Countdown Is Under Way For Aspen Valley Polo Club Summer Season Opener

CARBONDALE, Colo., June 12, 2024---The countdown for the summer polo season at Aspen Valley Polo Club has begun.

By Sharon Robb

The world's summer destination for fun, competitive polo will host 14 grass and arena tournaments along with several social and kids events in July and August.

The 11th season begins with the traditional Independence Cup on July 3. Last year Victory Polo (Becky Schmeits, Grant Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini) won the Independence Cup with a 4-3 win over Mountain Chevrolet (Riley Ganzi/Santos Bollini, Michael Payne, Nic Roldan, Jimmy Seward).

Season highlights include the Summer Polo Charity Classic, Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen and Silver Queen Invitational doubleheader, new Twilight Polo Series and Aspen Arena Series Final.

American 8-goaler Nic Roldan leads a star-studded lineup that also includes World Polo League players Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Gonzalito Pieres, Martin Jauregui, Jason Crowder, Sugar Erskine and Grant Ganzi.

Crowder was one of the first players to arrive to acclimate to the high altitude of 6,181 feet with the club resting in the magnificent shadow of 12,953-foot Mount Sopris. The horses also are arriving early for the same reason. By training at high altitude, athletes and horses can enhance their oxygen utilization and increase their endurance capacity.

Nestled in the sprawling Rocky Mountains, Aspen Valley Polo Club has become the epicenter for a high level of polo in the Roaring Fork Valley and the U.S. during the summer. It continues to flourish, grow and attract top players and sponsors.

The family-friendly club on 15 acres welcomes spectators. All matches, food and refreshments are free (except for special events) and open to the public. Sundays offer a perfect finale to the weekly tournaments.

Other summer tournaments are ChukkerTV Cup, Craig Sakin Memorial, Basalt Handicap, Emma Challenge Cup, High Alpine Cup, Mount Sopris Cup, Rocky Mountain Open, Carbondale Classic and Maroon Bells Cup.

Unlike any other summer polo destination in the world, the local culture offers shops, incredible culinary scene, art, music and nightlife in addition to hiking trails, mountain biking, river rafting, golf, fly fishing, historical sites and award-winning hotels.

Last year Aspen Valley Polo Club celebrated its tenth anniversary and enjoyed its best season, highlighted by the Summer Polo Charity Classic, the most important social event of the summer 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.

The Ganzi Family has utilized polo to benefit several charities and organizations. In addition to the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation, they have raised money for the Aspen Education Foundation, Calaway-Young Cancer Center, Wounded Warrior Project and several others. They have also made it their mission to make polo more accessible and provide everyone the chance to play polo at every age, gender, economic and ability level.

Wellington, Fla.-based ChukkerTV (CTV sports) will live stream the entire 2024 summer polo season Mountain Standard Time with announcer Dale Schwetz calling the action. Aspen Valley Polo Club is the only USPA club to live stream its entire summer schedule.

With a vision for the community, Marc and Melissa Ganzi resurrected the club and polo in 2014. Since then polo has increased in popularity in Aspen and surrounding cities with the club's offerings of various weekly grass and arena tournaments. From first-time lessons to action-packed tournaments, Aspen Valley Polo Club offers a wide array of activities including Arena & Asado Nights, Fire Dinners, Kidz Polo, Kids Wheelie Polo, Gymkhana, The Polo School at AVPC and Polo On Demand. In addition, the club offers practice sessions for teams competing in the club tournaments on six world-class fields. There are also indoor and outdoor polo arenas.

The Polo School is for all ages and ability levels and operates in Carbondale. For more information on tournaments or Polo School Director Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or club manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.

Aspen Valley 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.