Florida

North America, Polo News

Tamera, Orea, and Casablanca Rack Up Wins as Triple Crown of Polo Continues

12. April 2021

By: Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by: ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, April 10, 2021— Tamera beat Richard Mille 14-6 on Sunday, April 4, while Orea took down Pampa Norte 13-9 on Monday afternoon and Casablanca squeezed by White Birch 13-12 on Thursday as play continued in the Triple Crown of Polo.

Last Sunday afternoon, Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo Mac. Donough, and Paco de Narvaez) faced off against Tamera (Salvador Lockey, Santi Torres, Diego Cavanaugh, and Jejo Taranco) as play continued in the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Both teams were rated 26 goals.

Diego Cavanaugh ran the ball downfield to put the first goal on the board at 6:28 while Pablo MacDonough converted a Penalty 2 to score Richard Mille’s first goal of the day. An answer came from Santi Torres and Jeta Castagnola responded with final goal from the field to end the chukker 2-2. Tension grew during the second chukker as Richard Mille gained the advantage. MacDonough got out in front to put the ball through at 4:30, while Tamera was unable to get on the board. The chukker ended with Richard Mille leading 3-2 but the tables were turned during the next period. Richard Mille was unable to score while Santi Torres converted a Penalty 2 for Tamera. After a fierce defensive battle, the half ended in a 3-3 tie.

Jejo Taranco started the fourth chukker with a lofted shot on goal at 6:25, putting Tamera in the lead. Santi Torres converted a Penalty 2 and with 3:52 on the clock, Diego Cavanaugh battled through a crowd in front of the goal to put the ball through the posts. With 2:32 left to play, he picked up a ball left behind by Torres and made a neck shot on goal, taking the score up to 7-3. With Richard Mille on the back foot, Castagnola was able to convert a penalty and score, but Torres ended the chukker with a goal at 9 seconds on the clock that put Tamera ahead 8-4. In the fifth chukker, Richard Mille battled to get by the Tamera defense, but the pressure was starting to show. Tamera converted three penalties and Santi Torres also scored from the field, putting the team ahead 12-4 at the end of the period.

Richard Mille came back stronger in the final chukker, and the teams alternated goals. Pablo MacDonough scored first, but Santi Torres came back with the answer. Marc Ganzi made a great shot to put another goal on the board for Richard Mille, but the response by Diego Cavanaugh saw Richard Mille go down to Tamera 14-6. Santi Torres was the high scoring player with 8 goals to his credit. Salvador Lockey was named the Most Valuable Player while Lady Blue, owned by Santi Torres, was the Best Playing Pony.

On Monday, Orea (Sugar Erskine, Justin Daniels, Torito Ruiz, and Nacho Novillo Astrada) met Pampa Norte (Waqqas Al Siddiq, Santiago Loza, Magoo Laprida, and Pedro Falabella). Orea, a 23-goal team, ceded one goal on handicap to 22-goal rated Pampa Norte.

The match began with both teams feeling each other out, and each scored their first goal from the penalty line on a Penalty 2. Back-to-back goals from Toro Ruiz, always an exciting player to watch, put Orea in the lead 3-2 at the end of the first chukker. Pampa Norte put up a struggle in the second period, with several near misses, and couldn’t penetrate Orea’s defense to make it to the uprights. Sugar Erskine put the first ball between the posts, with Ruiz adding another goal to take the score up to 5-2 with Orea in the lead. They started to run away in third period, again with Erskine scoring first followed by Ruiz, who also converted a Penalty 6. Magoo Laprida successfully shot from the penalty line to put another goal on the board for Pampa Norte, who had yet to score from the field. The half ended with Orea leading by 8-3.

Pampa Norte came back in the fourth period obviously rejuvenated, with Magoo Laprida scoring two goals from the field. Orea, however, lost a bit of steam and managed only one goal from a Penalty 4. This slight lapse in energy disappeared in the fourth period as Toro Ruiz exploded into action with three goals from the field and one from the penalty line. Magoo Laprida, doing all the heavy lifting for Pampa Norte, converted a Penalty 3 and added a goal to end the period with Pampa Norte trailing Orea by six goals, at 13-7. They rallied with a strong defense in the final chukker to keep Orea off the board, and Laprida took another two balls through the uprights. Unfortunately, it was too late and Orea’s lead was too large. Orea defeated Pampa Norte by 13-9. Toro Ruiz was the high scoring player, responsible for 10 of his team’s 13 goals, while Magoo Laprida scored 8 of Pampa Norte’s 9 goals.

Thursday afternoon White Birch (Chris Brant, Facu Llorente, Mariano Aguerre, and Santi Tocalino) took to the field against Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Barto Castagnola, and Juan Martin Nero). Casablanca, a 26-goal team, ceded three goals on handicap to White Birch.

Casablanca started the match on a hot streak, with three goals from Barto Castagnola and one from Juan Martin Nero, all from the field. White Birch made no headway against Casablanca’s defense and the period ended 4-3. The teams alternated scoring in the second period, with Santi Tocalino take two balls through the uprights for White Birch while Nero and Juancito Bollini scored to keep Casablance in the lead 6-5. The third chukker saw more back and forth play with lesser result. Chris Brant scored from the field while Grant Ganzi converted a Penalty 2 to end the half with Casablanca still one goal in the lead at 7-6.

White Birch came back in the second half determined to turn the tables on Casablanca. Their defense was effective, keeping the team in black off the board, while Santi Tocalini converted a pair of Penalty Twos to put White Birch in the lead for the first time. Another goal from Brant early in the fifth chukker put White Birch in the lead by 2. Casablanca, sensing the threat, redoubled the offense. While Facu Llorente was able to score again for White Birch, Juancito Bollini contributed a pair of goals from the field while Castagnola and Nero also found the posts to take back the lead at 11-10. Castagnola ran the ball to goal to take the score up to 12-10 early in the final chukker but a pair of goals from Brant tied things up again. Barto Castagnola knocked in the final shot to win the match for Casablanca at 13-12. Castagnola was the high scorer of the match with 5 goals to his credit.

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Sunday 4/11
10am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
1pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
11am Seminole Casino Coconut Creek vs Tamera

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

By: Rebecca Baldridge Photos by: ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, April 10, 2021— Tamera beat Richard Mille 14-6 on Sunday, April 4, while Orea took down Pampa Norte 13-9 on Monday afternoon…

North America, Polo News

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and White Birch Victorious as Triple Crown of Polo Continues

5. April 2021

WELLINGTON, FL, April 3, 2021— Seminole Casino Coconut Creek overcame Santa Rita 15-9 yesterday while White Birch beat Pampa Norte 12-11 in overtime play.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, and Adolfo Cambiaso) met Santa Rita (Robert Strom, Nacho Figueras, Clemente Zavaleta, and Horacio Llorente) Friday morning as play continued in the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Seminole Casino, with a team handicap of 26 goals, ceded two goals to Orea, a 24-goal team, on handicap. Adolfo Cambiaso subbed for Juan Martin Zubia.

Although Santa Rita started the match with a two-goal advantage, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek made short work of that lead. Melissa Ganzi scored the first goal of the day and Alejandro Novillo Astrada followed up with another. With 4:58 left on the clock, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek took the ball from the throw-in and Nic Roldan put the ball through the posts with an assist from Ganzi. Clemente Zavaleta made a shot from 80 yards to end the chukker in a 3-3 tie.

Nic Roldan put Seminole Casino back in the lead early in the second period, and Novillo Astrada backed Ganzi to finish a goal when her ball bounced off a pony. Roldan knocked in two more goals to firmly establish Seminole Casino Coconut Creek‘s lead at 7-3, with Santa Rita failing to score in the period. Nacho Figueras broke Santa Rita’s dry spell seconds into the third chukker, but forty seconds later Adolfo Cambiaso took the ball from the bowl-in and passed it to Roldan, who made one of his epic long shots to goal. With another goal from Novillo Astrada, the half ended with Seminole Casino leading by 9-4.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek was off to an auspicious start to the second half of the match, with each member of the team scoring as Santa Rita continued to struggle. With a 13-5 lead going into the fifth chukker, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek eased off on the pressure. Melissa Ganzi scored one goal, while Santa Rita played their best chukker of the match. With 1:45 on the clock Horacio Llorente took the ball through the uprights, and Nacho FIgueras finished the period by scoring a goal with 55 seconds left to play. Santa Rita fought back in the final chukker with Frenchman Robert Strom contributing back-to-back goals to take the score up to 9-14, but in the last seconds of the game Melissa Ganzi scored to end the match with Seminole Casino Coconut Creek winning by 15-9. Nic Roldan was the high scoring player with six goals to his credit.

Action continued at in the afternoon when White Birch (Chris Brant, Facundo Llorente, Mariano Aguerre, and Santi Toccalino) met Pampa Norte (Waqqas Al Siddiq, Santiago Loza, Magoo Laprida, and Pedro Falabella). White Birch, a 23-goal team, ceded one goal to Pampa Norte, a 22-goal team.

The match started with a foul in favor of Pampa Norte, and Magoo Laprida converted a Penalty 2. Both teams were battling ferociously, and Pampa Norte gave up two goals on penalties with Santi Toccalino going to the line. With 2:33 on the clock Toccalino made a superb run to goal, taking the score to 3-2, and in the last minute of play Chris Brant took a shot from the near side to end the chukker 4-2 with White Birch in the lead.

Neither team was able to score from the field in the second period, and all the goals were made from the penalty line – one by Toccalino on a Penalty 4 and two by Magoo Laprida. Magoo Laprida took the ball through the posts after 20 seconds of play, evening the match up at 5-5, but Toccalino found the uprights again to keep White Birch ahead by 6-5 at the half.

Both teams were firing on all cylinders in the second half, and it was nip and tuck all the way through, making for an exciting game. Santi Toccalino started the fourth chukker by converting a Penalty 3, while Loza sank an impressive under-the-neck cut shot. Pampa Norte cut loose with everything they had in the fifth chukker. They played a strong defense that kept White Birch down to only a Penalty 3 by Mariano Aguerre, wihile Loza scored two goals and Magoo Laprida contributed a goal from the field and one from the penalty line.

Down by 10-8 at the beginning of the final chukker, White Birch knew they had a fight on their hands. Facundo Llorente came through for the team, knocking in two goals to even the score at 10-10, and with 2:31 remaining Santi Toccalino converted a Penalty 2 to put White Birch ahead by 11-10. It was too early to celebrate though, as a whistle at 18 seconds sent Magoo Laprida to the penalty line to tie the score and send the game into overtime. Less than a minute into the seventh chukker, Facundo Llorente scored to win the match for White Birch. Santi Toccalino and Magoo Laprida were the high scoring players with seven goals each.

Photos by ChukkerTV

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Sunday 4/4
4pm Tamera vs Richard Mille

Monday 4/5
11am Pampa Norte vs Orea Polo Team

Thursday 4/8
4pm White Birch vs Casablanca

Friday 4/9
11am Tamera vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

Sunday 4/11
11am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
4pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

WELLINGTON, FL, April 3, 2021— Seminole Casino Coconut Creek overcame Santa Rita 15-9 yesterday while White Birch beat Pampa Norte 12-11 in overtime play. Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi,…

North America, Polo News

Casablanca Beats Orea Polo Team in Overtime on First Day of Bracket A Play in the Triple Crown of Polo

3. April 2021

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, April 1, 2021— Casablanca defeated Orea Polo Team by 13-12 today in overtime as Bracket A play began in the Triple Crown of Polo.

Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Barto Castagnola, and Juan Martin Nero) took on Orea Polo Team (Justin Daniels, Sugar Erskine, Torito Ruiz, and Nacho Novillo Astrada) in the first Bracket A match of the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Casablanca, with a team handicap of 26 goals, ceded three goals to Orea, a 23-goal team, on handicap.

Orea Polo Team started the game with three goals on the board but committed a pair of fouls off the bat that let Barto Castagnola convert two penalties in as many minutes of play. Castagnola followed up with a goal from the field, eroding Orea’s advantage on handicap and tying the score at 3-3. Justin Daniels converted a Penalty 2 and just as the horn sounded, Juan Martin Nero took the ball through the posts to end the first period in a 4-4 tie.

Orea came out strong in the second chukker, managing to contain Casablanca as they struggled to replicate their performance in the first period. Justin Daniels scored Orea‘s first goal from the field, with Nacho Novilla Astrada taking the ball through the posts barely a minute later. Juan Martin Nero fought back with a goal at 2:22, cutting Orea’s lead to one, but Toro Ruiz converted a Penalty 6 to put Orea back in the lead by two goals.

Barto Castagnola went to the penalty line after 30 seconds of play in the third chukker, startling both himself and his teammates as a Penalty 2 went wide. Toro Ruiz took control of the ball, making a spectacular angled neck shot from 90 yards and followed up with a second goal to take the score up to 9-5 in Orea’s favor Castagnola took another Penalty 2 shot, this time putting the ball through to end the half at 9-6.

Casablanca got their mojo back in the fourth chukker, playing a determined defense and scoring three unanswered goals. Juancito Bollini picked up a pass from Grant Ganzi to take the ball through the uprights at 6:48, followed by another Penalty 2 from Castagnola. A goal from Nero ended the chukker with the score even at nine goals apiece. The fifth chukker was a battle of attrition, with both teams fighting to get on goal with relatively little success. Torito Ruiz converted a Penalty 4, while Castagnola scored an equalizer with 31 seconds left to play.

The final chukker began with a 10-10 tie on the board. Following a nice approach by Ruiz, Justin Daniels picked up the loose ball and knocked it in, putting Casablanca slightly on the back foot. With 4:54 on the clock, Sugar Erskine got a length-and-a-half lead on Juancito Bollini and made a brillian neck shot at speed, putting Orea ahead at 12-10. However, with a team like Casablanca there’s no room for overconfidence. Erskine managed to hook Bollini on a play, but Nero was left open, which is always dangerous. He took the ball to goal, and with 2:08 left to play Barto Castagnola evened the score at 12-12.

Orea attempted to sustain the pressure but the buzzer sounded with the game still tied. Play went into overtime and it took Juan Martin Nero only 12 seconds to run the ball to goal and secure the win for Casablanca. Barto Castagnola was the high scoring player of the day with seven goals.

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Thursday 4/1
10am Casablanca vs Orea Polo Team

Friday 4/2
11am Seminole Casino Coconut Creek vs Santa Rita
4:30pm White Birch vs Pampa Norte

Sunday 4/4
4pm Tamera vs Richard Mille

Monday 4/5
11am Pampa Norte vs Orea Polo Team

Thursday 4/8
4pm White Birch vs Casablanca

Friday 4/9
11am Tamera vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

Sunday 4/11
11am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
4pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

By Rebecca Baldridge Photos by ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, April 1, 2021— Casablanca defeated Orea Polo Team by 13-12 today in overtime as Bracket A play began in the Triple Crown…

North America, Polo News

Richard Mille and Tamera Victorious as Play Begins in the Triple Crown of Polo

2. April 2021

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, April 1, 2021— Richard Mille defeated Seminole Casino Coconut Creek by 14-13 while Tamera beat Santa Rita 10-6.

Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo MacDonough, and Paco de Narvaez) met Seminole Casino (Melissa Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, and Juan Martin Zubia in the first match of the World Polo League’s Triple Crown of Polo. Richard Mille, with a team handicap of 26 goals, ceded two goals to Santa Rita, a 24-goal team, on handicap.

Barely thirty seconds into play, Marc Ganzi got out in front to score the first goal of the day and narrow Seminole Casino’s advantage to one goal. With rain bucketing down, there was some question as to whether play could continue. Unperturbed by the foul weather, Nic Roldan slammed a long shot through the posts and followed up by taking the ball downfield straight to the goal. Marc Ganzi converted a Penalty 2 and the chukker ended with Seminole Casino leading 4-2.

Fortunately, the rain came to a halt, allowing play to continue. Less fortunately, Seminole Casino’s ability to score also came to a halt during the second period. Each member of Richard Mille contributed a goal, and by the end of the chukker Richard Mille had taken a 6-4 lead. At the start of the third chukker, Nic Roldan took the ball from the bowl-in to the goal within 12 seconds, giving Seminole Casino a shot in the arm, and in the next 40 seconds finished on a pass from Juan Martin Zubia to tie things up. Later in the period Roldan completed a hat trick, but a pair of penalty conversions ended the half with Richard Mille leading by 9-7.

In the fourth chukker, it was Pablo MacDonough who scored the hat trick, starting with an easy penalty conversion and adding two more goals. Seminole Casino once again failed to get past Richard Mille’s defense and score. Early in the pentultimate chukker, Pablo MacDonough made an impressive coast-to-coast run and passed the ball to Marc Ganzi for the finish. Seminole Casino’s Juan Martin Zubia roared to life in this chukker, scoring a hat trick of his own with a goal from Roldan as well. The final chukker saw Seminole Casino giving their all as they managed to keep Richard Mille away from the posts while Roldan and Zubia both scored. Had the team managed to capitalize on a few lost opportunities, the match might have gone to Seminole Casino. In the end though, Richard Mille won by a narrow 14-13. Marc Ganzi and Nic Roldan were the high scoring players, each with 7 goals to his credit.

In the second match of the day, Tamera (Ale Poma, Santi Torres, Diego Cavanaugh, and Jejo Taranco) took on Santa Rita (Robert Strom, Nacho Figueras, Clemente Zavaletta, and Horacio Llorente). Twenty-five goal Tamera ceded one goal to Santa Rita on handicap.

Tamera dominated play from the get-go, keeping Santa Rita away from the uprights while Ale Poma scored the first goal of the day and Santi Torres converted a Penalty 3. In the second period, Diego Cavanaugh left two Santa Rita defenders behind and made an impressively angled shot to score for Tamera. He followed up with another two minutes later to put his team in the lead at 4-0. With 40 seconds remaining to play, Clemente Zavaleta hit a neat neck shot and put Santa Rita’s first goal from the field on the board, ending the chukker at 4-2. Although Santa Rita started to play a better game in the third chukker, they were still unable to make it on goal. Tamera couldn’t score from the field either but added two goals from penalties to end the half 6-2.

The teams were back and forth for almost three minutes before Jejo Taranco gained three lengths on a pursuing Horacio Llorente and scored for Tamera. Santi Torres picked up a loose ball and put it through the uprights to take Tamera up 8-2. Clemente Zavaleta scored for Santa Rita with a successful Penalty 3 conversion, putting their third goal on the board. Tamera continued to play exceptionally well in the fifth chukker and put the score up to 10-3. Santa Rita’s Nacho Figueras battled his way to the goal to end the chukker with Tamera leading 10-4. In the final period of play, Santa Rita finally found their rhythm, keeping Tamera away from the goal. Llorente and Figueras both scored but it was too little too late, and Tamera carried the day by 10-6. Santi Torres was the high scoring player with five goals for Tamera.

2021 Triple Crown of Polo Livestream Schedule

Thursday 4/1
10am Casablanca vs Orea Polo Team

Friday 4/2
11am Seminole Casino Coconut Creek vs Santa Rita
4:30pm White Birch vs Pampa Norte

Sunday 4/4
4pm Tamera vs Richard Mille

Monday 4/5
11am Pampa Norte vs Orea Polo Team

Thursday 4/8
4pm White Birch vs Casablanca

Friday 4/9
11am Tamera vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

Sunday 4/11
11am Richard Mille vs Santa Rita
4pm Casablanca vs Pampa Norte

Monday 4/12
4pm Orea Polo Team vs White Birch

Wednesday 4/14
Semifinals

Saturday 4/17
4pm Final

All games streamed live on http://www.chukkertv.com

By Rebecca Baldridge Photos by ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, April 1, 2021— Richard Mille defeated Seminole Casino Coconut Creek by 14-13 while Tamera beat Santa Rita 10-6. Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi,…

North America, Polo News

Casablanca Wins World Polo League Palm Beach Open; Barto Castagnola Named MVP

30. March 2021

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, March 28, 2021— Casablanca defeated Richard Mille 12-9 to capture the title in the Palm Beach Open.

Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo Mac Donough, and Paco de Narvaez) met Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Barto Castagnola and Juan Martin Nero) hoping to continue their 2021 WPL season winning streak.

Richard Mille took command of the field in the first chukker, with Paco de Narvaez scoring the first goal of the day just under a minute into play. Barto Castagnola converted a Penalty 2 to even things up, but Pablo Mac Donough put Richard Mille back in the lead. With just over two minutes on the clock, Jeta Castagnola took the ball out in front and ran to the posts, tacking on another goal.

The second chukker began with Richard Mille in the lead by 3-1, but Casablanca came on strong. Juan Martin Nero scored the first goal not even 30 seconds into play, while Barto Castagnola added two goals from the field and a Penalty 4. They worked hard to keep Richard Mille away from the uprights and took a 5-3 lead.

In the third chukker, both teams battled hard to no avail until Juan Martin Nero knocked the ball in at just under the four-minute mark. A nearly immediate foul sent Jeta Castagnola to the penalty line for a successful conversion, keeping Casablanca’s lead down to two goals at 6-4. A goal from Juancito Bollini and a Penalty 2 conversion from Richard Mille’s Mac Donough ended the half with Casablanca leading 7-5.

In the fourth chukker, a Penalty 5 and a goal from the field by Barto Castagnola put Casablance in the lead 9-5, but Marc Ganzi answered with a goal for Richard Mille. The fifth chukker began with a goal from Jeta, followed by a Penalty 4 conversion from Pablo Mac Donough that put the team in black within striking distance at 9-8.

Leave it to a ten-goaler though, to spoil dreams of glory – at the 30-second horn, Juan Martin Nero put Casablanca back up by two goals. As the last chukker began, Paco de Narvaez passed the ball to Jeta Castagnola to finish, putting Richard Mille in striking distance once again as Casablanca’s lead was cut to one goal. Barto Castagnola took control of the ball and ran it downfield, passing it to Grant Ganzi to finish. A final shot by Barto Castagnola ended the match 12-9 for Casablanca to claim victory. Said Juan Martin Nero after the match, “The final was tough, and Richard Mille is a very good team. We got lucky that they missed a couple of goals, and then we played a bit better in the end. We’re so happy to win, we worked really hard for this.”

Barto Castagnola was named the MVP for the tournament, and his pony Rodesia won the World Polo League Best Playing Pony award. Jeta Castagnola was recognized for the Play of the Day. Juan Martin Nero’s Matsu was named the American Polo Horse Association Best Playing Pony. The AAP Best Playing Pony was Pablo MacDonough’s Irenita Suspicasia, while Grant Ganzi’s Girl Power was chosen as the Best Playing Pony for the entire Palm Beach Open tournament.

Founded by Grand Champions owners Melissa and Marc Ganzi, and Valiente owner Bob Jornayvaz the World Polo League is the only 26-goal polo in the world outside of Argentina. The WPL was created to preserve the highest level of polo and its rich, hallowed tradition in the United States. The WPL, boasting 13 tournament quality fields to play on, will continue to the season with the Palm Beach Open that began on Monday March 15, 2021, and The Triple Crown of Polo, and Beach Polo World Cup Miami Beach April 22-25.

The World Polo League attracts the sport’s top players from every corner of the world, including: Australia, Chile, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Brazil, Switzerland, France, Germany, Uruguay, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique polo facility in Wellington with 120 stalls in five self-contained barns, an exercise track, five climate-controlled tack rooms, a vet room, staff quarters, a guest house and three polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation including one field for stick-and-ball and plans to build more in the future.

World Polo League matches will continue to be closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We closely adhere to Florida state and CDC guidelines, and take all measures possible to maintain a safe environment that will allow us to continue playing. We look very forward to the day we can welcome our fans back. In the interim, please visit www.worldpolo.orgf or more information. Matches can be viewed on www.chukkertv.com

By Rebecca Baldridge Photos by ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, March 28, 2021— Casablanca defeated Richard Mille 12-9 to capture the title in the Palm Beach Open. Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta…

North America, Polo News

Teams draw for the U.S. OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP® live on GLOBAL POLO TV to conclude the GAUNTLET OF POLO®

29. March 2021

WHAT: In preparation for the final tournament of the GAUNTLET OF POLO®, the United States Polo Association (USPA) hosted the U.S. Open Polo Championship^® draw on Thursday, March 25, 2021, from the Seventh Chukker patio at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) in Wellington, Florida. Limited to teams and staff only, one representative from each team was invited to select a numbered token in person while the draw was broadcast live to spectators on Global Polo TV. The apex of 22-goal competition, the U.S. Open Polo Championship® is considered the most prestigious tournament in American polo. Immediately following the draw, viewers were treated to interviews with past U.S. Open Polo Championship® winners Memo Gracida, Tommy Wayman and Nic Roldan. Although Park Place won the C.V. Whitney Cup®, there will not be a GAUNTLET champion crowned in 2021 as Tonkawa and Scone qualified for the USPA Gold Cup® Final on Sunday, March 28. The official draw determined the playing order for the third tournament of the GAUNTLET OF POLO^®, the U.S. Open Polo Championship^®, which begins Sunday, March 28, and concludes Sunday, April 18, at IPC. Spectators will have the opportunity to relive the action on Sunday, May 9, when the U.S. Open Polo Championship® Final will be aired to millions of viewers on CBS Sports.

WHO: Haley Bryan, IPC Polo Coordinator, and Jimmy Newman, IPC Polo Manager, outlined the tournament format and conducted the official draw.

WHERE: The International Polo Club Palm Beach will not be open to the general public during the 2021 polo season. IPC will offer a limited number of tickets to Sunday Brunch in the Veuve Clicquot Pavilion for spectators as well as exclusive pre-sold tailgates and boxes. There will be no day of event ticket sales. Please read the IPC Reopening Guide available on the U.S. Open Polo Championship® tournament detail page on uspolo.org, for the club’s new protocols and procedures.

Increasing the stakes in the final tournament, the winner of the U.S. Open Polo Championship® will receive $200,000 in prize money and $50,000 will be awarded to the runner-up. New to the GAUNTLET in 2021 and in partnership with USPA Global Licensing, each of the teams will select a charity of their choice from 10 non-profit polo organizations which they can support throughout all three tournaments or select every tournament. Both charities of the winner and runners-up will receive a $5,000 donation in the U.S. Open Polo Championship^®.

The list of participating teams in their newly announced tournament brackets are available below:

Bracket I
1. La Indiana
2. Santa Clara
3. Pilot

Bracket II
1. Aspen/Dutta Corp
2. Cessna
3. Tonkawa

Bracket III
1. Park Place
2. Coca-Cola
3. Scone

FORMAT:

The USPA Gold Cup® finalists, Tonkawa and Scone, will be seeded in separate brackets (6 and 9). Teams will be placed into three brackets and play within their bracket.

After bracket play, all teams will be ranked 1-9 based on their win-loss record, followed by net goals, then gross goals. The teams who ranked eighth and nineth will compete in a playoff game then teams will enter the quarterfinals. Teams ranked 1-4 will draw from the remaining teams (5, 6, 7, 8) for quarterfinal pairings. Semifinal pairings will be determined by draw with the winners advancing to the final.

Please visit the GAUNTLET OF POLO® tab on uspolo.org for GAUNTLET information including rosters, full tournament schedule, history, video highlights and much more. Global Polo TV is the exclusive broadcaster for USPA Official Events, tournaments and games. Only those with a Premium Polo Pass or GAUNTLET OF POLO^® Pass will have access to all livestreamed games of the 2021 GAUNTLET OF POLO^®. All USPA Playing and Lifetime Members receive free access to the Premium Polo Pass. Social Members receive the Polo Pass for free. Subscribe or upgrade at any time on GlobalPolo.com/products.

Images: ©David Lominska / ©United States Polo Association

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1138″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

www.uspolo.org

uspoloassnglobal.com

globalpolotv.com

www.internationalpoloclub.com

WHAT: In preparation for the final tournament of the GAUNTLET OF POLO®, the United States Polo Association (USPA) hosted the U.S. Open Polo Championship® draw on Thursday, March 25, 2021,…

North America, Polo News

Casablanca and Richard Mille Advance to Final in Palm Beach Open

29. March 2021

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, March 26, 2021— In a thrilling day of semifinal play, Casablanca is set to meet Richard Mille in the final of the World Polo League Palm Beach Open this Sunday at 4 pm.

Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Barto Castagnola and Juan Martin Nero) met Pampa Norte (Waqqas Al Siddiq, Santiago Loza, Magoo Laprida, and Pedro Falabella) yesterday in the first semifinal game.

Pampa Norte was strong out of the gate, outscoring Casablanca in the first chukker and continuing to push hard in the second. Both of Casablanca’s goals in the first period were from the penalty line, while Pampa Norte’s Pedro Falabella knocked in two from the field. In the second period Juan Martin Nero took the ball through the posts, and with just over two minutes on the clock, Barto Castagnola made a spectacular 120-yard drive to put Casablanca in the lead. A Penalty 2 from Magoo Laprida ended the chukker in a 4-all tie.

Although Casablanca was missing shots in the third period and scored only on a Penalty 3, the team was growing visibly stronger with each chukker. Juancito Bollini, Casablanca’s number two, said “We didn’t do so well in the first half and I couldn’t find my rhythm, but by the end we were like a well-oiled machine.”

The second half began tied up at 5-all, and after three minutes of hard back and forth Juancito Bollini picked up a pass from Juan Martin Nero for an easy finish and the first goal of the second half. Nero himself followed up by taking the ball from the throw-in and running away with it to escort it through the uprights with 3:37 on the clock. Pampa Norte wasn’t able to score in the fourth, and managed only one goal in the fifth chukker, while Casablanca’s Nero contributed another two goals and Barto Castagnola converted a penalty to end the period up by 10-6.

In the final chukker the team in light blue was firing on all cylinders. Nero and Castagnola had scored another goal apiece when Magoo Laprida put the ball through with 1:05 left to play. The clock was ticking down to the buzzer when, with 13 seconds remaining in the game, Grant Ganzi scored a final goal to end the match 13-7 for Casablanca. Says Juan Martin Nero, “Today was a very tough game. I think we didn’t play well in the beginning but Juancito was amazing in the last three chukkers. It was fun to play against Pampa Norte and we’re so happy to be going to the final.” Nero scored five goals in the match, and Barto Castagnola scored six. Pedro Falabella and Magoo Laprida scored three goals each for Pampa Norte.

In the afternoon action, Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo Mac Donough, and Paco de Narvaez) took on Tamera (Ale Poma, Santi Torres, Diego Cavanaugh, and Jejo Taranco).

The match was a pitched battle from the start, with Richard Mille gaining a brief early advantage. Jeta Castagnola drew first blood while it took Tamera more than five minutes to get on the board with a goal from Jejo Taranco. Marc Ganzi converted a penalty and Richard Mille ended the period with a narrow 2-1 lead. They started the second chukker by winning a penalty challenge in the first twenty seconds of play, with the goal awarded to Paco de Narvaez. Seconds later, Pable MacDonough took the ball out of the throw-in to score, and the lead expanded to 4-1. With 2:35 on the clock, Diego Cavanaugh put the ball for a second Tamera goal on the board with an answer from MacDonough to end the chukker at 5-3 with Richard Mille in the lead.

Tamera showed their mettle in the third chukker, outscoring Richard Mille by three to one from the field and gaining on the team in black, pulling within one goal until a Penalty 4 from Jeta Castagnola improved the margin once again. The half ended with Richard Mille in the lead by 7-5.

Jejo Taranco started the second half with an important goal for Tamera, narrowing the margin to one again at 7-6 until Marc Ganzi went to the penalty line for 8-6. Ale Poma made a fabulous run to goal and put Tamera within one again and the period ended 8-7. Richard Mille began their drive to victory in fifth chukker with three goals, although Tamera continued to keep the pressure on and fight hard.

The final chukker began with Richard Mille leading by 11-9. A penalty conversion by Diego Cavanaugh cut the lead to one yet again, but two more goals from the field by Richard Mille extended their lead to four goals at 13-9. Jejo Taranco converted one more penalty, but Paco de Narvaez knocked in a final goal to end the match 14-11, sending Richard Mille to the final on Sunday. Pablo MacDonough noted that Richard Mille was prepared for a tough game, saying “Tamera has been playing well through the tournament, and they’re strong. Fortunately, when they were getting close, we responded and managed to score one or two goals and keep the gap. This gave us an advantage at the end of the game.”

By Rebecca Baldridge Photos by ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, March 26, 2021— In a thrilling day of semifinal play, Casablanca is set to meet Richard Mille in the final of the…

North America, Polo News

Richard Mille Captures World Polo League Founder’s Cup Title

17. March 2021

WELLINGTON, FL, March 16, 2021— Richard Mille defeated Hawaii Polo Life by 12-6 to win the World Polo League Founder’s Cup, their second World Polo League Victory in 2021.

On Sunday, Hawaii Polo Life (Santi Torres, Gringo Colombres, Jejo Taranco, and Chris Dawson) faced off against Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo MacDonough, and Paco de Narvaez) at Grand Champions Polo Club. Hawaii Polo Life rated 25 goals, started with one goal on the board to match Richard Mille‘s 26 goal handicap.

Just a minute into the match, Jeta Castagnola put the first goal on the board for Richard Mille, with Jejo Taranco answering for Hawaii Polo Life. Marc Ganzi and Pablo Mac Donough were able to both tally goals to end the first chukker 3-2 in favor of Richard Mille.

Richard Mille continued to dominate in the second period, keeping Hawaii Polo Life off the board. Marc Ganzi found the goalposts to put the tally up to 4-2. In the third chukker, Hawaii Polo Life outscored Richard Mille for the only time in the match, with Gringo Colombres converting a penalty four and Jejo Taranco putting the ball through the posts. Ganzi scored on a penalty three, and Richard Mille led 5-4 at the half.

Richard Mille dominated the play in the second half, with Hawaii Polo Life unable to get on the board in either the fourth or fifth chukker. Jeta Castagnola converted a penalty four, while Pablo Mac Donough scored an impressive pair of back-to-back goals in less than a minute.

The final chukker began with Richard Mille in the lead by 9-4. Two successful runs by Pablo MacDonough and a shot through the posts by Jeta Castagnola took Richard Mille up to 12-4. Santi Torres scored the final two goals for Hawaii Polo Life, and the team went down to Richard Mille 12-6.

Pablo MacDonough was named the Most Valuable Player, while the pony he played in the second chukker, Irinita Rastrogera, was named the Argentine Breeding Association Best Playing Pony. Chalo Kayla, played by Jeta Castagnola in the sixth chukker, was the World Polo League Best Playing Pony, while the American Horse Polo Association Best Playing Pony was Galleta Grande, played by Paco de Narvaez in the third chukker.

World Polo League matches will continue to be closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We closely adhere to Florida state and CDC guidelines, and take all measures possible to maintain a safe environment that will allow us to continue playing. We look very forward to the day we can welcome our fans back. In the interim, please visit www.worldpolo.or gfor more information. Matches can be viewed on www.chukkertv.com

WELLINGTON, FL, March 16, 2021— Richard Mille defeated Hawaii Polo Life by 12-6 to win the World Polo League Founder’s Cup, their second World Polo League Victory in 2021. On…

North America, Polo News

Bushwood Defeats Ellipse Polo In Top Pony 8-Goal Title ; Kris Kampsen Named MVP

10. March 2021

By Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, FL, March 9, 2021— Bushwood won a narrow 10-9 victory over Ellipse Polo to win the Top Pony 8-Goal title.

Bushwood (Nick McClelland, Nick Manifold, Kris Kampsen, and Michael Armour) took to the field against Ellipse Polo (Pancha Terrera, Baldo Palomeque, Robi Bilbao, and Louis Devaleix) on Grand Champions Field 4.

Baldo Palomeque put the first goal of the day on the board, picking up a pass to put the ball through at 5:42. With 17 seconds left in the chukker, a powerful shot by Ellipse’s Kris Kampsen evened the score and the period ended 1-all. Play was back and forth for the first three minutes, until Baldo Palomeque swept the ball through the posts at 3:40. Kris Kampsen successfully converted a Penalty 4, bringing the score up to 2-all.

With just over a minute left to play, Pancha Terrera carried the ball downfield to goal, leaving it for Baldo Palomeque to nudge through and end the chukker with Ellipse in the lead at 3-2. Bushwood succeeded in keeping Ellipse off the board in the third chukker, while Kris Kampsen scored a goal from the field and converted a Penalty 2 to end the half with Bushwood leading 4-3.

The pressure started to show in the fourth chukker, with both teams earning goals on penalties. Ellipse wanted an early goal and Robi Bilbao delivered, running to goal with Kampsen in hot pursuit and putting the ball through within 30 seconds. At 4:55, Kampson restored Bushwood’s advantage, with 5-4 on the board. He followed up with a Penalty 4 conversion to extend Bushwood’s lead to 6. At 3:02, Kampsen completed a hat trick for the chukker with a cut shot to goal.

Ellipse was able to narrow the lead with two penalty conversions from Robi Balboa and the chukker ended at 7-6 with Bushwood narrowly in the lead. Kampsen and Bilboa each converted a Penalty 4, while a goal from Nick Manifold kept Bushwood in the lead, with the fifth chukker ending 9-7. Ellipse fought back in the final chukker, with Balboa and Palomeque scoring from the field to tie the match at 9-all. A costly foul put Kris Kampsen on the penalty line to convert a Penalty 3, and Bushwood squeaked by Ellipse at 10-9. Kris Kampsen was the high scoring player of the day with 9 goals.

WINTER 2021 COVID-19 POLICY: The GCPC property, facilities, and events are only accessible to polo players, their immediate families, and necessary staff. This policy will remain in effect until further notice.

The GCPC family is immensely grateful and humbled by the excitement and support shown by locals and new guests over the years. We wish we could welcome everyone to the sidelines to cheer our players on; however, in order to remain in operation amidst a global pandemic, we regret to inform you that Grand Champions Polo Club events and facilities are currently closed to the public. Ultimately, our goal as a Club is to keep polo going, but our goal as a community first and foremost is to keep everyone safe and healthy.

There is nothing we would love more than to have more spectators on the sidelines and to greet new and friendly faces to the Club. Unfortunately, we cannot operate as normal and have temporarily minimized the Club’s capacity in an effort to prioritize the health and safety of our community.

MORE UPDATES TO COME SOON: For potential GCPC policy changes, we encourage our fans to continue to check our Instagram and website for more updates to come.

In the meantime, we thank you for your cooperation in this team effort to ensure we can keep playing polo, as well as keep playing our part in the community to minimize risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We appreciate your loyalty and understanding and hope to see you back on the sidelines soon!

By Rebecca Baldridge Photos by ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, FL, March 9, 2021— Bushwood won a narrow 10-9 victory over Ellipse Polo to win the Top Pony 8-Goal title. Bushwood (Nick McClelland,…

North America, Polo News

PARK PLACE set sights on GAUNTLET OF POLO® with sensational OT VICTORY

9. March 2021

Going up against the only undefeated team in the tournament captained by the formidable Adolfo Cambiaso, Park Place (Matt Coppola*, Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos, Jack Whitman*) knew there could be no margin for error in the C.V. Whitney Cup® Final against Scone (David Paradice, Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, Peke Gonzalez*). Meeting on Sunday, March 7, on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field 1, the two teams found themselves locked in a tight and passionate game from start to finish, never separated by more than a goal each chukker. Forcing the game into overtime with under a minute remaining, Park Place relentlessly fought to score the golden goal, claiming not only the title 11-10 and $100,000, but their place as the only 2021 GAUNTLET OF POLO® contenders.

“This win means the world to us, it’s literally a dream come true. I wish Andrey [Borodin] could have been here today. He’d be so proud of his team.” – Ashley Price, Park Place Team Manager

Firing at Park Place’s goal within the first couple minutes, Scone looked to establish a lead early on, igniting a defensive battle throughout the first half. Receiving a nearside neckshot pass from Adolfo Cambiaso, Gonzalez made a breakaway to score the first field goal of the day. Winning the next throw-in and answering back with an immediate goal, Whitman’s quick response proved to be a precursor of the back-and-forth action to come.

Playing halfway through the second without a goal from either side, Scone added one to the tally to break the tie for the first time 3-2. Exercising precision from the Penalty 4 line, Adolfo Cambiaso’s third chukker goal was met by a strong offensive force led by Ulloa. “We tried to keep possession of the ball and keep it away from Cambiaso, but I think we were playing a bit slowly at the beginning,” Ulloa commented. “Chukker by chukker we found a way to open up the game, hit long shots and run a bit more.” Relying on his young teammates who took out the defenders, Ulloa claimed two impressive goals to once again level the playing field 4-all in the final minute before halftime.

As the intensity of the game increased with each successive chukker, both sides continued to trade goals but were unsuccessful in creating much of a lead in the second half. Sticking to his man, Whitman held off Scone long enough for Ulloa to take the ball around the pack and score in the fourth. Positioned to make the assist, Adolfo Cambiaso hit the ball up to his son who made a strong cutshot to regain the advantage.

Claiming three consecutive goals in the fifth, Park Place played with offensive prowess, Britos stealing possession from Poroto Cambiaso to pick up his first goal of the game. Entering the sixth 8-7, Park Place’s lead quickly evaporated by an opening goal from Adolfo Cambiaso. Closing in on the final two minutes of regulation time, Gonzalez made a run to goal which put the pressure on Park Place to act fast. Supreme under pressure, Ulloa hit the ball through traffic to tie the game up 10-all with 10 seconds to spare.

The electrifying overtime chukker proved to be just as heated as regulation, both sides coming close to their mark. Nearing the end of the seventh, Park Place’s Ulloa hit a deep neckshot out of the pack to Whitman who ran the golden goal between the posts with 2:40 on the clock. “To be honest, I wasn’t thinking at all!” Whitman shared. “Hilario [Ulloa] hit the pass down the boards and I just went for it!”

“Goal of a lifetime, game of a lifetime, opportunity of a lifetime!” – Jack Whitman

In addition to the title, Park Place received $100,000 in prize money while Scone was awarded $25,000 as the runners-up. This year’s GAUNTLET OF POLO® in partnership with USPA Global Licensing embraced the spirit of giving with non-profit charities chosen by the finalists also receiving a donation. Park Place chose to divide the $5,000 between Polo Players Support Group (PPSG) and Relay Polo while Scone contributed their total $5,000 to PPSG.

Competing for Park Place in the English season, Ulloa has wanted this win for several years. “I’ve been working with Park Place for four years,” Ulloa said. “We lost two finals of the Cartier Queen’s Cup and it was tough for me. I wanted to win a tournament with Park Place and luckily after putting in the hard work the results came. I want to thank Andrey [Borodin] for trusting me, he has been a big support in my career.” “This is our third season in the United States,” Price said. “Year one every single horse was playing their first season, then year two everything was canceled due to COVID-19 and we unfortunately had a few injuries. Now we’re in year three and off to a fantastic start.”

An impressive team effort, Park Place’s win was made possible in large part to their strong team chemistry. “We believed in our organization, teammates and the system we wanted to play and today it paid off for us,” Britos said. “It was a very physical final and Scone did a great job, so I think it was one of the best games of the entire tournament, no doubt. It was anyone’s game, but we got a bit luckier at the end.”

Substituting for team owner Andrey Borodin, 16-year-old Whitman received the opportunity of a lifetime when Ulloa invited him to play for Park Place. “I was a little nervous! Just to play in the C.V. Whitney Cup® is an amazing opportunity, but to make it to the final is incredible!” Whitman said. “The organization, our coach Julio Arellano and everyone from Park Place has been so supportive. Andrey [Borodin] has also been amazing helping me with everything and I want to thank him for giving me this unbelievable opportunity.”

Responsible for the game-winning goal, Jack Whitman was named Most Valuable player. “Goal of a lifetime, game of a lifetime, opportunity of a lifetime!” Whitman exclaimed. “He played amazing the whole tournament, not just in the final, and he was very grateful for the opportunity,” Britos added about Whitman. “He’s a great kid all around, he rides well, plays well—he’s the whole package. Today he scored a goal which I’m sure he’ll never forget for the rest of his life.”

Best Playing Pony honors were presented to eight-year-old Lavinia Heroica (Lavinia Naipe x Lavinia Heroina), an Argentine homebred chestnut mare owned and played by Hilario Ulloa in the fourth and seventh chukkers. “I played her [Lavinia Heroica’s] grandmother when I was 1 goal until I was 9 goals,” Ulloa said. “I played her for nine consecutive years in the Open and then I played her daughter for four or five years in the Argentine Open. This is the third generation I’m able to play so my family and I are really happy. Lavinia Heroica made her 22-goal debut this season and she has continued to improve game after game.”

Having close to one hundred horses in work, Park Place has continued to build and refine their strings to be competitive as an organization. “It’s literally a dream to win this tournament and to beat a team like Scone,” Price said. “It’s an unbelievable team and they’re really well mounted! We’ve been working every year to improve our horsepower.”

Whitman will begin the USPA Gold Cup® with Park Place until Borodin arrives in the coming weeks, but he has already learned so much. “It’s incredible how fast these top players think and the speed at which they play,” Whitman shared. “I’m playing two of my horses and honestly it’s amazing to know that they are able to play a game like this and are able to keep up!”

Moving forward with the ultimate goal of being named GAUNTLET champions, Park Place is focusing on the long game. “This is just the beginning,” Ulloa said. The teams will come back stronger in the USPA Gold Cup® including many good teams that didn’t have the chance because of the shootout. We know it’s still a long road ahead and we have to focus game after game, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”

The GAUNTLET OF POLO® continues with the USPA Gold Cup® beginning Monday, March 8, with Coca-Cola taking on Santa Clara at 3:00pm ET. All games will be livestreamed on Global Polo TV.

*Peke Gonzalez and Jack Whitman are Active Team USPA Members. Matt Coppola is a Graduating Team USPA Member. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1132″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]

Going up against the only undefeated team in the tournament captained by the formidable Adolfo Cambiaso, Park Place (Matt Coppola*, Hilario Ulloa, Juan Britos, Jack Whitman*) knew there could be…