With temperatures in the 90s, an estimated 2,000 people and a few dozen horses gathered in Maple Plain yesterday for the 22nd annual Polo Classic—which organizers say is Minnesota’s longest running charity event.
“I was worried how the horses would react to the heat,” said Optum Health player David Allen. “I just wanted them to be alright.”
Horses are substituted out after each chukker, or periods. Six chuckers make a full game.
The match between U.S. Trust and Optum Health was played with traditional rules. Equipped with a mallet made of a bamboo handle and a hardwood head, helmet and riding boots, players readied the horses to run on the 300-yard field.
It was time to play polo.
A scrum broke out immediately after the referee threw the opening ball, and the crowd perked up.
“Let’s go Dougie!” was shouted by a fan of Optum Health player Doug Hoskins.
Although this was a charity event for the University of Minnesota Equine Center, fans of the players and the teams still wanted their favorite team to win.
Optum got the scoring going right away.
Ryan Gilbertson scored on a breakaway one minute into the first chukker. He broke away from the pack and from 40-yards away found the middle of an unmanned goal.
The teams changed directions after the game's first goal, but the result was the same. Doug Hoskins netted what would be his first of several on the day after a scrum near the goal. Seeing open space between two horses, Hoskins pulled the trigger and put Optum Health up 2-0.
U.S. Trust didn’t score a goal in the first chukker, but they did have some close calls. Joseph Stuart hit a rocket that clanked off the left goal post.
Optum started the second chucker the way they ended the first—scoring again to take a 3-0 lead a goal by Rob Berg. It was a rebound shot after a great save by U.S. Trust player Gaston Bravo.
Todd Sether finally put U.S. Trust on the board with just seconds left in the second chukker. As the clock ticked down to zero, Sether launched a 100-yard shot that broke the goal just as the bell signaling the end of the chukker rang.
Goals by Gaston Bravo, Jared Burg (2) and Casey Hoskins gave U.S. Trust their first lead of the day at 5-4 to end the fourth chukker.
A five-goal fifth chukker, however, put Optum back up. Doug Haskins had a natural hat trick, and teammate David Allen chipped in with two goals of his own.
Gaston Bravo scored his second of the day to bring U.S. Trust within three, but that was the closest they would get.
Led by MVP Dough Haskins, Optum Health went on to a 10-6 victory.
Haskins was showered in champagne by his teammates and didn’t seem to mind.
“Normally I would drink it, but it’s just so hot,” said Hoskins. “The [champagne] shower is just fine with me.”
