Polo
Kids & Women's Gladiator Polo at PBIEC
By Ken Braddick
Apr 14, 2008, 11:05

The Kids and Women's teams in action. Photos: Ken Braddick-HorseSport USA

Kids and women's gladiator polo were under the spotlight on center stage at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Thursday night.

Two team of kids aged 9 to 14 years whose parents are active equestrians and two teams of women from a wide variety of backgrounds played two games each of two chukkers in the International Arena under lights.

The games came three weeks after two high goal polo teams inaugurated gladiator polo at PBIEC in a $10,000 winner-take-all USA vs. The World match.

With no cash was at stake, pride generated intensity.

The Kids and Women's teams in action. Photos: Ken Braddick-HorseSport USA

In the kids' game, the Far Niente team of Michael Bellissimo, the son of Equestrian Sport Production CEO Mark Bellissimo, Mili Galendo, the eight-year-old daughter of eight-goaler, Hector Galendo, and Spencer Smith, the son of trainers Ken and Emily Smith, fought back from 2-0 at half-time to even the score with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game.

But the Tackeria team of Mateo Gonzalez, the son of Diego Gonzalez, Santino Magrino, the son of 10-goaler Matias, the highest ranked player in the U.S. Open, and Hiliario Figueras, the son of six-goaler Nacho Figueras, managed a last-minute goal and a 3-2 win.

In the woman's game, the PBIEC team of Katherine Bellissimo, Josefina Gonzalez, studying fashion in college, and Christi Waters, married to one of the top rodeo riders in the country, pulled out a 3-2 win over Idlewild Stables.

The idlewild team was made up of Tara Lordi of Idlewild, Kathleen Gannon, daughter of Outback's Tim Gannon, and who is engaged to Argentine polo player Joaquin Carrasco, and Alina Carter, one of the top polo players in Wellington.



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