POLO NEWS

Hosted by Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, Florida, San Saba (Dawn Jones, Santiago Zubiaurre, Alfonso Pieres, Steve Krueger*) went head-to-head against ConcordEquityGroup.com (Dana Barnes, Jeff Hall, Nicolas “Nico” Escobar*, Lucas Escobar*) for the Heritage Cup on Sunday, January 5, at the National Polo Center – Wellington (NPC) on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One.

San Saba set the tone early in open play, as a balanced performance culminated in all four teammates reaching the scoreboard. Earning its reputation as a strong second half team, the Escobar brothers set their sights on delivering ConcordEquityGroup.com the comeback. San Saba managed to withstand the late pressure and reclaim the podium’s top spot for the first time since 2023.

Igniting San Saba’s hot start, a seemingly unstoppable Zubiaurre quickly put the white team in control 3-0. Following a goal from San Saba’s Krueger to open the second chukker, ConcordEquityGroup.com responded with back-to-back drives from Hall and Nico Escobar. Continuing to dominate play with confidence and synergy, Pieres and Krueger each found the posts to close out the second chukker 6-2 in favor of San Saba. Trading goals between Hall and Jones in the third period, San Saba entered the half doubled up with an 8-4 edge.

Regrouping during the break, Hall opened fourth chukker scoring, but Jones was back on the attack to counter once more for San Saba. Fresh off its overtime victory in the George Miller Memorial, ConcordEquityGroup.com mounted its second late game rally in two weeks. Led by the Escobar brothers, Lucas kick-started the rebound from the field, as older brother Nico made back-to-back conversions to bring the team within one, 7-8. Utilizing the momentum generated in the fifth chukker, Lucas Escobar sent one more goal through the posts early in the sixth period to tie the match 8-all. Unable score since the beginning of the second half, Pieres finally broke the stalemate and pulled San Saba ahead once more 9-8. Regaining the upper hand in the final minutes of the contest, a momentous goal by Zubiaurre sealed San Saba’s 10-9 victory.

Leading San Saba in scoring with three field goals in the final, Zubiaurre was named Most Valuable Player. Best Playing Pony was awarded to Jeff Hall’s 9-year-old mare Machitos Teca (Machitos Califita x Machitos Tere), played in the fifth chukker.

16-goal action continues in the Joe Barry Memorial, the first qualifying event of the NPC 16-Goal Championship. Play is slated to begin on Wednesday, January 8, and will conclude Sunday, January 26, at NPC on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One.

The Heritage Cup is now available On-Demand.

*Lucas Escobar is an Active Team USPA Member, Nicolas “Nico” Escobar is a Graduating Team Member and Steve Krueger is Team USPA alumnus. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.

All photos courtesy of ©David Lominska.