Beginning of the End

By Ron Allen

 

Nine teams will be competing in high goal polo in Dubai this season. 

That may not sound like big news until you consider that 10 goaler Pelon Sterling with be playing for Amr Zedan’s team. Which means he’s not available for the high goal season in South Florida.

 

Pelon

 

As the first 10 goal player to pick UAE over USA Sterling may be opening the door for an exodus of fellow high goalers to head to the desert instead of IPC in Florida. Dubai has been aggressively growing their high goal schedule and they are now ready to recruit the world’s best players.  

When Sterling first appeared in Florida in 2007 he won the Gold Cup and U.S. Open with his good friend Adolfo Cambiaso. Most recently he has had great success with the Valiente team. When Captain Bob Jornayvaz was raised to 1 goal Pelon was suddenly off the team. The future of Cambiaso with Valiente after next April is unknown and Adolfo already has strong ties with Dubai’s premier polo patrons Ali and Rashid Albwardi.

 

 

Ali Albwardi

 

As teammates, Sterling and Cambiaso have a very successful track record not only in America but with La Dolfina in Argentina as well. They are the odds on favorite to sweep the Triple Crown this year. Some observers believe that Dubai is on the verge of becoming a major player in high goal polo, which could create a shortage of 10-goal talent on American polo fields in the near future. Is it the beginning of the end of 10 goalers competing in the U.S. or a new beginning for lesser-known players to have a chance to shine in sunny Florida?

 

 

 

 Adolfo and Pelon