Los Amigos Blue Captures Silver Queen Invitational; Paul Foster MVP; Season-Ending Doubleheader Sunday At AVPC
CARBONDALE, Colo., August 24, 2024---Los Amigos' organization won its third tournament of the summer polo season Friday at McClure River Ranch.
By Sharon Robb
Los Amigos Blue (Paul Foster, Pablo Spinacci, 5, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Jason Crowder, 5) held off Maltese Falcons (Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8, Melissa Ganzi, Alejandra Foster, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7) for a 9-8 victory to capture the fourth annual Silver Queen Invitational.
Paul Foster, a Baylor University grad, was named Most Valuable Player after scoring a season and game-high seven goals.
"I had fun today," Foster said. "It was more of a relaxed game which plays well for me. I was hitting the ball pretty well today so I was happy."
Taita Gauchada, a bay mare played by Tomacho Pieres and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony.
It was the 15-year-old El Paso, Tex.-based Los Amigos organization's third win (two for Los Amigos Red and one for Los Amigos Blue) of the summer polo season and second tournament win for Foster. He also won the Basalt Handicap.
"Everything came together this season," Foster said. "We have a great group of guys that take care of the horses and get them ready. I'm the lucky one. I just have to show up and ride the horse."
Los Amigos Blue will have a shot at winning its fourth tournament when it competes in a round robin for the coveted Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen trophy on Sunday.
The summer polo season ends Sunday with a doubleheader at AVPC. At 11 a.m., defending champion Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras, 5, Nic Roldan, 8) plays Audi (Santos Bollini, 2, Gonzalito Pieres, 9, Martin Jauregui, 6, Marc Ganzi, 1) in the final of the Rocky Mountain Open.
A 12:30 p.m. round robin game between Mountain Chevrolet (Michael Payne, 1, Vinny Sangaline, 1, Sugar Erskine, 6, Santi Toccalino, 7), Los Amigos Blue and Maltese Falcons will determine the Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen champion.
In Friday's game, the lead changed hands nine times before Los Amigos Blue took a 9-7 lead in the sixth chukker. Foster scored a tricky neck shot for an 8-7 lead late in the fifth chukker and Crowder scored for a two-goal lead. Alejandro Novillo Astrada scored to cut the lead to one, but ran out of time to rally.
In addition to Foster's scoring barrage, Crowder added two goals including what turned out to be the winning goal. Maltese Falcons got balanced scoring from its lineup. Melissa Ganzi led with three goals. Foster and Alejandro Novillo Astrada each had two goals and Nacho Novillo Astrada added one.
Foster enjoys playing at Aspen Valley Polo Club which keeps him and his wife coming back every summer.
"It's always fun," Foster said. "I'm very pleased, we had a great summer. I can't believe it's almost over. We just come in to have fun. That's what brings us back. I always anticipate having a good fun summer. It's great to win a couple of tournaments.
"The Ganzis just do an unbelievable job of just not hiring the pros but organizing every single tournament and every little detail," Foster said. "I can't imagine another setting this pleasant. I know the U.S. Open and other clubs are fun and competitive, but this one they just go above and beyond to make sure all the players are enjoying themselves and that everybody is having a good time. My hat's off to both of them, mostly to Melissa. She is one of a kind, there's no question."
In last year's Silver Queen Invitational, Polo 4 Christ (Steve Cox, Tatu Gomez Romero, 4, Polito Pieres 10, Grant Ganzi, 3) won the first sudden death overtime game of the season with a thrilling 10-9 victory over Santa Rita (Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Nic Roldan, 8, Stewart Armstrong, 2). Grant Ganzi was MVP.