The Setai makes its U.S. Open Polo Championship debut Thursday when it plays Pilot at National Polo Center.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
The Setai (Melissa Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres, 8, Nic Roldan, 7, Santi Toccalino, 7) plays Pilot (Curtis Pilot, 0, Cody Ellis, 5, Facundo Pieres, 9, Matias Torres Zavaleta, 8) at 11 a.m. Pilot is attempting to win its third U.S. Open title in seven years.
The Setai tuned up for the 12-team tournament in the recent USPA Gold Cup subsidiary Bennie Gutierrez Memorial, which they lost to eventual champion BTA (Nachi Viana, 7, Steve Krueger, 5, Tommy Panelo, 10, Kelly Beal, 0), 9-8. Pieres scored a team-high five goals including four penalty conversions. Toccalino had two goals and Roldan had one.
“We played a nice game but we ended up losing,” said Pieres, who will play against his younger brother Facundo Pieres. “We thought that we deserved to win that one. We thought we could have won it, but nothing went our way and we ended up losing in the last minute.
“It’s always good to play the U.S. Open,” Pieres said. “It’s a really nice tournament. It has a lot of history. To be able to play and be competitive is really nice. We are really looking forward to our first game. We really want to win and will try our best to accomplish that.”
Pieres, a former 10-goaler, said he looks forward to playing the major tournaments late in his career.
“You know that you probably are not going to play much longer,” Pieres said. “I am really happy that I got to win it and now I would like to try my best to win it before I retire. I would like to win it one more time or two or as many times as I can. I will give it a chance.”
The Setai’s other bracket games are against Brookshire on Tuesday, April 1 at 3 p.m. and La Fe/Eastern Hay on Monday, April 7 at 11 a.m.
All teams will play three preliminary cross bracket matches each. Bracket I will play Bracket II and Bracket III will play Bracket IV. Following preliminary play, teams ranked 1-8 will automatically advance to the quarterfinals. If two teams have tied records and they have played each other, the tie is broken by who beat who. All other ties will be broken by a one- player shootout.
To determine quarterfinal pairings, teams ranked 1, 2, 3, 4 will draw from teams ranked 5, 6, 7, 8. Ranking will be on record first, then net goals, then coin toss. Net and gross goals will be used for this ranking only. Winners of the quarterfinals will advance to the semifinals, with pairings to be determined by draw. The winners of the semifinals will advance to the $100,000 final.
The field features all six USPA 10-goalers. The list includes nine-time winner (1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2021) Adolfo Cambiaso (La Dolfina/Tamera); and four-time winner (2010, 2014, 2018, 2023) Hilario Ulloa (Park Place). Poroto Cambiaso (La Dolfina/Catamount) is looking for his third (2021, 2024) title, with Tommy Panelo (BTA) going after a second consecutive win. Reigning Argentine Open champions Barto Castagnola (Globalport) and Jeta Castagnola (Brookshire) round out the top-ranked players.
The Setai is one of 12 teams entered in the tournament that starts Wednesday and runs through April 20. The U.S. Open is the most prestigious polo tournament in the United States and attracts fans and polo enthusiasts from across the United States and around the world. All games will be live streamed by USPA Polo Network.
In addition to The Setai and Pilot, remaining teams are:
BROOKSHIRE: Scott Wood 0, Segundo Saravi 5, Toly Ulloa 7, Jeta Castagnola 10.
BTA: Nachi Viana 7, Steve Krueger 5, Tomas Panelo 10, Kelly Beal 0, 22.
CATAMOUNT: Scott Devon 0, Rufino Merlos 5, Poroto Cambiaso 10, Jesse Bray 7, 22.
CLEARWATER: Chip Campbell 1, Joaquin Panelo 6, Gringo Colombres 8, Paquito de Narvaez 7, 22.
COCA COLA: Gillian Johnston 0, Lorenzo Chavanne 6, Polito Pieres 9, Julian De Lussarreta 7, 22.
DUTTA CORP: Timmy Dutta 4, Inaki Laprida 7, Nico Diaz Alberdi 4, Tomas Garcia del Rio 7, 22.
GLOBALPORT: Mikee Romero 0, Beltran Lauhle 6, Lucas Diaz Alberdi 6, Barto Castagnola 10, 22.
LA FE/EASTERN HAY: Louis Devaleix 1, Robi Bilbao 5, Keko Magrini 6, Francisco Elizalde 9, 21.
PARK PLACE: Andrey Borodin 0, Louis Hine 5, Hilario Ulloa 10, Peke Gonzalez 7, 22.
TAMERA: Ale Poma 1, Diego Cavanagh 7, Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Matt Coppola 4, 22.
In last year’s final, La Dolfina (Alejandro Aznar, Rufino Merlos, Poroto Cambiaso, Tommy Panelo) defeated Valiente (Adolfo Cambiaso, Peke Gonzalez Jr., Paco de Narvaez Jr., Joaquin “Pelo” Vilgre La Madrid), 10-7. This year’s early favorite is Park Place, coming off a 10-9 overtime win over Coca-Cola to win its first USPA Gold Cup.
The Setai Miami Beach is a longtime supporter of polo. The Setai competes in the annual World Polo League Beach Polo World Cup and after the excitement of each day’s matches, hosts The Setai for Apres Polo, an exclusive evening celebration featuring cocktails, music, and mingling under the Miami Beach sky. It’s been referred to as “the perfect spot to unwind, connect, and celebrate the iconic beach polo event.”
The Setai is a gem among hotels in Miami Beach, where guests feel inspired by a place where undivided attention is tailored to their unique sensibilities and where East meets West. It is a place where time-honored Asian-inspired philosophies endure and are strongly felt throughout masterful dining, leisure and spa experiences, exceptionally appointed accommodations and immersive spaces located on Collins Avenue oceanfront.