Team Pilot entered the USPA Gold Cup as the only team in contention for the inaugural GAUNTLET OF POLO. Outwitting their opponents one by one in the bracket play, Team Pilot landed themselves once again in the finals to face Team Aspen at the International Polo Club on Monday, 25th March. Undefeated throughout the tournament, Team Aspen strategised really hard to take on Team Pilot from the first chukker.
| PILOT | ASPEN |
|---|---|
| Curtis Pilot 0 | T. Schwencke +2 |
| Matias Gonzalez +3 | L. James +7 |
| Gonzalito Pieres +9 | Polito Pieres +10 |
| Facundo Pieres +10 | S. Armstrong +3 |
The 10-goaler, Polito Pieres, playing for Team Aspen scored two goals for Aspen from a strategic play and set pieces. Gonzalito Pieres responded for Team Pilot soon after with a powerful neck shot, hit straight towards the goal, setting the tone in the early minutes of the game. Team Aspen was eager to take the lead and dominate against the rivals. A reverse neck shot from Polito Pieres met Stewart Armstrong in the middle as he scored an early goal in the second chukker. Team Aspen, taking advantage of each and every error made by Team Pilot, scored twice from the penalty line and entered the third chukker with a lead of 5 – 2. Team Pilot turned the tables in the third chukker as the Pieres brothers along with Matias Gonzalez formed a brilliant play and scored three consecutive goals. Ending the third chukker on a fantastic scoring run, the scoreboard was tied at 6 – 6 by halftime.
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The teams met each other with a goal apiece in the fourth chukker. Facundo Pieres, gaining possession of the ball from the throw-in, executed an incredible tail-shot to start the fifth chukker and scored an aggressive field goal to put Team Pilot ahead for the first time. The match was turning out to be a battle of the Pieres brothers as Polito Pieres retaliated with two field goals to counter-attack Team Pilot’s offence. The final chukker saw the team Aspen down by just one goal with Team Pilot in the lead by 10 – 9. Aspen fought relentlessly in the last chukker and saw Polito Pieres level the scores with an incredible field goal. Lucas James converted a penalty to put Team Aspen in charge of the final. The game was in Team Aspen’s hand when Facundo Pieres launched himself towards the opponent goal and scored a goal to tie the game at 11-all and forcing the game to the death chukker.
The threat was not only of losing the trophy but also the chance at the $1 million dollar purse. Pilot’s key objective was to maintain the control of the ball and nicely marking Polito Pieres, Team Pilot didn’t give Aspen any chance of possessing the ball. Facundo Pieres, taking advantage of the open defence, secured the winning goal and helped Team Pilot lift the USPA Gold Cup. “I knew this kind of game anybody could win and I told my team that we were lucky that we did,” Facundo Pieres said. “Sometimes it just comes down to whoever is a little bit stronger, more focused to win and who wants it more.”
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Experiencing great success with two 22-goal tournament wins under his belt, Curtis Pilot is competing in honor of his daughter who lost her battle to breast cancer during the C.V. Whitney Cup. “I’ve dedicated the entire Gauntlet of Polo™ to my daughter, Nikki Pilot Carlisle, so it’s a special win for us,” Curtis Pilot said with a smile pointing to his black armband with her initials. “Our horses are better today than they were a month ago and I have to give that to the Pieres family. Almost every horse we have come from them or Los Machitos and they are very powerful animals.”
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The final leg of GAUNTLET OF POLO, the Captive One US Open Polo Championship, will begin from Wednesday, 27th March 2019.
