Cedar Crest Stables’ MVP Chip McKenney on his way to score one of his seven goals during round robin play. Photos by Scott Fisher.
Chip McKenney Named MVP
WELLINGTON, FL – April 6, 2014 — For the third consecutive year, Cedar Crest Stables captured the Founders Cup Saturday at the 5th Annual International Gay Polo League Tournament at Grand Champions Polo Club.
Cedar Crest Stables (Jed Pearsall, Phil Tremo, Chip McKenney, Miguel Novillo Astrada) defeated Gordon W. Ross Team ReMAX (Mark Bennett, Frank Galdon, Gordon W. Ross, Alejandro Novillo Astrada), 3-2, in round-robin play for the subsidiary title.
The Founders Cup is presented in honor of Chip McKenney, the founder of the GPL.
In the championship final, RBC Wealth Management (Rafik Boughadou, Dan Haynia, Jean-Marc Herrouin, Nic Roldan) won the Senator Cup with a 5-3 victory over Phelps Media Group (Gina Padilla, Ezequiel Ortiz Berne, Talbot Logan, Juan Bollini).
In other round-robin games, Cedar Crest Stables defeated JP Morgan (Brad Henry, Liz Ryan, Jack Hoffman, Joey Casey), 5-2, with McKenney scoring all five of his team’s goals. Henry and Hoffman each scored a goal for JP Morgan.
Gordon W. Ross Team ReMAX defeated JP Morgan, 4-3, behind two goals by Galdon. Bennett and Ross each scored one. Ryan led JP Morgan with two goals and Henry added one.
In the Cedar Crest Stables-Gordon W. Ross Team ReMAX final round robin game, Cedar Crest Stables jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Tremo converted a 30-yard penalty shot that hit the goal post but broke the line for a goal.
Ross scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at 1-1 on a neck shot at the 3:08 mark and at 2:48 on another neck shot for a 2-1 advantage.
After McKenney missed a goal attempt early in the second chukker, he scored his first goal of the game on a back shot at the 6:19 mark to tie the game at 2-2.
Ross came up with an outstanding defensive play when he backed another McKenney goal attempt out of the goal mouth area with four minutes left. A minute later, however, McKenney came back to score his second goal of the game to clinch the win for his team.
McKenney was named Most Valuable Player of the Founders Cup. McKenney scored seven goals in round-robin play and played well defensively.
“I am thrilled,” McKenney said. “Yesterday, I played poorly and today I made a comeback. I just felt like I was on from the minute I got onto the field. I think I just felt confident going onto the field. I was determined to really play better and play well.”
McKenney jelled well with his teammates including Jed Pearsall, making his GPL tournament debut, and pro Miguel Novillo Astrada, a 10-goal rated player in Argentina.
“Everything worked out with the team,” McKenney said. “My team jelled. We had never played together as a team before yesterday so we were kind of missing each other, missing that rhythm and today it all came together.”
Cedar Crest Stables was one of a record five teams competing in the two-day tournament that was live-streamed by PoloNow Network.
“I am thrilled Cedar Crest Stables won again because Cat has been supportive of our event since Day 1 and this is the first time I got to play on her team,” McKenney said. “I am very pleased that we won our division and I got the MVP in her honor. This is a big shout out to her.”
McKenney, founder and Executive Director of the Gay Polo League, was competing in his fifth GPL tournament. He was among six players who have played all five tournaments. The others were Dan Haynia and Jean-Marc Herrouin of RBC Wealth Management, Gordon W. Ross, Jack Hoffman of JP Morgan and Talbot Logan of Phelps Media Group.
About the Gay Polo League:
GPL is a community that shares a love for adventure, fun and the challenging sport of polo. GPL is committed to providing members with an enjoyable, supportive and competitive experience.
GPL represents a wide range of ages, backgrounds and skill levels. GPL trains and competes in mainstream matches and events while sharing enthusiasm for the sport, to change perceptions about our community.
For more information about GPL, visit www.gaypolo.com.
Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
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12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com