CD Le Blanc Memorial @ Will Rogers PC (CA)

2008 C.D. LeBlanc Memorial Tournament results- Will Rogers Polo Club
The finals of the 15th annual C.D. LeBlanc Memorial Tournament were held June 22nd at the Will Rogers Polo Club in Los Angeles. C.D. LeBlanc founded the Will Rogers Polo Club in 1953: making it the thirteenth oldest polo club in the United States.

The players in the photos (from left to right in each) are:

Winners – The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Sunny Sassoon
Hannah Taylor
Domingo Questel
Leigh Brecheen
Gabby Questal

The preliminary round was held on June 21st, with 4 teams competing to advance to the June 22nd finals. The finals were a match up of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (Domingo Questal, Hannah Taylor, Leigh Brecheen and Gabby Questal/Sunny Sasson vs. Leed Properties (Ernie Darquea, Graydon Brittan, Gustavo De Greiff and John Waybill).

MVP
Domingo Questel

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first chukker, 2-1 at the end of the second chukker, and led 3-1 during the third chukker. Leed Properties rallied to go up 4-3. Leed Properties was up 5-4 early in the fourth chukker, only to see Coffee Bean tie and then go ahead on a goal by Hannah Taylor.

Domingo Questal received the tournament MVP honors. In the preliminary game, Domingo set a single game club record with 10 defensive saves/stops. Over the two games Domingo scored 8 of the teams 13 goals. Hannah Taylor and Gabby Questal each had two goals and Leigh Brecheen had one.
For Leeds Properties, Graydon Brittan scored 7 of his team’s 2 day total of 12 goals, Ernie had 3 and Gustavo and John each had a goal. Ernie Darquea’s horse “Silver” received best playing pony honors, playing two times each day.

Will Rogers State Park was originally the private estate of Will Rogers: famed humorist, newspaper columnist, cowboy, author, movie star and polo player. In fact, Will Rogers landscaped the polo field in 1926, before he even built his home. Rogers and his family lived here between 1928 and 1935. During this period he and his friends (David Niven, Spencer Tracy, Hal Roach, Walt Disney and Clark Gable) played on this field on weekend mornings and then rode over to a nearby field to watch the “high goal” games.

After Will’s death in 1935, his family gave the property to the State of California on the condition that equestrian activities would continue at the park. The club has continued since 1953 and is the only remaining grass polo field in Los Angeles. Each year it hosts charity matches, fund raisers and private events. For more information about the polo club, or to host an event, please contact Felice Densa at 818-509-9965 or fdensa@adelphia.net.

BPP
Silver, owned and played by Ernie Darquea

Runner Up – Leed Properties
Ernie Darquea
John Waybill
Gustavo De Greiff
Graydon Brittan