Santa Rita

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The Polo School Captures Metropolitan 6-Goal Cup At Santa Rita; Artemio Figueras Named MVP

19. February 2024

WELLINGTON, Fla., February 18, 2024: The Polo School held off Bushwood Pink to win the Metropolitan 6-Goal Cup Friday at Santa Rita Polo Farm‘s Aspen Field.

The Polo School (Rebecca Cohen, -1, Artemio Figueras, 1, Facha Valent, 3, Juan Bollini, 3) came from behind to defeat Bushwood Pink (Jen Buchan, -1, Scott Sorbaro, 0, Santiago Mayano, 2, Kris Kampsen, 6), 4.5-4, to win the four-team tournament.

Artemio Figueras, who scored three goals including the game-winner, was Most Valuable Player.

Dirty Sanchez, a 7-year-old American thoroughbred, owned and played by Kampsen in the third chukker, was Best Playing Pony. It was her second BPP blanket awarded at Grand Champions.

In the consolation game, Pony Express (Drew Quagliano, -1, Justin Daniels, 2, Santos Bollini, 2, Benji Daniels, 1.5) defeated Rafool Polo (Meredith Lovegrove, -1, Ray Rafool, -1, Garrett Smith, 2, Sugar Erskine, 5), 4-2.

It was the second time The Polo School defeated Bushwood Pink in the month-long tournament. In their first meeting, The Polo School defeated Bushwood Pink in the season-opener, 7-5.5. Figueras scored a game-high five goals including a 120-yard insurance goal in the closing seconds.

In Friday‘s game, Figueras scored the opening goal with 5:36 left in the first chukker for a 1.5-0 lead. Three minutes later, Sorbaro scored and Kampsen converted a 40-yard penalty to lead 2-1.5 going into the second chukker.

After Kampsen stopped a potential Bollini goal just in front of the goal mouth and The Polo School missed a penalty attempt, Facha scored the only goal of the chukker to give The Polo School back the lead, 2.5-2.

The seesaw battled continued in the third chukker with Mayano scoring at the 6:10 mark to give Bushwood Pink a 3-2.5 lead. Both teams had scoring opportunities for the rest of the chukker including Kampsen‘s 40-yard penalty conversion bouncing off the goal post.

Figueras hit a neck shot with four minutes left to give The Polo School a 3.5-3 lead. A minute later, he scored again for a 4.5-3 advantage. Kampsen hit Sorbaro who scored in the final minute to trail 4.5-4. Bushwood Pink had one final shot at regaining the lead but a goal attempt went wide.

For Cohen, an accomplished dressage professional, it was her first tournament victory in polo. Cohen is a Polo School student.

In last year‘s 6-goal final, Orea Polo (Petra Sobotova, -1, Finn Secunda, 1, Justin Daniels 2, Matias Busquet) rallied in the final minute to win its first tournament of the winter polo season.

Orea Polo edged the Polo School (Meredith Lovegrove, -1, Santos Bollini, 2, Alex Webb, 2, Juan Bollini, 3), 3-2. Busquet, who scored the game-winner with 1:04 left in regulation, was MVP. Orquideo, a 6-year-old homebred stallion, played by Daniels, was selected Best Playing Pony.

During the winter polo season, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation‘s busiest and most innovative USPA-sanctioned polo club nestled in the heart of the world‘s winter equestrian capital, hosts a wide range of tournaments: 6, 8, 12, 20, and 26-goal leagues, The Polo School Women‘s Polo League, WCT Finals, several PTF junior tournaments, World Polo League, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita.

The season‘s biggest highlight is the historic sixth season of the World Polo League, the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina that begins Saturday with the All-Star Challenge. It features some of the world‘s top players including 10-goalers Pablo MacDonough, Jeta Castagnola and Juan Martin Nero, former 10-goaler Gonzalito Pieres, Alejandro Novillo Astrada and hometown favorite Nic Roldan, the second highest ranked American at 8 goals.

Other high goal season highlights are the Sterling Cup (20 goals), USPA Butler Handicap (18-22 goals), $100,000 World Cup (0-40 goals) and Santa Rita Abierto (20 goals). With the Aspen Valley 8-Goal and Metropolitan 6-Goal Cup completed, the Limited Edition 12-Goal Series will complete January league play on Saturday.

Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 11 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.

Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its‘ expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its‘ Polo On Demand program.

The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. The stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo at every economic and ability level. The Polo School has nurtured several junior, men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.

For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Director of Operations Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or General Manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.

By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira

WELLINGTON, Fla., February 18, 2024: The Polo School held off Bushwood Pink to win the Metropolitan 6-Goal Cup Friday at Santa Rita Polo Farm‘s Aspen Field. The Polo School (Rebecca…

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Aspen Valley Wins Tackeria Invitational Thriller; Nic Roldan Named MVP

17. October 2023

WELLINGTON, Fla., October 16, 2023—In a thrilling finish, Aspen Valley won the Tackeria Invitational Sunday at Santa Rita Polo Farm.

Aspen Valley (Govinda Quish, Jason Crowder, 5, Sugar Erskine, 6, Nic Roldan, 8) edged Casablanca (Santos Bollini, 2, Grant Ganzi, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Martin Jauregui, 6), 10-9.

With four seconds left, Roldan scored the game-winner on an incredible lofted angle shot from the sideboards to win the club‘s oldest tournament.

„Basically, there was only one play left,“ Roldan explained. „Casablanca hit the ball out inside the 60, so that took the ball back to the 60-yard line where the ball went out which was basically right by the boards. I had a much smaller angle to shoot from and put it right through the middle with a little bit of luck. I just closed my eyes and shot and it went straight through.

„I find those shots, the ones that are much harder angles, sometimes I find them a little bit easier. You don‘t really think that much about it. Keep your head down, try to make good contact and hope that it goes in.“

The nation‘s second highest ranked American player at 8 goals (behind 10-goaler Polito Pieres) was named the game‘s Most Valuable Player. Roldan is the most decorated MVP in the club‘s 17-year history.

„It never gets old,“ Roldan said. „You always want to win. No matter what game it is, no matter how important it is or how unimportant it is, I still always want to go out there and do my best to win.

„I am constantly trying to improve no matter what the level is in whatever area I can. There‘s always room for improvement as an athlete. You‘re always learning new things.“

At age 40, Roldan said he has set a goal to play another 10 years. His consistent training with well-respected trainer Jeremy Fedoruk, director of Wellington-based Athletic Enhancement Group, has helped prolong his career.

„I think I am in the best shape that I‘ve ever been,“ said Roldan, at 15 the youngest player to win the U.S. Open. „I think I am playing better than I did 10 years ago. I have better horses, I‘m wiser, I have more experience and I am a little bit more relaxed on the field.

„Everyone goes through those different chapters in life, there are completely different stages in a career,“ Roldan said. „All those workouts that I do is because I want to continue to prolong my career. I feel mentally and physically I am in a great place. I am still given the opportunities to compete at the top level and still want to compete at the top level given the right opportunity.“

Casablanca jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the opening chukker. Aspen Valley reeled them in by the end of the third chukker, tying 4-4 just before the half. After that, the clean, open control game was tied four more times and the lead changed hands twice.

Aspen Valley led 7-5 going into the fifth chukker before Casablanca bounced back to tie, 8-8. Quish converted a penalty with 5:07 left to give Aspen Valley back the lead at 9-8. With 1:37 Pieres scord on a broken play after the knock-in to tie the game 9-9 and set up Roldan‘s heroics.

„The game could have gone either way,“ Roldan said. „The other team played really well. We were back and forth, up chukkers, down some chukkers. It was a fun game for both teams and a great game for the fall season. It was a much faster-paced game than we usually play.“

Roldan led Aspen Valley scoring with four goals. Quish had three goals, Crowder two and Erskine one. Jauregui led Casablanca with five goals.

Aspen Valley outshot Casablanca, 20-13, and led in throw-ins, 12-6. Casablanca led in knock-ins, 10-4.

China Clay, a dark bay mare played by Erskine and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony.

The Tackeria Invitational has a special place in club history as the inaugural tournament when the club first opened in 2007. The Tackeria was founded in 1975 by Tony Coppola.

In last year‘s Tackeria Invitational, NetJets (Larry Austin, 0, Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Juan Sanchez Elia, 5, Tommy Biddle, 5) held off Travieso (Teo Calle, 1, Santos Bollini, 2, Tony Calle, 3, Sugar Erskine, 6) in the final chukker for a thrilling 10-9 victory. Hall of Famer Tommy Biddle was MVP.

The nation‘s largest and most innovative polo club celebrating its 17th anniversary, is hosting both medium and high goal tournaments this season.

Among the season highlights are the Nov. 7-15 USPA North American Cup and Nov. 11-21 USPA National 20-Goal Championship and Nov. 18 doubleheader featuring the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial and International Cup featuring GCPC USA putting its undefeated 11-game win streak on the line against Spain.

The fall medium goal schedule features six tournaments. The remaining medium goal tournaments are the Oct. 17-22 Pedro Morrison Memorial, Oct. 24-29 Banyan Cup, Nov. 1-5 Fall Plates and inaugural Nov. 8-12 Casablanca Fall Cup.

Grand Champions Polo Club and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two exercise tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation, short work arena and stick-and-ball fields.

Grand Champions Polo Club and Santa Rita Polo Farm cater to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its‘ expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its‘ Polo On Demand program at the turnkey facility.

Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm hosts polo tournaments ranging from six to 26-goal in addition to special events at its well-manicured 11 fields during the fall season. Admission is free and open to the public.

Wellington-based ChukkerTV (CTV Sports) is live streaming the entire fall season worldwide. Grand Champions is the only USPA club that is live streaming all its games.

The Polo School, a 501c3 organization and stand-alone USPA club, is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo at every economic and ability level. The Polo School operates in Wellington January through June and October through November. For more information on the Fall Leagues or Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.

Grand Champions Polo Club is located at 13444 Southfields Road in Wellington. For more information about the upcoming season visit www.gcpolo.com.

By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira

WELLINGTON, Fla., October 16, 2023—In a thrilling finish, Aspen Valley won the Tackeria Invitational Sunday at Santa Rita Polo Farm. Aspen Valley (Govinda Quish, Jason Crowder, 5, Sugar Erskine, 6,…

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Grand Champions Polo Club Opens 17th Fall Season With Fall Classic At Santa Rita

9. October 2023

Polo returns to Grand Champions Polo Club for the fall season that gets under way Friday with the Fall Classic.

The nation‘s largest and most innovative polo club, is celebrating its 17th anniversary.

The season-opener will feature three teams: Maltese Falcons, Casablanca and Aspen Valley Polo Club. Opening day action is Friday at 10 a.m. at Santa Rita Polo Farm. The final is Sunday, also at 10 a.m. The games are free and open to the public.

The team rosters are:

Maltese Falcons (16): Melissa Ganzi, Jason Crowder, 5, Nic Roldan, 8, Juan Bollini, 3.

Casablanca (15): Marc Ganzi, 1, Grant Ganzi, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6+, Martin Jauregui, 6.

Aspen Valley Polo Club (17/15): Santos Bollini, 2/Govinda Quish, Sugar Erskine, 6, Pablo Dorignac, 5, Patricio „Tucu“ Paz, 4.

The Maltese Falcons, the club‘s newest sponsor, is named after the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon, featuring Humphrey Bogart playing Sam Spade, Mary Astor and Peter Lorre, seeking a stolen statuette made of gold and jewels by the 16th century Knights of Malta as a gift to the King of Spain.

In last year‘s Fall Classic, NetJets (Jason Crowder, 5, Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Larry Austin, 0, Nic Roldan, 8) led from start to finish in the final round robin game to defeat Sebucan (Nick Manifold, 2, Grant Ganzi, 3, Juan Sanchez Elia, 5, Tommy Biddle, 5), 8-6. Austin was named MVP, his second MVP honor since returning to play in 2021 after a 10-year break.

Grand Champions will host both medium and high goal tournaments this season.

Among the season highlights are the Nov. 7-15 USPA North American Cup and Nov. 11-21 USPA National 20-Goal Championship and Nov. 25 doubleheader featuring the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial and International Cup featuring GCPC USA putting its undefeated 11-game win streak on the line against Spain. Grand Champions has been the only club in the nation to stage two USPA-sanctioned 20-goal tournaments in the fall.

In last year‘s International Cup, GCPC USA won its 11th consecutive title with a 6-5 win over Switzerland. Tomas Ruiz Guinazu, 39, a member of the 2022 Swiss National Team, was named Most Valuable Player after dominating the game.

Since 2012, the U.S. has beaten England, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay, Brazil, Azerbaijan, France, Argentina twice and Switzerland in the annual battle for the coveted cup.

The fall medium goal schedule features six tournaments. In addition to the Fall Classic the others are the Oct. 10-15 Tackeria Invitational, Oct. 17-22 Pedro Morrison Memorial, Oct. 24-29 Banyan Cup, Nov. 1-5 Fall Plates and inaugural Nov. 8-12 Casablanca Fall Cup.

The well-organized fall tournaments attract players from all over the world including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, San Salvador, England, France, India, Mexico, Azerbaijan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, South Africa and United States.

The Grand Champions Fall Invitational League is geared toward improving a player‘s polo skills at every level. Roster lineups change from tournament to tournament with evenly-matched teams featuring pro and amateur players. It‘s also a great opportunity for players and sponsors to prepare for the winter season highlighted by the 26-goal World Polo League, now entering its sixth season at Grand Champions.

The fall league features: stick-and-ball sessions during the week; two medium tournament games every weekend; ambulance and USPA umpires for all tournament games; world-class polo fields; club-sponsored social events every weekend for all players; and top-of-the-line trophies for all teams every weekend.

Wellington-based ChukkerTV (CTV Sports) will live stream the entire fall season worldwide. Grand Champions is the only USPA club that is live streaming all its games. ChukkerTV‘s state-of-the art technology also features team challenges and instant replay which made their debut at Grand Champions in January, 2014.

Grand Champions Polo Club is located at 13444 Southfields Road in Wellington. For more information about the upcoming season visit www.gcpolo.com.

Photos by ChukerTV

GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 33414.

Polo returns to Grand Champions Polo Club for the fall season that gets under way Friday with the Fall Classic. The nation‘s largest and most innovative polo club, is celebrating…

North America, Polo News

Santa Rita Captures Grand Champions Cup; Pancho Bensadon Named MVP

24. May 2022

WELLINGTON, Fla., May 23, 2022—Santa Rita won its first tournament of the spring season Sunday at Grand Champions Polo Club.

Playing less than 24 hours after its semifinal game, Santa Rita (Haley Schaufeld, -1, Jason Crowder, 5, Pancho Bensadon, 7, Tommy Collingwood, 5) defeated Newport (Juan Bollini, 4, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Michel Dorignac, 5, Gene Goldstein, 1), 11-8.

Pancho Bensadon was selected Most Valuable Player. His Ellerstina-bred horse Corbata, played in the second and fifth chukkers, was Best Playing Pony.

After two close chukkers, 2-2 and 3-3, Santa Rita took control of the tempo of the game, pulling ahead to lead at the half, 6-5. Santa Rita never relinguished its lead in the second half, outscoring Newport, 5-3.

Newport was plagued by fouls and missed scoring opportunities. Newport came within one goal of Santa Rita in the fourth and fifth chukkers but was unable to finish its scoring runs.

Leading 8-7 going into the sixth chukker, Collingwood stole the ball and scored with 6:50 left and Bensadon followed two minutes later with another goal for a 10-7 advantage with 4:37 left. Newport tried to play catch up but ran out of time.

Bensadon scored a game-high five goals. Collingwood had four goals and turned in one of his best games of the season on both ends of the field. Schaufeld and Crowder each had one goal.

Pieres led Newport with four goals. Dorignac had three goals and Bollini added one.

In the subsidiary Just For The Love Of It Cup, Sebucan (Fran Spinacci, -1, Pablo Pulido, 2, Pablo Spinacci, 6, Nic Roldan, 8) defeated Travieso (Teo Calle, 0, Sugar Erskine, 6, Tony Calle, 3, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7), 12-7.

Sebucan jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the opening chukker behind two goals by Fran Spinacci and one by Pulido, and never trailed after that.

Sebucan got stronger as the game progressed leading 3-1, 5-2 and 6-3 in the first half and 9-5 and 11-6 after the fourth and fifth chukkers.

Pulido, a Cornell alum, scored a game-high six goals. Thirteen-year-old Fran Spinacci had three goals, Pablo Spinacci had two and Roldan added one.

Sugar Erskine led Travieso with four goals and Tony Calle added three.

In the semifinals Newport advanced with a thrilling 13-12 victory over Sebucan on Friday and Santa Rita knocked off Travieso, 6-5, in the other rain-delayed semifinal on Saturday.

In last year‘s Grand Champions Cup 16-goal final, STM (Grant Ganzi, Paquito de Narvaez, Facundo Llorente, Robert Strom) defeated Sebucan (Pablo Pulido, Pablo Spinacci, Juancito Bollini, Juan Bollini), 20-19. The tournament was played over two days with a running score.

In other spring tournaments, Casablanca has won three titles: Eastern Challenge (Steve Cox, Grant Ganzi, Pablo Spinacci, Tomacho Pieres), WPL Beach Polo Cup (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Nic Roldan) and Spring Challenge (Meredith Lovegrove, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Tommy Collingwood). Knockers Field (Annabelle Gundlach, Marc Ganzi, Brandon Phillips, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) won the Sun Cup.

The spring schedule concludes with this weekend‘s May 27-29 WPL Polo Pride.

The spring season is being live-streamed worldwide on Wellington-based ChukkerTV.

Grand Champions, the nation‘s largest polo club celebrating its 15th anniversary, is coming off successful fall and winter seasons.

Grand Champions plays host to the World Polo League, the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina.

Grand Champions Polo Club and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 100-acre polo facility in Wellington with 120 stalls in several self-contained barns, exercise track, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and stick-and-ball fields.

During fall, winter and spring seasons, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation‘s largest club with 13 well-manicured fields including nine world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita Polo Farm, hosts polo tournaments ranging from six to 26-goal in addition to special events.

The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Director of Operations Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or General Manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.

By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira

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WELLINGTON, Fla., May 23, 2022—Santa Rita won its first tournament of the spring season Sunday at Grand Champions Polo Club. Playing less than 24 hours after its semifinal game, Santa…

North America, Polo News

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, NetJets Advance Into Sunday’s Fall Classic Season-Opener Final At Santa Rita

18. October 2021

By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira for ChukkerTV

WELLINGTON, Fla., October 16, 2021—In the much-anticipated fall season-opener at Grand Champions Polo Club, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and NetJets earned hard fought victories on Friday to advance into Sunday‘s Fall Classic final.

In the morning game, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek (Melissa Ganzi, Jason Crowder, Brandon Phillips, Juan Bollini) defeated La Indiana (Matt Gonzalez, Peke Neutzet, Jeff Hall, Luis Escobar), 10-8.

In the afternoon round robin, World Polo League (Teo Calle, Juancito Bollini, Kris Kampsen, Tommy Biddle) defeated Newport (Gene Goldstein, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Nick Manifold), 7-6; Newport edged NetJets (Santos Bollini, Sugar Erskine, Pablo Spinacci, Leo Mandelbaum), 5-4; and NetJets (Marc Ganzi, Sugar Erskine, Pablo Spinacci, Leo Mandelbaum) stunned World Polo League, 6-3, in the clincher.

Jason Crowder of Seminole Coconut Creek Casino works the ball away from Luis Escobar of La Indiana.

On Sunday at Santa Rita Polo Farm, the final will be held at 10 a.m., followed by the subsidiary final round robin at 11:45 a.m. Both games will be live streamed worldwide by ChukkerTV.

In the exciting opening morning match, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek held off La Indiana to advance. The lead changed hands six times before Seminole Casino Coconut Creek took control in the fourth chukker with a 3-0 scoring barrage to erase La Indiana‘s 4-3 lead for a 6-4 advantage at the end of the chukker.

The race is on between Juan Bollini of Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Peke Neutzet of La Indiana.

While La Indiana came within one goal four times in the last two chukkers, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek never trailed. Jeff Hall looked to score the tying goal with 11 seconds left in the game, but was called for a turning foul by umpire Gaston Dorignac. Crowder and Phillips combined for seven goals with Crowder scoring a team-high four goals. Hall scored a game-high five goals. „It‘s great to be back,“ Crowder said.

Later in the afternoon in a competitive three-team round robin, World Polo League, led by big-hitting Tommy Biddle, looked to be the team to beat. World Polo League pulled away for a 4-1 lead early in the second chukker. Biddle connected on a 150-yard goal in the opening chukker and 80-yard goal early in the second chukker.“I‘m really excited about being back at Grand Champions,“ Biddle said. „It‘s been a couple years since I‘ve played here and I‘m really looking forward to it with all these good players.“

Juancito Bollini of World Polo League goes for the neck shot.

Newport found its game in the third chukker, outscoring World Polo League, 4-2 including a 120-yarder by Roldan, but ran out of time with Roldan scoring the final goal with 29 seconds left. Roldan led scoring with five goals.

In the second game, Newport, fully warmed up, shut out NetJets, 1-0, in the second chukker and pulled away for a 4-2 lead. Goals by Erskine and Mandelbaum tied the game at 4-all. Roldan scored the game-winner with 33 seconds left. Goldstein and Roldan each had two goals. Erskine had a game-high three goals.

Grant Ganzi scores for Newport.

In the third and deciding game, World Polo League, after sitting out three chukkers, lost its momentum in a defensive battle. After a 1-1 opening chukker, Ganzi‘s penalty conversion gave NetJets a 2-1 lead. Spinacci and Biddle took turns scoring goals before Mandelbaum blocked a hardhit Biddle goal attempt and raced downfield to score with 20 seconds left for a 4-2 lead. NetJets continued its dominance in the final chukker pulling away for a 6-2 lead after Mandelbaum stole the ball and scored his fourth goal of the game.

The Fall Classic is the first of four medium tournaments. Four high goal tournaments are also scheduled for the fall. The highlight of the fall season is the Nov. 27 doubleheader with the Carlos Gracida Memorial Legends of Polo and International Cup. Sponsorship packages are available.

Nic Roldan of Newport works the ball out of the air.

During the fall season, roster lineups change from tournament to tournament with evenly-matched teams to help improve players skills and performance. The games also give players an opportunity to work young horses.

„The fall season is important to us because it is a continuation of the sport and shows the world you can play polo twelve months a year,“ said Polo School Director Juan Bollini. „It‘s good, competitive polo and the best time of the year with great weather and great fields in October and November after five months of rest.“

Tommy Biddle of World Polo League moves in to defend.

„The fall season gives American players who don‘t have a chance to go to Argentina an opportunity to improve their polo and keep them playing year-round,“ Bollini said. „It‘s a chance for players to see how good their green horses are and which ones make the cut.“

During fall, winter and spring seasons, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation‘s largest club with 13 well-manicured, world-class fields at GCPS and Santa Rita Polo Farm, hosts polo tournaments ranging from six to 26-goal including the 26-goal World Polo League in addition to special events.

A good crowd attends Opening Day at Grand Champions Polo Club.

The entire fall season will be live-streamed on Wellington-based ChukkerTV, leaders in polo broadcasting with cutting-edge technology including 4K TV now making its debut. ChukkerTV also features team challenges and instant replay which made their debut at Grand Champions in January, 2014.

2021 Fall Classic Schedule

Sunday 10/17
10am Fall Classic Final
NetJets vs Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

11:45am Fall Classic Subsidiary Final (Round Robin)
Newport vs WPL vs La Indiana

Games live streamed in Eastern Standard Time on https://www.chukkertv.com

By Sharon Robb Photos by Candace Ferreira for ChukkerTV WELLINGTON, Fla., October 16, 2021—In the much-anticipated fall season-opener at Grand Champions Polo Club, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and NetJets earned…

North America, Polo News

Santa Rita Takes High Alpine Cup; MVP Alejandro Novillo Astrada Catamount Wins Ute Challenge

10. August 2021

By: Rebecca Baldridge
Photos by: Nick Tininenko for ChukkerTV

CARBONDALE, CO, August 9, 2021— Santa Rita defeated Victory Polo by 8-5 to win the High Alpine Cup while Catamount prevailed over Tonkawa by 9-6 to claim victory in the Ute Challenge.

In the feature tournament of the week, The High Alpine Challenge final, saw Santa Rita (Alejandra Foster, Lauren Sherry, Tomacho Pieres, and Alejandro Novillo Astrada) take on Victory Polo (Kevin Schmeitz, Vinny Sangaline, Nic Roldan, and Horacio Heguy).

Tomato Pieres reaches to hook Horacio Heguy.

Nic Roldan started the scoring at 3:17, picking up the ball on a pass from Vinny Sangaline inside the 30-yard line. Play continued back and forth until Alejandro Novillo Astrada made a spectacular pass to Alejandra Foster, who took the ball just inside the 40-yard line and put it through the posts to score with one minute left on the clock. Novillo Astrada continued to work in sync with Foster in the second period, and she scored again less than a minute into play. Vinny Sangaline retaliated with a goal, but Foster ended the chukker with a perfect Penalty 2 conversion to put Santa Rita ahead at 3-2. Horacio Heguy tied up the score at 3-all, but Foster converted another Penalty 2 to end the half at 4-3 for Santa Rita.

MVP Alejandro Novillo Astrada rides off opponent Vinny Sangaline.

The second half began with Nic Roldan breaking his mallet less than 30 seconds in. Sangaline tied the score up again at 4-4 while Victory Polo failed to get on the board. Tomacho Pieres contributed back-to-back goals in the fifth period, picking up another spectacular pass from Novillo Astrada in the goal mouth at 4:22. In another brilliant play, Novillo Astrada stole the ball away from Roldan and sent it on to Pieres for his second goal. A whistle on a Penalty 6 saw Roldan make a spectacular long shot, all the more impressive since he was playing his eleventh chukker of the day.

Vinny Sangaline takes his shot to goal with Lauren Sherry closely defending.

Going into the final chukker, Santa Rita was ahead by a goal. Their strong defense kept Victory away from the posts, while Novillo Astrada lobbed a powerful shot over the uprights on a Penalty 6. Alejandra Foster scored her fifth goal of the day, working perfectly in concert with Novillo Astrada, and Santa Rita took the title with an 8-5 win. Alejandro Novillo Astrada was named MVP, while Alejandra Foster took the honors as the high scoring player.

MVP Alejandro Novillo Astrada with Delfina Blaquier.

Earlier in the day Catamount (Scott Devon, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, and Juan Bollini) met Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Jimmy Seward, Gonzalito Pieres, and Stewart Armstrong) to vie for the title in the Ute Challenge.

While Tonkawa thwarted several plays by Catamount in the first chukker, they were unable to make it onto the board. Just over the two-minute mark, Catamount’s Grant Ganzi scored the first goal of the day. Neither team scored from the field in the second period, while Ganzi converted a Penalty 3 and Gonzalito Pieres put Tonkawa’s first goal on the board with a Penalty 4. Scoring continued on penalties in the third chukker, with Ganzi and Pieres each contributing again from the penalty line. However, a goal from Jeff Hildebrand saw Tonkawa gaining ground and the half ended 4-3 with Catamount holding a narrow lead.

Grant Ganzi chases the ball with Gonzalito Pieres attempting a ride off.

Ganzi started the scoring after the half, again on a Penalty 2, with Nic Roldan adding a goal from the field. With just over a minute left to play. Pieres made a long pass to Jimmy Seward only to have the ball stolen away by Roldan. His shot on goal stopped. just short of the posts, allowing Seward to swoop back in and put the ball through for Tonkawa. The period ended with Catamount back in the lead by 2, at 6-4. Two minutes into the pentultimate chukker, Stewart Armstrong passed the ball to Pieres, who took it through the posts for Tonkawa’s only goal. Catamount added another two goals to the board, with Scott Devon and Ganzi scoring to end the period 8-5 for Catamount.

Gonzalito Pieres of Tonkawa hooks Catamount‘s Scott Devon.

In the final chukker, Jeff Hildebrand converted a Penalty 2 with five minutes left on the clock. With three and half minutes of play left, Roldan made an impressive steal and rocketed toward the goal, with Pieres in close pursuit. Roldan took the ball through to take the score up to 9-6. The chukker played out with neither team able to score again, and Catamount won 9-6. Nic Roldan was named MVP, and Nothing Hidden, played by Jeff Hildebrand in the third chukker, was named Best Playing Pony.

The Ute Challenge MVP award presented to Nic Roldan by Netjets representative Lindsay Fausnaugh.

In the Ute Challenge subsidiary match Audi (Marc Ganzi, Alejandro Poma, Nacho Badiola, and Toro Ruiz) met La Karina (Gussie Busch, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Tomacho Pieres, and Brian Boyd. Audi dominated the field in the first chukker. Marc Ganzi started the scoring on a Penalty 2, with Toro Ruiz and Nacho Badiola contributing two more goals. La Karina roared back in the second chukker with three goals, while Nacho Badiola scored the only goal for Audi. Ganzi and Gussie Busch each scored in the third period to end the half at 5-4 for Audi.

2021 Ute Challenge Winners Catamount‘s Juan Bollini, Nic Roldan, Terri Devon, Grant Ganzi, Scott Devon, and Netjet‘s Lindsay Fausnaugh.

The tables turned as the second half began, with Tomas Pieres and Alejandro Novillo Astrada found the posts while Audi was frustrated. La Karina took a 6-5 lead, increasing it to 8-7 in the fifth chukker. Audi made a strong effort in the final chukker, keeping La Karina off the board while Poma converted a Penalty 2 and Badiola scored to end the match victorious, with Audi winning 9-8.

In the High Alpine Just for the Love It subsidiary, NetJets (Michael Payne, Alex Gooding, Pablo Spinacci, and Nacho Figueras) met Rancho Los Amigos (Nacho Novillo Astrada, Sugar Erskine, Govinda Quish, and Paul Foster). Alex Gooding scored for NetJets in the first chukker, while Rancho Los Amigos couldn’t get on the board. The situation was reversed in the second chukker, with Paul Foster scoring for Los Amigos while NetJets was frustrated. Gooding scored two goals in the third chukker, with Los Amigos again failing to get on goal, and the half ended 3-1.

Fans enjoyed Kidz Wheelie polo after the days matches.

It was NetJet’s turn to be frustrated again in the fourth period, while Paul Foster found the posts to bring the score to 3-2. Each team scored a goal in the pentultimate chukker (Govinda Quish for Los Amigos and Michael Payne for NetJets), with Audi maintaining their one goal lead at 4-3. Payne scored the only goal in the final chukker, giving Audi a 5-3 win over NetJets.

2021 Aspen Valley Summer Polo Series

August
Rocky Mountain Open 8/9-8/14
Mount Sopris Cup 8/11-8/15
The Carbondale Classic 8/18-8/22
World Polo League Triple Crown of Polo 8/25-8/28

Arena Tournaments & Asado – Tuesday Evenings
Kidz Uni-Wheel games during select tournament halftimes

Chukkers, Champagne, & Caviar
to benefit Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation
Sunday August 22, 2021

Visit www.aspenvalleypoloclub.com for more details.
Games live-streamed on www.chukkertv.com

By: Rebecca Baldridge Photos by: Nick Tininenko for ChukkerTV CARBONDALE, CO, August 9, 2021— Santa Rita defeated Victory Polo by 8-5 to win the High Alpine Cup while Catamount prevailed…

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