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.
