Polo | tournaments

Sunny Hale’s Legacy WCT Final Tournament

Named in honour of legendary Hall of Famer Sunset "Sunny" Hale, The WCT is the only women's polo event of its kind!

10th April 2018 | Wellington

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Sunny Hale’s Legacy WCT Final Tournament
The tournament is named in honour of legendary Hall of Famer Sunset Sunny Hale’s Legacy. The largest polo league in the world has become popular since its inception in 2005. The WCT Final, adult and junior qualifiers have U.S. and international players with more than 20 qualifiers in the U.S. alone. Hale, the first woman in U.S. history to win the U.S. Open, and part-time Wellington resident, died February 26, 2017 due to complications from cancer. She was 48.
Chateau D’esclans faced CrossFit El Cid on Sunday at the Grand Champions Polo Club in the finals of Sunny Hale’s Legacy WCT Final Tournament. Nina Clarkin (10 goal), Mia Cambiaso, Mia Novillo Astrada and Riley Ganzi featured for Chateau while Paige McCabe, Cecelia Cochran, Tiffany Busch and Sarah Williams featured for CrossFit El Cid. The tournament’s lowest handicap rated team, Chateau dominated from the start and were 7-1 up after three chukkers. They finally went on to win the game by 7 goals to 3 and with it the Sunny Hale's Legacy WCT Final Tournament. Mia Cambiaso (daughter of Adolfo Cambiaso) was adjudged the MVP for the match , while her ten gaoler teammate Nina Clarkin was adjudged the Tournament MVP and was also given the Captain MVP award. Open Oro, played by Nina Clarkin and owned by Santa Rita
Polo Farm, Catena Best Playing Pony for the open division and American Polo Horse Association best registered horse. Several fathers watched proudly from the sidelines including Miguel Novillo Astrada, who said, "I am very proud, she played really hard today and had a great game," Novillo Astrada said. "The horses were the horses I played in the high goal and she rode them really well. When she was a little girl she showed that she loved riding and horses. I never really pushed her. She asked me one day, "Daddy, I want to play a tournament so I took her to play and she loved it."
Sunny Hale’s Legacy WCT 8 goal championship final saw Grand Champions face Catena in the 8-goal championship final. Summer Kneece, Gracie Brown, Malia Bryan and Sydney Jordan featured for grand Champions while Olivia Uetztrich, Catherine Roze, Malcia Von Falkenhausen and Jennifer Williams featured for Catena. Grand Champions earned an easy victory over Catena as they defeated them by 5(1/2) goals to 0. Williams was presented the Captain MVP award. Malia Bryan was adjudged the MVP. Tiare, played by Bryan, was the Whispering Angel Wine Best Playing Pony for the 8-goal.
In the Sunny Hale’s Legacy WCT 16 goal Championship Final, G-String/Amista Polo went head to head with Hawaii Polo Life. Olivia Merlos, Hope Arellano, Malia Bryan and Gillian Johnston featured for G-String/Amista Polo while Olivia Uetztrich, Pamela Flanagan, Mia Cambiaso and Courtney Asdoourain featured for Hawaii Polo Life. G-String/Amista Polo won the match by 3.5 goals to 3. Hope Arellano was given the MVP award while Johnston earned the Captain MVP award. Canadian thoroughbred Cricket, played by Pamela Flanagan, was the Museum of Polo Best Playing Pony for the 16-goal.
All three awarded horses were American Polo Horse Association best registered horses of the finals. The APHA was created in 2006 by Hale to recognise polo ponies in America and encourages events that showcase them and hard-working dedication of grooms.


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