The Navy All-Stars beat the Red All-Stars 8-7 on Saturday in the 26th American Polo Classic at BD Field at Glen Farm, holding off a late Red charge in Newport Polo’s annual Pro-Am.
The match was interrupted in the fourth chukker when Red’s Oscar Monzon was thrown from his horse during a defensive play at his own goal. Newport Polo said he landed on his feet but was evaluated by fieldside emergency personnel and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Alternates Dan Keating and Jair Zenteno entered the lineup for Red, and John Wigdahl came on to officiate.
Navy led 2-0 after the first chukker on goals from Dave Bullis and a Rory Torrey penalty conversion, and took a 5-3 lead into halftime behind three goals from Stuart Odell.
Tommy Garzera scored twice in the fourth to tie it at 5-5 before Monzon’s fall. Navy answered with three unanswered in the fifth — from Odell, Torrey and a Bullis penalty — to go up 8-5.
Garzera scored twice more in the sixth to finish with five goals on the afternoon and pull Red within one, but Navy held on.
Navy fielded Chris Fragomeni, Odell, Torrey and Bullis. Red started Garzera, Roger Souto, Minnie Keating and Monzon.
Red generated more attempts on goal through most of the match, but Navy converted at a higher rate.
At halftime, spectators took the field for the divot stomp, where one found a cork good for a five-day trip to Barbados, part of a Barbados Tourism sponsorship that also brought Chef Myles and a Bajan menu to the sidelines.
USA meets Switzerland next Saturday in one of the final two matches of Newport Polo’s 150th season.
