Facundo Pieres stars in Royal Salute Jubilee Cup in Greenwich

By Alex Webbe

No Surprises as Facundo Pieres leads his Royal Salute team (Steve Lefkowitz,

Facundo Pieres, Mariano Aguerre and Peter Brant) to a 9-8 victory over Airstream

(Peter Orthwein, Naco Taverna, Matias Magrini and Nick Manifold) Sunday afternoon

in the Royal Salute Jubilee Cup at the Greenwich Polo Club, but the one goal margin of

victory might have raised some eyebrows after the performance Pieres just finished in

Spain.

A beautiful sunny afternoon was the backdrop for the top-ranked polo player in the

game, Argentine 10-goaler Facundo Pieres, as the Greenwich Polo Club hosted the

Royal Jubilee Cup in front of an enthusiastic crowd of polo devotees at the Connecticut

polo club.

Airstream was spotted one goal by handicap from the 21-goal Royal Salute lineup,

and quickly added to it on a goal from the field from team captain Peter Orthwein, 2-0. 

Facundo Pieres promptly showed his prowess with a responding score, 2-1, and Peter

Brant tied it up at 2-2 with a 30-yard penalty conversion.

Scoring in the second chukker was limited to a single goal from the field from

Airstream’s Matias Magrini, but Pieres managed to entertain the spectators with a

number of runs and an exhibition in ball control on the field.  After two chukkers of play,

Airstream held a 3-2 advantage over Royal Salute.

Pieres and company owned the third period.  Five unanswered goals gave the Royal

Salute team a commanding 7-3 lead over and Airstream team that was held to a mere

two goals in the opening half of play.  Steve Lefkowitz scored his first goal of the game

while Pieres and Brant each contributed two goals apiece. 

A defensive tone was set as the second half got underway.  Errant shots, well-placed

backhanders and disciplined positioning by both teams resulted in a scoreless fourth

chukker.  Royal Salute continued to hold a four goal edge, 7-3.

Lefkowitz scored the opening goal of the fifth chukker, stretching the Royal Salute lead

to five goals, 8-5.  Airstream answered back with a pair of goals from Nick Roldan and a

30-yard penalty conversion from Magrini.  The royal Salute lead was cut to two goals, 8-

6.

Magrini cut the Royal Salute lead to a single goal, 8-7, with his third goal on the day

in sixth chukker action.  Brant answered back with a goal from the field, 9-7.  Magrini

scored the final goal of the game for Airstream, but it was Royal Salute who celebrated

the 9-8 win.

Brant led the royal Salute team with four goals (one on a penalty conversion).  Pieres

added three goals and Lefkowitz scored twice.  Magrini scored four times for Airstream

(once on a penalty shot).  Manifold added two goals and Orthwein scored once. 

Airstream received one goal by handicap.

Facundo Pieres received MVP honors while Mariano Aguerre’s mare Jackie, played by

Pieres, was named Best Playing Pony.