International Polo Club Palm Beach Florida

Isla Carroll Tops BTA 12-11 in Overtime Friday
in 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup at International Polo Club

WELLINGTON, FL (March 10, 2006) – Nine-goaler Eduardo Heguy scored on a breakaway 20 seconds into overtime to spark Isla Carroll over BTA 12-11 in a first-round game of the 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup Friday at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

In other action, Las Monjitas defeated Pony Express 8-7 in overtime on 8-goaler Mariano Gonzalez’s 60-yard penalty shot.

In the Isla Carroll-BTA overtime, Heguy picked up a loose ball in his own end from the throw-in and dribbled more than 200 yards, tapping in the game-winning goal.

There were three ties in the final chukker, with BTA rallying each time behind 10-goaler Mike Azzaro whose seventh goal knotted the score at 11-11 with 1:02 remaining.

Each team had penalty shots from midfield, Isla Carroll with 31 seconds left, and BTA with 13 seconds remaining, but failed to get a shot at goal.

Heguy led Isla Carroll with six goals while Azzaro led BTA with seven goals.

The game was delayed for almost 10 minutes when BTA 8-goaler Rookie Bailleau was injured in a fall. He apparently suffered a concussion but is expected to recover. Bailleau and 2-goaler Toby Wayman were replaced by 5-goalers Brad Blake and Pelon Escapite. Eight-goaler Sugar Erskine did not play for Isla Carroll, sitting out with an injured hand. He was replaced by Guille Aguero, who scored three goals. Jeff Blake added three goals for BTA.

Gonzalez led Las Monjitas (1-0) with four goals while Pancho Bensadon scored three goals for Pony Express (0-1).

Action in the 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup continues with four games on Sunday. Orchard Hill (0-1) plays Lechuza Caracas (0-1) and Mokarow Farms (0-1) plays Bendabout (0-1), both at 10 a.m. Black Watch (1-0) takes on San Saba (0-1) at 12 noon followed by Skeeterville (1-0) against defending champion White Birch (1-0) on Stanford Field at 3 p.m.

Fourteen teams, the largest field of the 2006 winter season, have entered the tournament. Seven 10-goalers – Aguerre (White Birch), Javier Novillo Astrada (San Saba), Miguel Novillo Astrada (Bendabout), Mike Azzaro (BTA), Carlos Gracida (Mokarow Farms), Agustin Merlos (ERG) and Sebastian Merlos (Lechuza Caracas) – are competing in the event.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for Sunday, March 19 with the semifinals set for Thursday, March 23 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The final is Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.

The tournament is named in memory of Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, who along with his cousin John Hay Whitney, were important polo patrons in the 1930's. The son of Hall of Fame patron Harry Payne Whitney, C.V. won the U.S. Open three times (twice against his brother), and was a renowned owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.

The polo matches at International Polo Club 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.

C.V. Whitney Schedule

Sunday, March 12                    10 AM             Orchard Hill v. Lechuza
                                                10 AM             Mokarow Farms v. Bendabout
                                                Noon               Black Watch v. San Saba
                                                3 PM               Skeeterville v. White Birch

Monday, March 13                  11 AM             Jedi v. ERG
                                                1 PM               BTA v. Pony Express
                                                3 PM               Isla Carroll v. Las Monjitas

Wednesday, March 15 11 AM             Black Watch v. White Birch
                                                1 PM               Skeeterville v. Lechuza
                                                3 PM               Orchard Hill v. San Saba

Thursday 16                             10 AM             BTA v. Las Monjitas
                                                11 AM             Jedi v. Bendabout
                                                1 PM               Isla Carroll v Pony Express
                                                3 PM               Mokarow Farms v. ERG

Sunday 19                    TBA                 Quarterfinal      Game I: 1st v 8th
                                    TBA                 Quarterfinal      Game II: 2nd v. 7th
                                    TBA                 Quarterfinal      Game III: 3rd v. 6th
                                    TBA                 Quarterfinal      Game IV: 4th v. 5th

Thursday 23                 1 PM   Semifinal           Winner of Quarterfinal Game I v.
                                                                                    Winner of Quarterfinal Game IV

Thursday 23                 3 PM   Semifinal           Winner of Quarterfinal Game II v.
                                                                                    Winner of Quarterfinal Game III

Sunday 26                    3 PM   Final

International Polo Club
Palm Beach

Tournament Schedule

News & Game Results

Game Schedule & Team Line-ups

Photos by David Lominska

Contact Info:

For ticket information, call (561) 204-5687

Club website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.

For information about the upcoming 2005 high-goal season, including the Stanford Financial Group U.S. Open, call the club at (561) 204-5687

International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road, in Wellington.