Jedi Rallies to Defeat Lechuza Caracas 8-6 in C.V. Whitney Cup Final
Thursday on Stanford Field at International Polo Club

WELLINGTON, FL (March 30, 2006) – Jedi scored three goals in a span of 1:39 late in the sixth chukker to rally past Lechuza Caracas 8-6 to capture the 2006 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup Thursday on Stanford Field at International Polo Club Palm Beach. It was Jedi’s sixth consecutive victory and its first high-goal title at International Polo Club.

Jedi: Juan Martin Nero, Alex Agote, Eric Koch, Pablo McDonough, Torsten Koch. Photo by D. Lominska. Click here for more photos.

MVP Magoo Laprida. Photo by D. Lominska. Click here for more photos.

Pablo McDonough and BPP "Moss." Photo by D. Lominska. Click here for more photos.

Trailing 6-5, 9-goaler Pablo MacDonough of Jedi converted a 30-yard penalty shot to tie the game with 2:14 remaining in the game. Juan Martin Nero knocked down a clearing attempt and dribbled in for the tie-breaking goal, knocking over the right goal post, to give Jedi a 7-6 lead with 1:09 left. Jedi patron Torsten Koch clinched the victory, taking a loss pass from the ensuing throw-in and tapping home his second goal of the game with 35 seconds left.

“We didn’t play well the whole game,” said veteran 8-goaler Alex Agote of Jedi. “We made two or three good plays that ended in a goal in the sixth chukker. It’s more important to win than to play good. It happens sometimes in polo.”

MacDonough finished with a team-high three goals while Koch and Nero added two goals and Agote scored one goal.

“This feels excellent,” said the 22-year-old Koch, the youngest patron in the tournament. “It’s (Jedi) a wonderful organization. All we wanted was to win.”

Lechuza Caracas, which defeated ERG 15-13 in the semifinals, also reached the final of the 22-goal Joe Barry Memorial Cup in January. They won the C.V. Whitney Cup in 2002 and 1999.

Ten-goaler Sebastian Merlos led Lechuza Caracas (4-2) with five goals to finish as the tournament’s leading scorer with 40 goals. Eight-goaler Sapo Caset scored one goal while Magoo Laprida and patron Victor Vargas did not score.

Laprida was named the MVP and MacDonough’s horse, Moss, was named Best Playing Pony.

Agote said the team made a slight change in the third chukker, letting MacDonough take the knock-ins.

“In the last three chukkers, we had more control of the ball,” said Agote. “Before, we lost the ball.”

Lechuza Caracas, behind three goals from Merlos, led 4-3 at halftime.

Fourteen teams, the largest field of the 2006 winter season, entered the tournament. Seven 10-goalers – Mariano 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 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 Past champions:
 
2006 – Jedi defeated Lechuza Caracas 8-6
2005 – White Birch defeated Black Watch 10-9
2004 – Catamount defeated Bendabout 10-9
2003 – Las Monjitas defeated White Birch 10-8
2002 – Lechuza Caracas defeated Coca Cola 8-7
2001 – White Birch defeated Coca Cola 11-8
2000 – White Birch (by default)
1999 – Lechuza Caracas defeated Isla Carroll 16-11
1998 – Pony Express defeated Revlon 11-9
1997 – Bud Light defeated Michelob 11-7
 
C.V. Whitney Cup Final Scoring Leaders
 
Player/Team                                                               Games            Goals
 
Sebastian Merlos, Lechuza Caracas                              6                      40
Agustin Merlos, ERG                                                    5                      32
Pablo MacDonough, Jedi                                              6                      32
Facundo Pieres, Black Watch                                       5                      23
Sapo Caset, Lechuza Caracas                                      6                      23
Mike Azzaro, BTA                                                       4                      22
Carlos Gracida, Mokarow Farms                                 3                      21
Lucas Criado, White Birch                                            4                      21
Eduardo Heguy, Isla Carroll                                          3                      18
Paco de Narvaez, Orchard Hill                         3                      17
Mariano Aguerre, White Birch                          4                      17
Julio Arellano, Skeeterville                                            3                      16
Pancho Bensadon, Pony Express                                  3                      16
Ignacio Toccalino, Skeeterville                          3                      16
Adam Snow, Las Monjitas                                           4                      16
Juan Martin Nero, Jedi                                     6                      16
Matias Magrini, ERG                                                    5                      15
 

International Polo Club
Palm Beach