10/24/09- Catena def. Ranchito Allegre (7-5) @Willow Bend           

                    Pro Chukker def. Walker Boy (6-3)  @ Willow Bend         

10/25/09- FINALS -  Pro Chukker def. Catena (7-2)    @ Willow Bend 

                     CONS. -  Ranchito Allegre' def Walkerboy.com (5-4) @ Willow Bend

Las Colinas Polo Club

WCT Qualifier

(0-2 Goal)

“Third Time’s a Charm”

By Pam Mudra

The rain finally let up enough for the WCT Women’s tournament in Dallas at the Las Colinas Polo Club.  The first attempt to play this tournament was back in September when it rained six days straight with rain accumulations around twelve inches or more.  The weekend that we rescheduled was also rained out, so our last and final attempt to play the tournament was for October 24th and 25th.  Our WCT was now nicknamed “Third Time’s a Charm” at this point.  As it rained for 24 hours on Wednesday of this week, another eight inches had fallen.  I was so depressed until my friend Robert Payne called me on Thursday morning saying that we should be “good to go” to play at his farm, on his sandy fields by Saturday afternoon.   It was music to my ears.  We were going to get this tournament in somehow, someway.  As the phone was ringing off the hook all day on Thursday with worried players coming in from five different states, I assured them that we would play. 

We started off the weekend festivities with a great dinner at Buchanan’s restaurant in Pilot Point, Texas.  Fred Johnson a huge supporter of polo in our area treated us to one of his favorite dining spots.  Many of the players stayed at “Club Fred” for the weekend and enjoyed some old fashioned Texas hospitality.

Saturday came around and we had two great games to start out the tournament.  Catena played Ranchito Allegre’ and it was a very close game.  The Ranchito team worked together and all of the goals were scored by Kristine Dalton. The Dix women both had two goals a piece for the Catena team and Danielle Travis had three goals total.   Catena pulled ahead in the last chukker winning 7-5. In the second game, Pro Chukker jumped out in the first chukker with a quick goal from Roni Duke and Kristin Payne had a beautiful goal in the 3rd chukker. Carolyn Stimmel and Stacey Galindo had their team working like clock work.  Galindo saved three goals right out of the goal mouth.  Carolyn Stimmel scored two from the field and a penalty four and a penalty two.  The final score was 6-3 in favor of Pro Chukker.

On Saturday night, we had an argentine asado at Santa Anita, hosted by Oscar Bermudez and the Las Colinas Polo Club.  We all celebrated that we were playing polo in the midst of “monsoon” season in Dallas.   We had lots of laughs and a huge bonfire to help keep the October chill away.

On Sunday, in the final, it was Pro Chukker against Catena.  The Pro Chukker team came out to win.  Carolyn Stimmel made three goals from the field and two penalty twos.  Kristin Payne made two goals on Rocky in the last chukker putting the final score at 7-2 in favor of Pro Chukker.  Carolyn Stimmel played Page, owned by Harley Stimmel in the 3rd Chukker and was awarded a Best Playing Pony blanket for Best Playing Pony. Carolyn Stimmel was also awarded MVP winning a gorgeous polo print by Jocelyn Sanders.  The winners went home with a beautiful Catena watch, silver chalice, boot bags from Pro Chukker and a jewelry box.  The runners up received a large silver revere bowl.  All of the players in the tournament received goody bags filled with Lucchese shirts and hats and Texas Polo hats.

In the consolation final, it was Ranchito Allegre’ against Walker Boy.  Ranchito came out strong.  Abi Abel had two goals from the field and a penalty two in the 3rd chukker.  Cari Spence had a nice goal in the end of the 3rd chukker giving Ranchito Allegre’ a three goal lead after the 3rd chukker. Sherrie Beyer and her “Pink Pony” made some great defensive plays.  Kristine Dalton helped captain the team passing the ball up to Abi Abel time after time. The final score was 5-4 with Ranchito Allegre’ winning.  Ranchito went home with a silver jewelry box and boot bags from Pro Chukker and Walker Boy went home with a silver tray with stand.

I would like to thank Robert Payne for the use of his wonderful field which was the only playable field in town this weekend.  Thank you, to our sponsors Bill Kraft with Catena Watches, and Lucchese and Texas Polo for all of the wonderful hats and shirts for the “Goody bags” and Pro Chukker for the boot bags.  I would like to also thank Robin Sanchez and the PTF and the men players who gave horses for the women to play.  A big thank you to Sunny and Stormie Hale with their never ending support.  Thank you, to my dear friends Tamara Payne and Fred Johnson who supplied “rooming houses” this weekend and for always being there when I need help.

I would like to thank all of the Women players who stood by me the whole way through this WCT.  I would like to also thank the Women players who could not make it this year due to scheduling conflicts but promise to come next year.  I have made many new friends throughout this tournament who I feel that I have known all of my life.   As I write this, a clap of thunder is off in the distance reminding me that I am the luckiest polo manager alive to get this tournament in finally.  See you next year everyone!

 POLO hot line- 214.373.8855 ext. 3 or Pam Mudra @ 972.679.1440