Audi Defeats Orchard Hill 16-15 in Overtime to Win USPA Piaget Gold Cup

LAKE WORTH, Fla. - March 23, 2015 - PRLog -- The United States Polo Association® (USPA) today announced that Audi defeated Orchard Hill 16-15 in Sunday’s outstanding overtime match at the International Polo Club Palm Beach, Florida to win the Piaget USPA Gold Cup.   Audi’s team included 9-goal player Gonzalito Pieres, 1-goal player Marc Ganzi, 9-goal player Rodrigo Andrade, 6-goal player Fred Mannix, and Grant Ganzi. Orchard Hill was represented by 10-goal player Facundo Pieres, Steve van Andel, 7-goal player Ezequiel Ferrario, and 9-goal player Polito Pieres.

With a one-goal handicap at the start of the game, Audi closed out the first chukker with a 3-1 lead over the heavily favored Orchard Hill.  Audi maintained the advantage throughout the second chukker, ending the period on a 50-yard penalty shot for a 6-4 lead. Each team exchanged goals throughout the third chucker, but Audi finished the half on Gonzalito Pieres’ fifth goal for an 8-6 halftime lead.

Audi and Orchard Hill traded goals through the second half of the match.  While Audi held the lead for most the game, Orchard Hill’s Polito Pieres scored his second goal of the game to open the sixth chukker with a score 14-13. Gonzalito Pieres countered with a goal three minutes later, making the score 15-13. Orchard Hill, however, scored two goals in quick succession with Facundo Pieres scoring the tying goal, 15-15, with five seconds left in regulation play.  In the overtime chukker, an Orchard Hill foul sent Gonzalito Pieres to the penalty line where he capitalized on a 40-yard penalty shot to win the game.

The 16-15 Audi victory was the highest scoring game in Gold Cup history.  With ten goals in the match, Gonzalito Pieres was awarded most valuable player, and his horse, Rosparita, won Best Playing Pony.

The 26-Goal USPA Gold Cup, first played in 1974 at the Oakbrook Polo Club in Illinois and since then at various other polo clubs in the United States.

About the United States Polo Association ®

Founded in 1890, the United States Polo Association (USPA) is the national governing body for the sport of polo in North America and is one of the oldest sport governing bodies in the United States, preceded only by the United States Tennis Association. With over 270 member clubs and 40 national tournaments, the USPA governs polo handicaps, tournament rules and safety regulations, to ensure the welfare and being of both horse and player. Funded by sales from the officially licensed consumer brand, U.S. Polo Assn., the USPA purposefully re-invests revenue by underwriting numerous development programs to expand and sustain the sport of polo. For more information, please visit www.uspolo.org.