ASPEN, Colo., December 8, 2020–The much-anticipated Aspen World Snow Polo Championship, one of the world’s top snow polo tournaments and only snow polo event in the U.S., will take place in Aspen Colorado, December 18th – 20th.
Returning fan favorite players include 8-goalers Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Nic Roldan, living legend Horacio Heguy and Nacho Figueras, both 6-goalers, along with Celebrity game players; actor Sterling Jones, and actress/producer Miss Saye Yabandeh.
Richard Mille is returning as the official timekeeper as well as team sponsor for the Aspen World Snow Polo Championship. Mille created the RM 53-01 Tourbillon for Aspen Valley Polo Club member, Argentine 10 goaler, Pablo MacDonough, their Brand Ambassador.
Alejandro Novillo Astrada is a fourth generation player. He has won back-to-back U.S. Arena Handicap tournament titles in 2018 and 2017 and was MVP in 2017. He was MVP at the 2018 Bendura Bank Snow Polo World Cup Kitzbuhel which his team won.
Nic Roldan, a third generation polo player is the youngest player ever to win the U.S. Open at age 15 in 1998 with Escue and one of America’s top players and has competed in most of the sport’s U.S. and international polo tournaments. Roldan was recently named MVP after GCPC-USA defeated Argentina for their ninth consecutive International Cup title.
St. Regis will return as a team sponsor with team captain Nacho Figueras, the sport’s ambassador and St. Regis Connoisseur. White Claw is joining the team sponsorship this year after a successful partnership with Aspen Valley Polo Club during their 2020 summer season, captained by Vinny Sangaline.
The six team sponsors and rosters are:
Casablanca (+14)
Grant Ganzi (+3)
Juancito Bollini (+4)
Jeff Hall (+7)
White Claw (+13)
Vinny Sangaline (+1)
Horacio Heguy (+6)
Pablo Spinacci (+6)
Richard Mille (+14)
Alex Potampkin (0)
Juan Bollini (+6)
Nic Roldan (+8)
Royal Salute (+14)
Sarah Siegel Magness (+1)
Jesse Bray (+7)
Jason Crowder (+6)
St. Regis (+14)
Tom Barrack (+1)
Nacho Figueras (+6)
Sugar Erskin (+7)
World Polo League (+14)
Riley Ganzi (+2)
TBA (+4)
Alejandro Novillo Astrada (+8)
The Celebrity Polo Chukker team lineup is:
Aspen Valley Polo Club: Sterling Jones, Miss Saye Yabandeh, Nacho Figueras
ChukkerTV: Gary Magness, Gussie Busch, Juan Bollini
The Aspen World Snow Polo tournament is normally a major attraction for the local community, attracting fans from all over the world, and a major allure for the Aspen community and surrounding areas. However, this year the Aspen World Snow Polo Championship will be closed to spectators.
In order to be able to host this year’s Aspen World Snow Polo Championship games during a global pandemic, local community and CDC guidelines must be followed. Aspen Valley Polo club wishes nothing more than to have spectators on the sidelines cheering for our players, it is just not possible at this time. Successfully practicing the same policies in the club’s 2020 summer season, the ultimate goal first and foremost is to keep everyone safe and healthy.
In keeping fans and supporters tuned into all the action, Wellington, FL based ChukkerTV will be live streaming the entire Aspen World Snow Polo Championship, as well as hosting a virtual draw party Thursday December 17th at 8 p.m. from the world-renowned St. Regis Aspen resort, showcasing their famous champagne sabering ceremony during the live stream.
Polo action will take place Friday through Sunday at Aspen Valley Polo Club and Rio Grande Park. Two preliminary qualifying round robin games will be held Friday at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Aspen Valley Polo Club in Carbondale.
Action continues in Aspen on Saturday for the High Alpine Cup game for fifth place at 1:15 p.m. followed by a Celebrity Polo Chukker at 2:30 p.m. The final and subsidiary games are Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. followed by trophy presentation at 4:15 p.m.
In addition to Richard Mille (2019 Louis Jarrige, Edouard Pan, and Pablo MacDonough2018, Marc Ganzi, Martin Pepa, Pablo MacDonough), past St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship winners include 2017, U.S. Polo Assn. (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Nic Roldan); 2016, Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini); 2015, U.S. Polo Assn. (Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Juancito Bollini); 2014, Piaget (Marc Ganzi, Jeff Hall, Nic Roldan); and 2013, St. Regis (Nacho Figueras, Nic Roldan, Brandon Phillips).
The sport was first played on a frozen lake in St. Moritz, Switzerland, created by Swiss hotelier and polo visionary Reto Gaudenzi in 1985 and has been growing in popularity ever since, attracting thousands of spectators and top players from around the world. In addition to St. Moritz, it’s played in winter sports communities Aspen, Cortina, Italy, Kitzbuhel, Austria, Courchevel, France and Tianjin, China. In the U.S., snow polo is held exclusively in Aspen.
With the majestic 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as a backdrop, Aspen Valley Polo Club is one of the busiest and fastest growing USPA-sanctioned clubs in the nation.
Since Marc and Melissa Ganzi founded the club in 2014, polo has increased in popularity in Aspen and surrounding cities with the club’s offerings of various weekly grass and arena tournaments, Tuesday Arena & Asado Nights, Kidz Polo, The Polo School headed by former 8-goaler Juan Bollini, and Polo On Demand. In addition, the club offers practice sessions for teams competing in the club tournaments.
Since 2014, Aspen Valley Polo Club has had a positive impact in the local community hosting kids polo camps, teaching lessons and several charitable events at the club that have benefitted local charities including the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation.
Pictures by Aspen Valley Polo Club
2020 Aspen World Snow Polo Championship Live Stream Schedule
Thursday 12/17
8 p.m. Team Draw – from St. Regis Aspen Resort
Friday 12/18
Preliminary Games
11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Saturday 12/19
1:15 p.m. The High Alpine Cup
2:30 p.m. Celebrity Polo Chukker
Sunday 12/20
1 p.m. Snow Polo Championship Final
3 p.m. The Aspen Cup
4:15 p.m. Trophy Presentation
All Games Live on https://www.chukkertv.com in Mountain Standard Time
