San Saba defended its title in the Sunny Hale Memorial Tournament Wednesday at Santa Rita Polo Farm.
The Grand Champions Polo Club rain-delayed monthly women’s league final for February featured 2018 champion San Saba, WIPN and CrossFit El Cid in a six-chukker round robin.
San Saba (Misty Allen, 0, Alina Carta, 4, Mia Cambiaso, 6, Clarissa Echezarreta, 5) defeated CrossFit El Cid (Malicia Von Falkenhausen, 2, Slaney O’Hanlon, 4, Jennifer Williams, 3, Cecelia Cochran, 5), 4-1.5, to win the tournament.
“This was the first time the four of us played together,” Carta said. “It was fun to have both Mia Cambiaso and Mia Astrada play. It raised our level of play. They are both quick. It’s great that they can play with us and that they are here. It was a great way to end the February league.
“The quality of play is fantastic,” Carta said. “We are getting the opportunity to play on a consistent basis, serious but for fun. We enjoy ourselves and the camaraderie.”
Finishing third in the three-team round robin was WIPN (Women’s International Polo Network) (Dawn Jones, 6, Rileigh Tibbott, 0, Mia Novillo Astrada, 6, Nicole Watson, 2).
Mia Cambiaso, 16, the oldest daughter of polo great Adolfo Cambiaso, was selected Masai of Palm Beach Most Valuable Player after scoring a tournament-high four goals in four chukkers.
Chici, a 10-year-old thoroughbred mare owned and played by Dawn Jones, was Best Playing Pony.
Clarissa Echezarreta, a longtime player and one of polo’s pioneers, was impressed by the quality of the women’s field. It was the first time she played with Cambiaso.
“That was very, very nice,” Echezarreta said. “It made my life easy.
“The level of competition here is great. I think it’s getting better and better. I give all credit to this league for getting us out here once a week every month. It makes a huge difference and it’s perfect leading up to the circuit that Dawn organized. We’re in our third week now and this was a great warm-up.”
Held every Wednesday during the winter polo season, the Women’s Weekly League is held under The Polo School’s umbrella. On the last Wednesday of each month a tournament is held with MVP and BPP honors and gifts exchanged among players.