Kris Kampsen. Photo: Liz Lamont Images/Phelps Media Group.
January 23, 2015 – Wellington, FL – The buzz on (and off) the field this week at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida, has been about three things: teamwork, teamwork and teamwork. That’s always been the name of the game in this sport, of course. But when you have a three-week stretch of 20-goal polo, the international superstars in the mix can at times dominate the game.
Friday at IPC, however, CT Energia and Palm Beach Illustrated demonstrated that mega-talent can play well – exceptionally well, at that – without outshining everyone else in the sandbox. And that’s how the Joe Barry Subsidiary match went down, with CT Energia beating Palm Beach Illustrated 13-12 in a stellar display of Vulcan mind-meld in action.
Each team had a powerhouse high-scorer who scored seven goals before the final horn: 7-goaler Joao Ganon for CT Energia and 6-goaler Facundo Obregon for Palm Beach Illustrated. That still left plenty of opportunities for others to score, which almost every member of the lineup did. Kris Kampsen, a solid 6-goaler who is always a driving force on the field, scored four times for CT Energia, along with teammates Alessandro Bazzoni and Nic Manifold, who each put one in. Palm Beach Illustrated’s Tom Collingwood made three goals, while teammates Jared Zenni and Michel Dorignac (who substituted for Magoo LaPrida) each scored once.
Clearly, the motivating factor wasn’t who was scoring but how they were scoring. There were more assists (and multiple assists on the same play) in this game than usual, with far fewer breakaways and coast-to-coast runs than have been the norm this season. CT Energia in particular played a tight, strategic game, often with two or even three team members contributing to a single goal.
That made for some incredibly fast play, as the ball seemed to swap back and forth between white jerseys at nearly every turn. The numerals on the scoreboard ping-ponged – a point for CT Energia; two for Palm Beach Illustrated; a brief tie; then just as quickly, the other team in the lead. The first chukker finished 3-1 for Palm Beach Illustrated after Zenni intercepted a Manifold tail shot and drove it in with 14 seconds left on the clock.
The action stalled a bit in the second chukker, with every goal – two by Ganon and one by Obregon – made on penalty shots. (Ganon finished the match with a 100-percent penalty shot record.) CT Energia took the lead for the first time in the third chukker, during which the score was tied three times. In the last 30 seconds Obregon scored on a pass from Dorignac, with Kampsen going mach-9, hair-on-fire behind him all the way to the goal line. The score stood 6-6 at the end of the first half.
CT Energia quickly snatched back the lead in the fourth chukker and stayed on high voltage for the rest of the match, leading at the end of every chukker. The fifth chukker started with a one-point lead for CT Energia and ended with it ahead 12-9, courtesy of a goal from the field by Kampsen in the final 19 seconds. Bazzoni made a lightning-fast play in the first 20 seconds of the final chukker, pulling out ahead of the pack to score. Still, it wasn’t a done deal. Palm Beach Illustrated rallied, slamming in the last three goals of the game in quick succession, with CT Energia winning 13-12.
“Today was good,” said Kampsen. “Our team works well when we work for Joao (Ganon) and keep hitting the ball and staying patience.” He credited the win to teamwork. “We’ve been playing a system the whole season – it just hasn’t come to fruition until today. The other night we had a long team meeting and sat and watched videos and talked. It’s important and I think it helps.”
Bazzoni agreed. “I’m happy that we’re finally playing as a team, and hopefully we’re going to keep playing as a team. We still have a lot to improve, and we need to keep working on our strategy. We’ll just keep going and hope for the best.”
Manifold summed it succinctly, evoking laughter and nodding heads in the CT Energia tent: “I’m just happy to be out here!”
The Joe Barry Cup and the Bobby Barry Cup conclude Sunday, starting at noon with Lechuza Caracas playing Audi in the Bobby Barry Cup Final. In the featured match at 3 p.m., Orchard Hill faces off against Villa del Lago in the Joe Barry Cup Final.
International Polo Club Palm Beach Fast Facts
What: Created by players for players, the International Polo Club Palm Beach was born out of the dream to build a facility to showcase the incredible skills of the ponies and players that dominate the sport.
Members and guests enjoy panoramic views of the action from field side box seats or lawn and terrace seating. Sponsors and fans convene at The Winners Circle to congratulate the players during the awards presentation following the games.
Gourmet brunches, après polo celebrations and the prerequisite charitable events will take place in The Pavilion, designed to accommodate large parties, corporate clients, as well as family and friends.
Featured Highlights:
Herbie Pennell Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 1-4, 2015
Joe Barry Memorial Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 4-25, 2015
Ylvisaker Cup – 20 Goal
Jan. 28 – February 22, 2015
Iglehart Cup – 20 Goal
Feb. 28 – March 8, 2015
USPA C. V. Whitney Cup – 26 Goal
Feb. 15 – March 1, 2015
Piaget USPA Gold Cup® – 26 Goal
March 4-22, 2015
111th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship® – 26 Goal
March 25 – April 19, 2015
Directions:
From the Turnpike:
Take the Lake Worth Exit
Head west on FL-802 W/Lake Worth Rd toward Hooks Rd
Continue to follow Lake Worth Rd (3.9 miles)
Turn right onto 120th Ave S
Destination will be ahead on the left (0.4 miles)
From I-95:
Exit Forest Hill Blvd, head West
Make Left turn onto 441/St Rd 7
Make Right turn onto Lake Worth Rd
Make Right turn onto 120th Ave S
Destination on Left
Information:
3667 120th Ave S, Wellington, FL 33414
International Polo Club Palm Beach: 561-204-5687
Mallet Grille: 561-282-5340
Spa & Fitness Center: 561-282-5288
Tennis Pro Shop: 561-795-7228
Polo Operations Office: 561-282-5283
Polo Hotline: 561-282-5290
Website:
www.internationalpoloclub.com
For Tickets:
http://internationalpoloclub.ticketleap.com/
Hotels:
Hampton Inn & Suites – (561) 472-9696 – Approximately 2 miles
Hampton Inn – (561) 472-5980 – Approximately 4 miles
Four Seasons Resort – (561) 582-2800 – Approximately 9 miles
The Breakers – (561) 655-6611 – Approximately 9 miles
Kimpton Tideline Ocean Resort & Spa – (561) 540-6440 – Approximately 9 miles
Management:
John Wash – President of Club Operations
jwash@internationalpoloclub.com
561-282-5353
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com