Heart over budget sees The Dutta Corp’s first Gauntlet win

Tenacity and belief paid off for The Dutta Corp in the finals of the C.V. Whitney Cup with a first Gauntlet of Polo final ending in victory with a commanding 14-9 defeat of high goal heavyweight La Dolfina/Scone.

“We don’t have the budget of the big boys,” said Tim Dutta, owner of The Dutta Corp team, whose Gauntlet campaign began in 2019. “But heart can win. You cannot take their heart away.”

Smoking the opposition -The Dutta Corp never looked in danger. Photo: Sarah Eakin

The Dutta Corp line up of Tim’s son Timmy Dutta, Lucas Diaz Alberdi, Facundo Llosa and Dylan Rossiter – post match Most Valuable Player – were sitting pretty at half time on an 8-3 lead. They never relinquished control to their opponents – and arguably pre-match favorites – David Paradice’s La Dolfina/Scone pivoted on 10-goal superstar Poroto Cambiaso and his well-drilled team mates Jesse Bray and Rufino Merlos.

Not many would have put money on this sixth chukker scoreboard. Photo: Sarah Eakin

“They were the favorites,” Facundo aka ‘Facu’ acknowledged of their opponents. “We came without pressure. If we played like we did in the semi finals. We had a chance – and we did.”

At the end of the second chukker of the C.V. Whitney Cup final – the first of three high goal tournaments that make up the USPA’s Gauntlet of Polo – The Dutta Corp had an impressive 5-1 lead.

“I said, all we have to do is just follow the plan and get it done,” stated Timmy. “We followed the plan, we got it done… and we brought home the win. So I’m really grateful for that and the opportunity my father gave us to get here and accomplish this.”

Facundo Llosa [right] was integral to The Dutta Corp success.

Timmy’s father who has engineered The Dutta Corp high goal team from day one is looking forward to the rest of the high goal polo season at the National Polo Center proceeding with the USPA Gold Cup and culminating in the U.S. Open Polo Championship. “When they play polo like this, this is sport,” he said in an appraisal of the C.V. Whitney final. “It was a pure, classic exhibition of high goal polo with today’s modern twist. And they’re superstars, all four of them. And I wish them all the luck. And we’re looking forward to the Gold Cup and the Open.”

This could be interesting:

The Dutta Corp riding high on eve of Gauntlet final debut