WELLINGTON, Fla., February 20, 2025--Camp Polo won the The Polo School Women's Weekly Polo League game Wednesday at Santa Rita Polo Farm.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
Camp Polo (Pearl Duncan, Julia Kline, Ava Hinkson, Meghan Manubay, Summer Kneece) controlled most of the game against Victory Polo (Becky Schmeits, Maggie Smith, Malicia von Falkenhausen, Anna Palacios, Valentina Villamil ) for a 7-3 victory.
Victory Polo had command of most of the opening chukker with von Faulkenhausen scoring the first goal of the game with 4:29 left. After a penalty shot was blocked, Victory Polo made it 2-0 with a goal from Palacios with 1:12 left in the chukker. Camp Polo came back with Duncan's goal with only a second showing on the clock.
Camp Polo's defense rose to the occasion in the next three chukkers shutting down Victory Polo's offense including high-scoring five-goaler Palacios. At the same time Camp Polo found its offensive attack with Hinkson scoring the tying goal, 2-2, early in the second chukker. Manubay scored with 1:44 remaining to give Camp Polo the lead, 3-2. Camp Polo never trailed after that.
Back-to-back goals from Kneece gave Camp Polo a 5-2 advantage. Victory Polo had scoring opportunities from the field and penalty line but was unable to capitalize.
In the fifth and final chukker, Villamil cut the lead to 5-3, with a neck shot goal with 3:50 left on the clock. A 30-yard penalty conversion from Duncan and Manubay's goal shut down Victory Polo's rally attempt.
Camp Polo got balanced scoring from its lineup. Kneece, Manubay and Duncan each had two goals. Hinkson added one goal on her birthday.
For Victory Polo, Palacios, Villamil and von Falkenhausen each had one goal.
Ten players, some subbing in and out, competed over five chukkers. The teams were evenly-matched with players of all levels including 5-goalers Anna Palacios and Summer Kneece, making her second appearance.
Next Wednesday players will compete in the finals for the month of February. A Most Valuable Player and Best Playing Pony will be selected by the league's committee.
The world's oldest weekly women's polo league features players of all ages and skill level, giving them opportunities to play at the low and medium goal level. The league was created by Alina Carta, one of the highest ranked women in the U.S. in the 1980s, and Melissa Ganzi, Grand Champions Polo Club President, World Polo League co-founder and avid player.
"I'm very happy with the girls who are playing this year," Carta said after Wednesday's game. "I made a decision to keep the level around 10 goals and fine tuned a few things we needed to do. The girls are having such a great time. It's good polo. It's getting better and more competitive. This is by far one of the best groups we've had and it's a fun group. They are always happy to be out there."
The league, along with the April WCT Finals at Grand Champions, honors Sunny Hale, the all-time greatest women's polo player and Hall of Famer. The league annually awards SunnyShips, scholarships honoring the legacy of Hale. Hinkson, Hope Arellano, Alyson Poor and Malicia von Falkenhausen are among past recipients. All team entry fees from the weekly league benefit The Polo School, a stand-alone USPA-sanctioned club.
During the winter polo season, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation's largest and most innovative USPA-sanctioned polo club cradled in the heart of the world's winter equestrian capital, hosts a wide range of tournaments: 6, 8, 12, 20, and 26-goal leagues, 26-goal World Polo League, The Polo School Women's Weekly Polo League, WCT Finals, several Polo Training Foundation junior tournaments, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 10 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its' expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its' Polo On Demand program.
The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. The stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. The Polo School has nurtured several junior, men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.
For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.