The 23-goal Les Lions/Great Oaks polo team (Dillon Bacon, Jeta Castagnola, Barto Castagnola and Santiago Laborde) spotted Park Place’s (Andrey Borodin, Will Harper, Gonzalito Pieres and Facundo Pieres) a goal in the opening chukker of Sunday’s Cartier Queens Cup final at the Guards Polo Club before taking control in the first seven minutes to score three consecutive goals for the early 3-1 advantage.
Goals were at a premium in the second period with Park Place scoring the only goal of the chukker. After two, Les Lions/Great Oaks continued to lead 3-2.
Defense continued to rule the day, with each side limited to a single goal in the third period. Les Lions/Great Oaks managed to maintain their one-goal lead, 4-3, at the end of the first half.
Neither team could mount an effective attack in the fourth chukker with defenders on Lions both sides playing a strongly physical match. The score remained 4-3 in favor of Les Lions/Great Oaks.
Park Place fell further behind in the fifth with Les Lions/Great Oaks scoring three times to only two goals for Park Place. Les Lions/Great Oaks stretched their lead to two goals, 7-5, going into the final chukker in regulation play.
Les Lions/Great Oaks put the first goal on the scoreboard in the sixth, expanding their lead to three goals, 8-5, but Park Place rallied. Three straight goals and shutout defense from Park Place knotted the game at 8-8, forcing the sudden-death overtime chukker.
Reprising his role from last year’s British Open final, 16-year-old Jeta Castagnola scored another overtime winning goal to give the 2020 Cartier Queens Cup to Les Lions/Great Oaks, 9-8. Ironically, it was Barto Castagnola who scored the winning goal for Les Lions/Great Oaks in overtime to down Thai Polo and earn them a berth in this year’s final.
Jeta Castagnola’s tournament-winning goal was his fifth of the day. Santiago Laborde added two goals and single goals were scored by Dillon Bacon (game MVP) and Barto Castagnola. Barto Castagnola’s Challo Angelo was also named Best Playing Pony.
Facundo Pieres scored five times for Park Place. Gonzalito Pieres and Will Harper each scored a goal, and the team received one goal by handicap.