The only outdoor open trophy on the west coast, the Pacific Coast Open is a staple of high-goal competition at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California. Competing for the final 16-goal title of the season, six teams will leave everything on the field for a chance to win the impressive trophy, including two-time winners (2020, 2018) and defending champions Klentner Ranch. Located just five miles south of Santa Barbara and 60 miles north of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club overlooks the Pacific Ocean providing an attractive backdrop to an active polo calendar. The Pacific Coast Open will begin on Sunday, August 15, with the final slated for Sunday, August 29. On opening day the 7:00pm ET/ 4:00pm PT game between BenSoleimani.com and Farmers & Merchants Bank has been dedicated the Charles Ward Memorial Match, honoring Mr. Ward who was instrumental in club sponsorship. Games will be held on Sundays and Fridays.
Serving as the Official Stadium & Apparel Sponsor, U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association, will provide stadium branding and apparel for the high-profile west coast tournament.
Standing at a striking height of five feet, the glorious silver-and-gold trophy for the Pacific Coast Open is a dazzling sight. Crowned with an eagle supporting a globe and adorned with semiprecious stones, the trophy is mounted on a redwood base, featuring side panels depicting lively polo scenes. Initially titled the All American Polo Trophy, the cup was commissioned in 1908 by friends and members of the Coronado Country Club in Southern California.
Throughout the late 1920s until the early 1940s the tournament was hosted by numerous clubs throughout California. After World War II, the Pacific Coast Open moved to the posh and glamorous Beverly Hills Polo Club until 1952, when it took residency at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, where it remains today. Coming off a win in the Silver Cup®, Klentner Ranch’s 2020 teammates Justin Klentner and Jesse Bray are joined in 2021 by Justin’s son Jacob “Jake”
Klentner and 8-goal Argentine Santiago Toccalino. With four tournament titles, Lucchese holds the most wins of all teams competing (2015, 2012, 2011, 2010), followed by Klentner Ranch and Farmers & Merchants Bank with two (2019, 2017) and Antelope with one (2004). Featuring
father-and-son combinations on multiple teams, the 16-goal rosters feature a variety of young rising stars including several active and graduating Team USPA members and alumni.
2021 PACIFIC COAST OPEN TEAMS:
Bracket I
1. Santa Clara (15) Luis Escobar (5), Lucas Escobar (4), Nico Escobar (5), Federico Escobar (1)
2. Farmers & Merchants Bank (16) Danny Walker (2), Matt Walker (3), Lucas Criado (7), Lucitas Criado (4)
3. Klentner Ranch (16) Jesse Bray (6), Jacob Klentner (1), Justin Klentner (1), Santiago Toccalino (8)
Bracket II
1. Antelope (16) Grant Palmer (1), Santiago Trotz (4), Tomas Garcia del Rio (8), Segundo Saravi (3)
2. Bensoleimani.com (16) Ben Soleimani (0), Tomas Alberdi (4), Iñaki Laprida (7), Santiago Wulff (5)
3. Lucchese (15) John Muse (0), Facundo Obregon (6), Jeff Hall (6), Kristos ‘Keko’ Magrini (3)
“The true challenge in Santa Barbara is to win all of the 16-goal tournaments,” said USPA Executive Director of Services Carlucho Arellano. “Most summers it seems customary that a different team win each trophy. Mainly because it is so difficult to keep a single team’s horses peaking for that long—prime fitness is tricky to maintain. Klentner Ranch just might be able to accomplish the feat and finish the Santa Barbara season with a Pacific Coast Open victory.”
The Pacific Coast Open, will be livestreamed exclusively on Global Polo TV with the purchase of the Polo Pass at globalpolo.com. All USPA playing and lifetime members who have paid their membership dues will receive the Premium Polo Pass complimentary while all USPA Social Members will receive the Polo Pass for free, once dues are paid in full. All games of the Pacific Coast Open will be available with the Polo Pass or the Premium Polo Pass.
Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is now open to the public for spectating. To purchase tickets please visit sbpolo.com. The club will host Happy Hour after each public match with drink specials, and food available for purchase at the Fieldside Grill. For more information on the Pacific Coast Open and to view the schedule, please visit the Pacific Coast Open tournament detail page on uspolo.org. To purchase a polo pass please visit globalpolo.com/products.
