Nine-team shoot-out in the US Open

A solo shot on goal in overtime can dictate a team’s passage in the US Open Polo Championship – so too can a 40-yard or a 60-yard penalty in a shoot-out on an undefended goal.

Lorenzo Chavanne returned to the Pilot team tent to rapturous applause. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Penalty shoot-outs are a relatively new phenomenon in US high goal polo. What was once used as a last resort during a three-way tie, has become more common practice. Included in the overall format of the tournament, the shoot-out is designed to help ensure a fair league system.

Solid as a rock – Diego Cavanagh extended the US Open run for La Dolfina Tamera. Photo: Sarah Eakin

This year’s US Open Polo Championship threw up an unprecedented equation – nine out of the 11 entries found themselves at the mercy of a single penalty shooter – elected to represent the team. The remaining two teams – Park Place and Clinova The Sandbox – were out of the running before Thursday’s showdown day began.

Practice can see a player hit penalties all day long, both 40 yard and 60 yard, as witnessed by players warming up before a game, doing exactly that – peppering the end-of-field scoreboard, hitting balls way beyond the goalpost and into the Florida canals beyond. But when the pressure and the spotlight is really on, the results are far from guaranteed.

Jeta Castagnola captained Pilot back into the fray. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Three teams ended US Open league play with a 3-1 win-loss record and were competing for a fast-track to the semi finals – trading penalty shots against each other. DUS missed out, having clawed their way to a 14-12 win against Clinova The Sandbox in the morning to participate – its opponents already effectively out of the picture. Two 60-yard penalties missed by Antonio Heguy saw DUS relegated to the ‘Mini’ quarter finals – adding another roadblock to its Open journey.

BTA with Tomas Panelo the shooter, and Coca Cola – Polito Pieres straight shooting without error for Gillian Johnston’s team – advanced to the US Open semi finals on Wednesday.

Penalty shooting is a stalwart of a polo match. Arguably games are won or lost on penalties. “Make all your penalties and you are going to win the game,” has been a mantra passed on to players by many a polo old-timer. Yes…’so and so’s’ goal in the fourth chukker was the play of the game when he ran end to end, beat three defenders, hit the ball in the air four times, and scored from the boards almost at the backline with an impossibly angled belly shot. Too bad the team eventually lost because they missed two penalty twos in the fifth and sixth chukker.

Next up on penalty-shoot day were six more Open teams, this time vying for a chance to stay in the contest – or take an early bath. Poroto Cambiaso of La Dolfina Scone – a sharp shooter for his team in game play – did not disappoint, confidently converting his one 40-yard and four 60-yard goal shots.

Diego Cavanagh showed up and showed out for La Dolfina Tamera, who had left it all on the field that morning to get to this showdown by beating Poroto’s team 12-11 – the irony being that having made it through to the mini quarter finals, the luck of the draw means it will be push rewind and repeat on Sunday at 4pm. Poroto faces off once again against his father Adolfo Cambiaso, the Captain of La Dolfina Tamera.

Poroto Cambiaso will be tuning up at Valiente for Sunday’s repeat pivotal game against his father. Photo: Sarah Eakin

The Dutta Corp represented by Facundo Llosa, exited the race early as did Clearwater with Francisco Elizalde in the hot seat. La Fe Eastern Hay had just lost to Pilot in the final game of the day, leaving the team with penalty shooting equaling survival and Pipe Vercellino despite being the leading goal scorer in the game, came up short. No such disappointment for Pilot. Latecomers to the winning circle in league play after what commentators referred to as a hangover from its USPA Gold Cup win – and keeping hopes alive with the narrow 13-12 win over La Fe – Lorenzo Chavanne nailed all his shoot-out penalties. He galloped down field to the team tent – not yet dismantled – mallet in the air to a rapturous reception from the Pilot entourage.

So as of Thursday’s epic showdown some of the players have left the stage. If Act one was league play, Act two was the shoot-out – an important plot twist going into the interval. Act three will be Sunday’s mini quarter finals, the semis on Wednesday will be Act four. And no one knows – and for imaginary bookmakers, there are no odds-on favorites this year – who will be in contention for Act five, the finals of the 2026 US Open Polo Championship.

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