Azzaro Scores 5 Goals to Lead Bombay Sapphire Over Crab Orchard 12-7 in Outback 40-Goal Challenge Saturday at International Polo Club
By YA Teitelbaum
February 18, 2006

WELLINGTON, FL (February 18, 2006) – Mike Azzaro, the only player to compete in every Outback 40-Goal Challenge, finally got to lift the winner’s trophy.

Azzaro scored five goals and played superb defense en route to being named the MVP as Bombay Sapphire defeated Crab Orchard 12-7 in the sixth annual Outback 40-Goal Challenge Saturday on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.

Proceeds from the event benefits the Polo Players Support Group, which was formed after the initial 40-goal game in 2000 to raise money for 8-goaler Rob Walton who was injured in Malaysia.

Ten-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso, generally regarded as the world’s best player, did not play because of an injured leg. He is expected to play in Sunday’s 22-goal Ylvisaker Cup final. He was replaced by 9-goalers Gonzalito and Facundo Pieres, who each played one half.

“It’s always fun to play this type of a game, especially for a cause like this,” said Javier Novillo Astrada, who scored one goal for Bombay Sapphire.

“It was an awesome game,” said Azzaro. “We had good chemistry between Mariano (Aguerre) and Javier (Novillo Astrada) and me. I love playing with Tincho (Agustin Merlos). This was a fun team to play on.”

Agustin Merlos scored three goals in his first time competing in the Outback 40-Goal Challenge. Aguerre added three goals for Bombay Sapphire.

Bombay Sapphire led 5-4 at halftime but scored six unanswered goals, three by Merlos and two by Azzaro, in the fourth and fifth chukkers to virtually clinch the victory.

Javier Novillo Astrada started the breakout by converting a 2-yard penalty shot with 3:19 left in the fourth chukker to put Bombay Sapphire ahead 6-4. Agustin Merlos made a brilliant 90-yard forehand from the right side with 1:55 remaining and Azzaro knocked in a 20-yard backshot with 37 seconds left.

The onslaught continued in the fifth chukker.

Merlos stole the ball near midfield and scored on a breakaway two minutes into the fifth chukker. Azzaro made it 10-4 on a nearside neck shot 46 seconds later and Merlos finished it with a nice goal with 2:33 left.

Facundo Pieres scored two goals in the final 2:01 to cut the margin to 11-6 but Crab Orchard could not make up the deficit in the final chukker.

“I thought that I was playing well and I looked up and they scored all those goals,” said Carlos Gracida of Crab Orchard, which was sponsored by high-goal patron George Rawlings. “It was a great game, there were a lot of people and it was for a great cause.”

Facundo Pieres, the youngest player in the game, led Crab Orchard with three goals. Gracida and Gonzalito Pieres added two goals each while Pite Merlos scored one goal. Miguel Novillo Astrada did not score.

Proceeds from the gate, a VIP dinner as well as a silent and live auction benefits the Polo Players Support Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) which was created to provide financial assistance to seriously injured or ill polo players or grooms. Among the players who have received financial help are Rob Walton, who was an 8-goaler and was injured in 1995 when playing in Malaysia, and Justin Pimsner, who was injured in a truck and trailer accident near Saratoga, New York in late August of 2002.

Major sponsors include Outback Steakhouse, Bombay Sapphire, Crab Orchard, Carrabba’s, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light Polo, Brown Distributing, Bessemer Trust, Polo Gear, The Tackeria, Lady Walton Cookies, Salvatore Ferragamo, Catena Watches, The Morning Line and Kendall Jackson wines.

Previous 80-goal Polo Matches (2 teams of 40-goalers) in the United States:

2005 Outback 40-Goal Challenge at International Polo Club Palm Beach – Bombay Sapphire (Javier Novillo Astrada, Adam Snow, Mariano Aguerre, Lolo Castagnola) defeated Crab Orchard (Mike Azzaro, Sebastian Merlos, Miguel Novillo Astrada, Carlos Gracida)
8-7.

2004 Outback 40-Goal Challenge – Crab Orchard (Adolfo Cambiaso, Adam Snow, Miguel Novillo Astrada, Eduardo Heguy) defeated Bombay Sapphire (Javier Novillo Astrada, Sebastian Merlos, Mariano Aguerre, Mike Azzaro) 14-10.

2003 Outback 40-Goal Challenge – Total Body Rehabilitation (Adolfo Cambiaso, Sebastian Merlos, Memo Gracida, Marcos Heguy) defeated Crab Orchard (Mike Azzaro, Adam Snow, Bautista Heguy, Eduardo Heguy) 10-7

2002 Outback 40-Goal Challenge – Total Body Rehabilitation (Adolfo Cambiaso, Sebastian Merlos, Memo Gracida, Marcos Heguy) defeated Bud Light (Carlos Gracida, Mike Azzaro, Bautista Heguy, Eduardo Heguy) 10-9.

2000 Rob Walton 40-Goal Benefit – eCommerce.com (Eduardo Heguy, Memo Gracida, Sebastian Merlos, Adolfo Cambiaso) tied Templeton (Mike Azzaro, Nachi Heguy, Pite Merlos, Lolo Castagnola.)

1990 at Empire Polo Club, California – River Plate (Carlos Gracida, Horacio Heguy, Gonzalo Pieres, Eduardo Heguy, (substitute Marcos Heguy) defeated Westbury (Gonzalo Heguy, Alfonso Pieres, Memo Gracida, Ernesto Trotz, (substitute Benjamin Araya), 8-7 in overtime.

November 1, 1975 in Buenos Aires, Argentina – El Trebol (Alberto Heguy, Daniel Gonzales, Gonzalo Tanoira, Alfredo Harriott) defeated Venado do Tuerto (Horacio Heguy Sr., Gaston Dorignac, Francisco Dorignac, Juan Carlos Harriott), 7-6.