During the final of the 2019 Joe Barry Cup Dutta Corp employed a sensible aggressive attack and an well planed and executed defense to beat Patagones 11-8, at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.
After the preceding two match-ups between the two teams proved close contests, Dutta Corp detached themselves in a overriding 4-1 third chukker. Aggressively using Timmy Dutta downfield as a receiver, Dutta Corp was able to dependably gain the field lead, forcing Patagones back into their own half. The typically strong counter-attack of Patagones, led by Tomas Garcia del Rio and Santiago Toccalino was limited throughout most of the game by a passive defense of Dutta Corp that kept their opponents in front of them and prohibited break aways. An effective 8 for 12 from the field and 3 for 4 from the penalty line gave Dutta Corp the edge they needed to hold on for the three-goal victory to seize the Joe Barry Cup.
Initially in the game, the two teams were squarely matched, swapping two goals each in the opening minutes of the game, until a penalty 1 goal in favor of Benjamin Avendano gave Patagones the 3-2 lead at the end of the first chukker. Santiago Toccalino was unrelenting in leading the Patagones attack, adding his third goal of the game before the end of the second chukker. Then Timmy Dutta who responded with a goal in each of the first and second chukkas to push his team back into a 5-5 tie. With Gringo Colombres and Lucas Diaz Alberdi aggressively working in the middle of the field, the presence of Dutta in the tournament pressed Dutta Corp onto the next level to remain undefeated. Unforced errors from Patagones in the third chukker, saw Dutta Corp’s Kris Kampsen take advantage, scoring three goals, two from the penalty line, as Dutta Corp sprinted into the lead, holding a 9-6 lead heading into halftime.
The second half introduced a different pace of play, as the defensive efforts tighten up on both sides of the ball, with Dutta Corp trying to manage their lead by enclosing the elite duo of Garcia del Rio and Toccalino. Foul misfortune became a factor in the game for Dutta Corp, as they provided Patagones with the chances to battle their way back into the game, yet Patagones converted just 1 of their 6 penalty attempts over the final three chukkers. Timmy Dutta’s third goal of the game, bringing his tournament total to an remarkable 15 goals, saw Dutta Corp’s lead pressed to four with one chukka outstanding, as Patagones was held off the scoresheet in the fifth chukka. Three missed penalty tries for Patagones in the final chukka, all from the 60-yard line on Penalty 4’s and 6’s sealed their fate, as Dutta Corp held on for their fifth successive triumph to start the season and claim their second straight tournament triumph. Dutta Corp’s Gringo Colombres won both the MVP and Best Playing Pony for “Coquito” for the second consecutive week.
There will be more High Goal Polo at the International Polo Club Palm Beach, in Wellington, FL this week. Check their website.
Polo photos for this article were sourced from the HorseBuff Equestrian Marketplace Instagram account. To see more equestrian photos from HorseBuff.com please visit www.Instagram.com/realhorsebuff.
Major reporting contributions for this article were received from the International Polo Club in Wellington FL. Please visit www.internationalpoloclub.com or call (561) 204-5687 for more information on the International Polo Club.
