Casablanca led for most of the game to win the ChukkerTV Challenge Cup Sunday in front of a good crowd at Aspen Valley Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
In the first weekend of the summer polo season, Casablanca (Marc Ganzi, 1, Martin Jauregui, 6, Nic Roldan, 8, Grant Ganzi, 3) broke open a close game against Santa Rita (Vinny Sangaline, 1, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Hilario Figueras, 5, Jason Crowder, 5) in the sixth chukker for a thrilling 9-6 victory at McClure River Ranch.
Nic Roldan, the second highest ranked American player and winningest player at both Aspen Valley Polo Club and Grand Champions Polo club, was named Most Valuable Player.
“It was nice to ease into the season,” Roldan said. “We had a nice day yesterday in polo. We had a nice turnout. I thought the weekend was a good start to the season.”
4 Get Me Not, played by Grant Ganzi in the third and sixth chukkers, and owned by Wellington-based Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony. Ganzi played her for the first two times on Saturday and Sunday.
“She is a great mare out of my mom’s breeding operation. She is a sister to Little Nell. She is amazing.”
Ganzi, Brand Ambassador for Casablanca, was happy to see his team win.
“It felt great, it was a fun game,” Ganzi said. “Win or lose it still would have been pretty fun. We had fun out there and it was fun to get back on Field One at McClure River Ranch and just to get things going over here. It’s nice to get out there and get playing.
“I was hoping it would be a fun, open first two games and that was definitely the case with top caliber players.”
Both Roldan and Ganzi enjoy playing in Aspen during the summer.
“Aspen is one of my favorite places to be,” Roldan said. “It’s definitely my favorite places to be in the summer. I love the outdoors, the mountains, the hiking, the polo. The altitude doesn’t really affect me. I never feel like I have to get adjusted.”
Casablanca, a well-balanced team with loads of chemisty, was in control for most of the game. Playing open style polo, Casablanca jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the opening chukker with two goals from Marc Ganzi and one from Figueras.
Casablanca continued to control the momentum in the second chukker with a 4-2 lead and 5-3 halftime advantage.
Santa Rita battled back to close the game to 5-4 in the fourth chukker behind Crowder’s aggressive play that featured a steal to open the chukker and 150-yarder to goal with Sangaline tapping it in for the goal.
Sangaline managed to tie the game, 5-5, to open the fifth chukker. The lead exchanged hands twice before Casablanca scored three unanswered goals, two by Marc Ganzi and one by Roldan, in the sixth chukker.
“It was competitive but we were all pretty relaxed,” Roldan said. “The horses are still getting fit. It was a perfect way to start the summer.”
Marc Ganzi finished with a game-high five goals for Casablanca, Jauregui and Grant Ganzi each added two goals.
Sangaline led Santa Rita with three goals. Figueras had two and Pieres added one
In the Just For The Love Of It Cup, Maltese Falcons (Melissa Ganzi, Santi Toccalino, 7, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Juan Bollini, 3)defeated Tonkawa (Fran Spinacci, 1, Sugar Erskine, 6, Pablo Spinacci, 5, Jimmy Seward, 3), 10-3. It was World Polo League player Santi Toccalino’s debut in Aspen.
Alejandro Novillo Astrada was Most Valuable Player. Fish, a chestnut mare played by Seward and owned by the Tonkawa organization, was Best Playing Pony.
Melissa Ganzi scored a game-high six goals. Toccalino had two and Astrada and Bollini each had one goal.
Fran Spinacci scored all three goals for Tonkawa.
Last year in the ChukkerTV Challenge Cup final, Santa Rita (Melissa Ganzi, Tito Gaudenzi, 2, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Juan Bollini, 3) defeated Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Jimmy Seward, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Martin Jauregui, 6), 9-7.
With the breath-taking 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as a backdrop, some of the world’s top players are competing in 14 grass and arena tournaments in July and August.
Season highlights include the August 18th Summer Polo Charity Classic, benefitting the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation. Last year AVPC celebrated its tenth anniversary and enjoyed its best season, highlighted by the Summer Polo Charity Classic, benefitting the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation. A sellout crowd of 1,200 enjoyed the food, music, polo, auction and vendors during a five-hour tripleheader. Since 2016, the event has netted $3.5 million for the hospital.
Other season highlights are the Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen and Silver Queen Invitational doubleheader, inaugural Twilight Polo Series and Aspen Arena Series Final.
Other summer tournaments are Craig Sakin Memorial, Basalt Handicap, Emma Challenge Cup, High Alpine Cup, Mount Sopris Cup, Rocky Mountain Open, Carbondale Classic and Maroon Bells Cup.
Last year in the ChukkerTV Challenge Cup final, Santa Rita (Melissa Ganzi, Tito Gaudenzi, 2, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Juan Bollini, 3) defeated Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Jimmy Seward, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Martin Jauregui, 6), 9-7.
The family-friendly club on 15 acres of pristine land welcomes spectators of all ages. All matches, food and refreshments are free (with the exception of special catered events) and open to the public.
“The club is getting better and better,” Roldan said. “The Polo School has a bunch of new students which is great. It’s become a very popular sport here in Aspen. The town loves it. The club, Melissa and her whole team have done a great job in getting it where it is. Everyone is having a great time.”
