Taittinger defeated Land Rover 7-4 to win the Scotia Private Client Group Jamaica Open polo final at the Kingston Polo Club, Caymanas Estates, on Sunday, as new champions were crowned for this the fourth staging of the tournament.
Taittinger, sponsored by Caribbean Producers Limited, came from two goals down in the early stages to blow away their opponents in the third of the four chukkas.
This was due to two goals each from the MVP of the final Mark Wates, Marc Melville and the visiting Argentinian professional Tomas Gandara, who was the highest-ranked player in the tournament by virtue of a six-goal handicap. Young Hamish Wates chipped in with the seventh goal.
In the early stages, things did not look too good for Taittinger, this after the Argentinian professional Jose Laritirigoyen opened the scoring for the ATL Automotive-sponsored Land Rover after two minutes, then John G. Byles increased it early in the second.
Taittinger, however, came into their own with three quick goals in the second chukka to lead 3-2 at half-time. They tightened the screws with four unanswered goals in the third chukka for a 7-3 lead. And despite the efforts of Laritirigoyen, Byles, Jordon Samuda and James Robertson (captain) to get back on terms, Land Rover only managed a solitary goal from Laritirgoyen in the final chukka, having been outplayed by the new champions.