Rio added three goals and Gaston Urturi and patron Victor Vargas scored one goal apiece.

Action in the Ylvisaker Cup continues today (Saturday) with a doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m. when Airstream, led by 10-goaler Carlos Gracida, plays ERG followed by Bendabout, led by 10-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada, against Techno Marine, led by 9-goaler Adam Snow.

The Ylvisaker Cup in named in honor of William T. “Bill” Ylvisaker, a polo pioneer who founded Palm Beach Polo and Country Club in the late 1970s. A former Chairman of the USPA, Ylvisaker was elected into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1996. Ylvisaker has won numerous major polo tournaments, including the prestigious U.S. Open in 1972.

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 www.internationalpoloclub.com.

International Polo Club
Palm Beach