8 Photos
Nacho Figueras approaches a bounding ball for KIG.
KIG's Nacho Figueras tries to maintain possession despite the efforts of Equeeleus' Mariano Obregon.
KIG's Michel Dorignac sees open space in front of him.
KIG and Equueleus were even at three goals apiece at halftime.
Michel Dorignac of KIG gets to the ball ahead of Equuleus' Kris Kampsen and drives it up the left side.
KIG's Luis Escobar swoops in to take the ball away
much to the chagrin of Mariano Obregon.
Equuleus' Mariano Gonzalez gallops forward and hammers the ball forward.
The six foursomes in the annual Hampton Cup set the stage for a thrilling week of action with three close matches at the Bridgehampton Polo Club.
On Friday, Heathcote used a late flurry in its first-round match to beat Circa, 11-10. Entering the sixth and final chukker, Heathcote trailed, 9-8, and still found itself down a goal after Tommy Biddle evened things up only to be answered by Circa’s Martin Pepa. The heroics came late from Nick Manifold, whose only score Friday tied the game at 10-10, and then the ever-explosive Biddle, whose seventh tally put Heathcote ahead for good in the final moments.
Trailing 6-4 at halftime, Circa jumped in front, 7-6, during the fourth chukker, thanks in part to a pair of goals by Pepa. Heathcote patron Steve Lefkowitz left injured during the period and was replaced by one-goaler Larry Austin. Circa’s lead swelled to 8-6 before Biddle and Co., took control during the final two chukkers.
Biddle led all riders with seven goals; six of his tallies came by way of penalty shot, including two Penalty 4 conversions. Teammate Naco Taverna contributed a pair of scores. Pepa’s quintet paced Circa, which also received a three-goal effort from Magoo Laprida.
Kris Kampsen stole the show in Equuleus’s 7-5 triumph over KIG on Saturday at Circa Championship Field. He accounted for six of his side’s tallies, including the game-winner in the sixth chukker. After KIG erased a two-goal deficit early behind two goals by seven-goaler Michel Dorignac, Kampsen tied the game at 3-3 by knocking one in with four seconds left in the first half. After his penalty shot in the fourth, KIG went back ahead on goals by Dorignac and Nacho Figueras. Kampsen, the match MVP, added two more to put Equuleus up 6-5, and Mariano Gonzalez added insurance late in the sixth chukker to ice the win.
KIG was plagued by missed opportunities, knocking a number of short-yardage strikes just wide or failing to convert penalty shots. Dorignac led the quartet with three goals, while Julieta, ridden by Escobar, was named Best Playing Pony.
Fresh off the Monty Waterbury Cup championship, White Birch seamlessly transitioned to the Hamptons Cup, defeating fellow 20-goal squad Certified, 8-6, on Sunday. Certified had taken a 1-0 advantage, but the Cup favorites responded by rattling off the next six. Five came off the mallet of Fred Mannix, four by way of penalty shot.
Certified chipped away at the lead with two goals in the fourth and two more in the sixth, but its effort was in vain. Tomas and Marcos Garcia del Rio each scored twice to lead Certified. For White Birch, Mariano Aguerre complemented Mannix’s big day with a pair of first-half tallies.
The Hampton Cup round-robin games lead up to the tournament’s semifinals, which are set for Wednesday, August 31 (times TBA). The Two Trees Farm Cup taking place Friday, September 2 (5 p.m.) and the tournament final set for Saturday, September 3, at 4 p.m.
