2023 Texas Open

Congratulations to Tonkawa for winning the 2023 Texas Open!!

MVP: Santi Zubiaurre, pictured with Shirley & Carty Krueger and Ava Seward

BPP: Sarah, played by Nick Cifuni, pictured with Herbert Melgar

Final Score:
Tonkawa (12) def Propaganda (6)

Winning Team: Tonkawa
​(L to R) Santi Zubiaurre, Jack Kiely, Juanse Olivera, Joe Bob Lequerica, Lily Lequerica

Welcome to our third 12 Goal tournament this Fall Season! We have 5 teams playing in the 2023 Texas Open!
Please see the Draw and Schedule below:

Tournament Format: 5 Star Draw
 - Teams play 2 bracket games
 - A vs D, A vs C, B vs E, B vs D, C vs E
 - After Bracket play, teams are ranked 1-5 based on win/loss records
 - Records 4 & 5 will play a playoff game to see who advances to the semifinals
 - Semifinals: Record #1 vs Record #4, Record #2 vs Record #3

Tied Records for Playoff Game & Semifinals
 - In case of tied records for the playoff spots (4 & 5), teams will shootout to see who plays the playoff game
 - If there are clear records of Records 1, 2, & 3, then semis will be R1 vs R4, R2 vs R3
 - If there is a three way tie for Records 1, 2, 3, teams will play a team they have not yet played or if there is tied records between 1 & 2 or 2 & 3, then teams will play a team they have not yet played. Otherwise we will draw for placement

Optional Tournament Conditions:
Buzzer Beater
Substitution
Fair Play Throw-in 

HTC Authorization: 
Courtesy Changes

Reminders:
 - Teams higher in the draw will choose jersey color
 - Spare changes at end lines only
 - Penalty 3's will be defended.
 - All players are required to wear a helmet that passes the NOCSAE ND050 Standard Performance Specification
 - All players must have USPA Dues paid
https://www.uspolo.org/association/membership
 - All players must have signed a HPC release form for this year
 http://houstonpoloclub.com/hpc-release-form/
 - Anyone on horseback must wear a helmet (spareholders, grooms, etc)
 - All dogs on leashes at all fields
 - Both teams need to provide 2 umpires horses each game
​

Draw Results:
A. Eureka (0,2)
B. Propaganda (0,2)
C. BTA (2,0)
D. Old Pueblo (2,0)
E. Tonkawa (1,1)

SCHEDULE  
Friday October 6
CANCELLED
Eureka vs Old Pueblo 
4:30pm @ New Pueblo - Lower

Sunday October 8
BTA (9) def  Tonkawa (8)
3:00pm @ Tonkawa - Wilson
Umps: K. Huddleston / E. Ezcurra
3rd Man: M. Pascual
Timer: E. Markell

CANCELLED
Propaganda vs Old Pueblo
4:00pm @ HPC - Farish

Monday October 9
Old Pueblo (12) def Propaganda (11)  OT
1:00pm @ New Pueblo - Lower
Umps: M. Pascual / P. Blake
3rd Man: K. Huddleston
Timer: K. Krueger

Wednesday October 11
BTA (8) def Eureka (6)
4:30pm @ New Pueblo - Upper
Umps: M. Pascual / E. Ezcurra
3rd Man: P. Blake
Timer: E. Markell

Friday October 13
Tonkawa (10) def Propaganda (8)
10:00am @ Tonkawa - Wilson
Umps: K. Huddleston / P. Blake
3rd Man: E. Ezcurra
Timer: E. Markell

Old Pueblo  (12) def Eureka (7) 
4:30pm @ New Pueblo - Lower
Umps: K. Huddleston / M. Pascual
3rd Man: P. Blake
Timer: K. Krueger
​
Shootout Following 4:30pm game if needed

Sunday October 15
Play Off Game
Record 4 vs Record 5
Propaganda (7) def Eureka (6)
​4:00pm @ HPC - Farish
Umps: K. Huddleston / M. Pascual
3rd Man: E. Ezcurra
Timer: E. Markell

Wednesday October 18
Semifinal
Tonkawa (12) def Old Pueblo (11)
10:00am @ New Pueblo - Lower
Umps: K. Huddleston / M. Pascal
3rd Man: P. Blake
Timer: E. Markell

​Semifinal
Propaganda (11) def BTA (10)
4:30pm @ New Pueblo - Upper
Umps: K. Huddleston / M. Pascal
3rd Man: E. Ezcurra
Timer: K. Wroe

Friday October 20
Texas Open Finals
Tonkawa (12) def Propaganda (6)
4:00pm @ Tonkawa - Main
Umps: K. Huddleston / M. Pascal
3rd Man: E. Ezcurra
Timer: E. Markell

TEAMS 
BTA
Joao Aranha 1
KC Krueger 2
Mason Wroe  4
Steve Krueger  5
Handicap -- 12

Eureka
Rene Campos  0
Jorge Cernadas  4
Alvaro Ara  4
Tommy Alberdi  4
Handicap -- 12

Old Pueblo
Leigh Anne Hall  0
Duilio Diaz  2
Cody Ellis  4
Jeff Hall  6
Handicap -- 12

Propaganda
Paul Hobby  0
Nick Cifuni  3
Martin Ravina  4
Fran Mera  5
Handicap -- 12

Tonkawa
Jeff Hildebrand  0
Juanse Olivera  3
Jack Kiely  4
Santi Zubiaurre 5
Handicap -- 12

​OUTDOOR RULE 2a: Substitutions
(i) If during bracket a game of a tournament, a player is hurt DURING a game, a player (with equal or lesser handicap) in the same tournament can finish the game. BUT for all games following, only eligible substitutes (players not in the tournament) can sub. This will apply to players with handicaps from B to 10 goals to help teams when they are playing on remote fields. 

(ii) After bracket play, so either in Quarterfinals, Semifinals or Finals, if a player is injured or ill and can't start or becomes injured during game, an eliminated player of equal or lesser handicap may substitute for that game and/or the remainder of the tournament. An eliminated player is someone who has completed their final game in that tournament.

OUTDOOR RULE 14.b (the Buzzer Beater)
b.(i) A ball hit prior to the second bell or horn, and prior to the Umpires’ whistle(s) officially ending the period, may count as a goal if it is not touched by an opponent or a teammate of the player hitting the ball and it rolls or flies between the goal posts (a “Buzzer-Beater)”.

(ii) If any player on either team touches a potential "Buzzer-Beater" with their mallet, body, or horse, the whistle is blown and the ball is dead at the spot of the whistle

(iii) If a foul occurs after a potential "Buzzer Beater" is hit, a whistle will be blown, and if a penalty is called, it will be played out at the beginning of the next period

(iv) In the final period or OT period, if a foul occurs while a "Buzzer-Beater" shot is live, and a penalty is called, then the penalty will be played out immediately, and 5 seconds will be added to the clock.

IX. OPTIONAL TOURNAMENT CONDITION FOR FAIR PLAY THROW-IN 
Notwithstanding USPA Outdoor Rules 21.l, 22.e, and 22.e(4), which remain in force, if the Umpire or Umpires stop play due to an inadvertent whistle, a damaged or buried ball, a fallen or injured Umpire, player or horse, or some other perceived emergency or unexpected event, and the team in possession of the ball is significantly disadvantaged by the interruption of play, to be determined by the Umpires in their discretion, that team will be awarded possession in an “undefended throw-in” from the point where the ball was considered dead toward the nearer side boards or side lines. In the event this point does not allow sufficient room for the teams to line up on the field, the Umpire shall throw the ball in, in the same manner, from the nearest point that allows it. 
 
In an undefended throw-in, the Umpire shall announce “fair play throw-in to the [color] team” and line the teams up with the team not getting possession at least one horselength wide of the line along which the ball will be thrown. When the ball is thrown in, only the team awarded possession may play the ball, but it must do so immediately, and no member of the other team shall affect that play. As used in the prior sentence, the word “immediately” means within 5 seconds of the throw-in, and the phrase “affect that play” describes conduct that includes but is not limited to being within a one horse-length radius of the first play by the team awarded possession. If a member of the team awarded possession does not play the ball immediately or a member of the other team affects the first play by the team awarded possession, the Umpire(s) may award an appropriate penalty 

Courtesy Changes
(2) The Host Tournament Committee or Umpires have the authority to stop any injured or distressed horse from playing. When heat or humidity is extreme, to be determined by the Host Tournament Committee or the Umpires in their discretion and communicated to the teams before the game begins, the Umpires may allow one courtesy horse change per period for all players
on both teams when the ball is out of play or at a neutral play. Ideally, the Umpires will allow any such courtesy horse change after three minutes have elapsed in the period by announcing “ALL MAY CHANGE – COURTESY CHANGE, ONE MINUTE.”. One minute shall be allowed for players to change horses. Play will be restarted with a throw-in, penalty, free hit or knock-in, as the case may be, after one minute has elapsed. Any unwarranted delay by either team will be penalized.