On Sunday 22 April 2012 the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington staged the final of the U.S. Open Polo Championship, and Lyndon Lea’s Zacara came out on top. They beat defending champions Lechuza Caracas 10-8 on the Piaget Field, denying Victor Vargas’s team a second title in a row.
The teams
- Zacara (26 goals): Facundo Pieres (10), Lyndon Lea (1), Magoo Laprida (8) and Mike Azzaro (7).
- Lechuza Caracas (26 goals): Victor Vargas (1), Sapo Caset (10), Juan Martin Nero (10) and Facundo Obregón (5).
With both teams at the same rating, the match was always going to come down to horsepower, tactics and a few key moments. It began as an even contest, with the lead changing hands, and Zacara went into half-time 5-4 ahead.
How Zacara pulled away
The second half belonged to Zacara. They stretched their advantage to 8-5 at one point and then managed the closing stages sensibly, keeping Lechuza at arm’s length until the final bell.
Mike Azzaro was the star. The former American ten-goaler scored four goals and was named Most Valuable Player. It was his sixth U.S. Open title, which ties him with Adolfo Cambiaso for the most among active players. Azzaro has long been a hero for American polo fans, and seeing him win again at the home of the American high-goal game was a great moment.
The best playing pony
The Best Playing Pony award went to Lelani, a ten-year-old chestnut mare owned by Lea and ridden in the final by Facundo Pieres. It is a good reminder that polo is a partnership, and that a patron who invests in great ponies shares directly in the glory.
A big win for Lea
For Lyndon Lea, this was a second major victory within twelve months. He won the British Open Gold Cup at Cowdray Park last summer with Zacara, and now he has added the biggest title in the United States. For a patron who is also a player in the team, the achievement is remarkable. He plays at one goal, but he is firmly at the heart of a team full of the game’s biggest names.
Zacara have now shown they can win in two countries, which should make them one of the teams to watch when the English season gets underway.
Sources: Polo Times, POLO Magazine
