Open Season at SB Polo Club, Where the Antelope Play

Social gridlock reigned supreme when more than 4,000 equestrian fans descended on the Santa Barbara Polo Club for the biggest match of the season – the NetJets Pacific Coast Open.

Grant Palmer, son of Los Angeles real estate tycoon Geoff Palmer, and his team Antelope led right from the opening chukker against real estate investor Ben Soleimani’s Carbenella players with the hotly contested game 7-3 at halftime, then 8-3, 8-4, 8-5 in the fourth and fifth chukkers with Antelope – Felipe Vercellino, Leon Schwencke and Lucas Escobar – drawing away even further in the final chukker 12-7, 13-7, and finally garnering their first PCO victory 14-8.

“It was absolutely amazing with the score changing every few minutes,” exclaimed club manager David Sigman. “The excitement was palpable!”

The team then picked up one of the biggest trophies in sport, the gold and silver open trophy, which stands more than 5-feet tall, with the players being awarded replicas of the trophy top.