On Sunday 16 February, the last qualifying stage of The C.V. Whitney Cup, the first tournament in the 2020 Gauntlet of Polo, took place at the International Polo Club, Palm Beach with three matches. The outcome of these matches determined the teams who will compete in the Semi Finals on Wednesday 19 February.
In the first match, Patagones secured victory with a narrow 9-8 win against Daily Racing Form. The second match of the day was an exciting showdown between Coca Cola and Equuleus, both very evenly matched teams who remained tied or just a goal apart for every chukka except the last, when Coca Cola broke away for a strong finish. The third and final match of the day, between La Indiana and Cessna, was the only one with immediate consequences for the Semi Finals. La Indiana maintained a persistent attacking form throughout the match with at least one field goal per chukka, while Cessna struggled with accuracy. La Indiana were able to increase their lead in the fourth chukka as two yellow cards for Felipe Márquez gave La Indiana an extra man on the field. La Indiana’s focus slipped in the final chukka, which resulted in five fouls, however they held onto their advantage and secured an 11-9 victory and with it their place in Wednesday’s Semi Finals. La Indiana will be joined by Pilot and Las Monjitas. The fourth Semi Final place is still to be decided by a penalty shootout between Postage Stamp Farm and Patagones.
Photograph: La Indiana’s Polito Pieres hooks Felipe Marquez. By Alex Pacheco