Santiago Bottarro and Jeff Blake combined for ten goals Tuesday morning, powering Valiente/Blanco to a 10-6 win over Jan Pamela/Little Owl in the South Florida Challenge 12-goal Pro-Am at the International Polo Club.
Jan Pamela/Little Owl received one goal by handicap from the 12-goal Valiente/Blanco team and quickly added to it with first chukker goals from Steve Dalton and Joe Barry. Bottarro responded with a single goal for Valiente/Blanco, and the first period ended with Jan Pamela/Little Owl leading, 3-1.
For the next two chukkers the Valiente/Blanco defense was nearly flawless, shutting out the Jan Pamela/Little Owl while allowing their attack to put goals on the scoreboard.
Three more goals from Bottarro and a pair from Blake had Valiente/Blanco up 6-3 at the end of the first half with Jan Pamela/Little Owl trying to find its offense.
The teams exchanged penalty goals in the fourth, with Blake scoring for Valiente/Blanco and Dalton finally getting Jan Pamela/Little Owl on the scoreboard again.
Fifth period goals from the field from Blake and Bottarro had Valiente/Blanco ahead, 9-4 before Dalton scored to keep the Jan Pamela/Little Owl hopes alive. The chukker ended with Valiente/Blanco holding a four goal lead, 9-5.
Bottarro’s sixth goal of the match had Valiente/Blanco coasting with a five goal lead in the final chukker, 10-5. Wayne Garrison accounted for the final goal of the contest for Jan Pamela/Little Owl, but the game went to Valiente/Blanco, 10-6.
Bottarro led all scoring with six goals. Teammate Blake accounted for four goals in the win.
Dalton led Jan Pamela/Little Owl with three goals. Garrison and Barry scored single goals. Jan Pamela/Little Owl received one goal by handicap.
Action in the South Florida Challenge is scheduled to continue on Friday, January 21 with a noon contest between Faraway/Mt. Brilliant (0-2) and Valiente/Blanco (2-0) followed by a 5 pm contest between Jan Pamela/Little Owl (1-1) and Mt. Airy/Willow Farm (1-1).
Equestrian Idol “All Stars” Musical Cabaret
Annual Polo Ball at Nespresso Grande Pavilion
