The Nespresso High Goal POLO GOLD CUP Final at the Santa Maria Polo Club – Sotogrande – Aug. 2012

We attended the finals of the 2012 Nespresso High Goal GOLD CUP finals held at the Santa Maria Polo Club on Sunday 30th August.

Lechuza Caracas defeated Dos Lunas 12-8 and won the famous Nespresso High Goal Gold Cup, the most important competition of the polo season at Santa María Polo Club. Victor Vargas’ team won this hard fought final in front of a large crowd of spectators.

Dos Lunas had the better start, with a commanding 4-1 lead in the second chukker. However, Lechuza Caracas made a comeback in the second half, thanks to a truly great performance of 10-goaler Juan Martín Nero, very well supported by Uruguay’s duo, Santiago Stirling and Alejo Taranco. Lechuza Caracas’ were hard on the offensive by the fourth chukker, overwhelming Dos Lunas’ defence.

The man of the day, Juan Martín Nero, was awarded Most Valuable PLayer.

This was the third time that Santiago Stirling has won the Gold Cup, a competition he previously won in 2009 and 2010, with Dos Lunas and Ellerston, respectively.

HB Polo defeated Kaptive Leones 16-10 to win the Subsidiary Trophy. HB’s Ludovic Pailloncy was named the ‘Best Amateur Player’ and presented with the Trophy by Lawrence Isola – another well known Amateur polo player. Lawrence is based here in Sotogrande and plays at SMPC.