WELLINGTON, FL., March 20, 2025--In another tight, competitive game, Blue Pegasus edged Camp Polo in The Polo School Women's League Weekly game Wednesday at Santa Rita Polo Farm.
By Sharon Robb
Blue Pegasus (Julia Kline, Violet Hiltbrand, Marissa Wells, Jennifer Williams), edged Camp Polo (Pearl Duncan, Valentina Villamil, Malicia von Falkenhausen, Ava Hinkson), 7-6, in a hardfought four-chukker game.
Marissa Wells, currently the highest rated female arena player with a 9-goal handicap, and Violet Hiltbrand, another top player from Hawaii, made their first appearance this season in the weekly league game.
The game was fast-paced from the opening throw-in. Camp Polo jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first chukker with goals from Hinkson at the 5:43 mark and Villamil in the final 30 seconds. Kline's 30-yard penalty conversion cut the lead to 2-1.
Hinkson scored another early goal in the second chukker for a 3-1 advantage. Kline scored followed by back-to-back goals from Wells within three minutes enabled Blue Pegasus to take the lead, 4-3, going into the third chukker.
Duncan scored back-to-back goals for Camp Polo, one from the field and 40-yard penalty conversion to enable Camp Polo to shut out Blue Pegasus, 2-0, in the third chukker, and regain the lead, 5-4.
Blue Pegasus came on strong in the fourth and final chukker outscoring Camp Polo, 3-1, with goals from Williams, Wells and Hiltbrand, scoring the game-winner in the final minute of play. Hinkson had the only goal for Camp Polo on a long run to goal in the chukker.
Hinkson led Camp Polo with three goals, Duncan had two and Villamil added one. For Blue Pegasus, Wells led with three goals, Kline had two and Hiltbrand and Williams each had one goal.
The oldest women's league, along with the April WCT Finals at Grand Champions, honors Hall of Famer Sunny Hale, who died on February 26, 2017, in Norman, Okla. at age 48 from breast cancer.
The women's league annually awards SunnyShips, scholarships honoring the legacy of Hale. Ava Hinkson, Hope Arellano, Alyson Poor and Malicia von Falkenhausen are among past recipients.
The world's oldest weekly women's polo 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.
All team entry fees from the weekly league benefit The Polo School, a stand-alone USPA-sanctioned club. The weekly league games continue next Wednesday and runs through April.