Casablanca Stuns Aspen Valley To Capture St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship; Nic Roldan Named MVP

ASPEN, Colo., December 18, 2023---Casablanca won its first St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship Sunday at Rio Grande Park.


In front of a soldout crowd. Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras, 5, Nic Roldan, 9) held off Aspen Valley (Jason Crowder, 6, Marc Ganzi, 1, Adolfo Cambiaso, 10) for a hardfought 8-6 victory.

Nine-goaler Nic Roldan scored a game-high five goals including his first two-pointer in the three-day tournament and was named Most Valuable Player. It was Roldan's fifth St. Regis tournament victory in eleven years.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Edmiston Captures High Alpine Cup At St. Regis World Snow Polo; Aspen Valley, Casablanca Play For Title On Sunday

ASPEN, Colo., December 17, 2023---In opening day action on hard-packed snow at Rio Grande Park, Edmiston rallied to win the High Alpine Cup, the first of three finals in the St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship.

Edmiston (Teo Calle, 1, Pancho Bensadon, 8, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7), trailing after the opening chukker, rallied for a thrilling 5-4 victory over Blade & Bow (Scott Wood, 2, Juan Martin Nero, 10, Pablo Spinacci, 6) to finish fifth Saturday in front of a packed VIP tent.

Argentine Alejandro Novillo Astrada, playing zone back and field general, was named Most Valuable Player. He scored the only two-pointer of the game from the field's halfway mark.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Aspen Valley, Casablanca Play Sunday For St. Regis World Snow Polo Title; Adolfo Cambiaso Shines In U.S. Snow Polo Tournament Debut

ASPEN, Colo., December 16, 2023---Aspen Valley and Casablanca will play Sunday in the 11th St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship in what's expected to be the the most competitive final in tournament history.

In Friday's qualifying opener, Aspen Valley  (Jason Crowder, 6, Marc Ganzi, 1, Adolfo Cambiaso, 10) defeated Edmiston (Teo Calle, 1, Pancho Bensadon, 8, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7), 11-4, and St. Regis (Santos Bollini, 2, Juan Bollini, 6, Nacho Figueras, 6), 12-7, to advance into the final.

Cambiaso, the sport's greatest player making his U.S. snow polo tournament debut, scored ten goals including three two-pointers, one on a difficult back shot, at Aspen Valley Polo Club's state-of-the-art indoor arena.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Let's Get This Party Started; St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship Begins Friday

ASPEN, Colo., December 15, 2023---The stage is set for the opening round of the 11th annual St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship.

In a fun and festive atmosphere at the St. Regis Aspen Resort Thursday night, the draw party featuring player and sponsor introductions were held.

One of the world's top snow polo tournaments and only snow polo tournament held in North America, features six teams competing for the coveted winner's trophy on the final stop of the World Polo Tour.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Team Sponsors, Rosters Announced For St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship

ASPEN, Colo., December 13, 2023---A Who's Who in polo led by 10-goalers Adolfo Cambiaso and Juan Martin Nero, will compete in the much-anticipated 11th annual St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship this week.

One of the world's top snow polo tournaments and only snow polo tournament held in North America, will feature six teams competing for the coveted winner's trophy on the final stop of the World Polo Tour.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Polo Great Adolfo Cambiaso Makes U.S. Snow Polo Debut At This Week's St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship

ASPEN, Colo., December 12, 2023---For the first time in the 11-year history of the St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship, the world's greatest polo player will compete.

Adolfo Cambiaso will join fellow 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero among a star-studded field for the Dec. 14-17 event.

Cambiaso will be making his U.S. snow polo debut in the only snow polo tournament held in North America. He has competed on snow in Argentina.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Countdown Under Way For St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship; Tickets On Sale

ASPEN, Colo., November 27, 2023---The much-anticipated St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship returns to Rio Grande Park on Dec. 16-17, kicking off Aspen's festive and social season.

VIP tickets are on sale now for 11th annual star-studded event. Ticket information can be found at Snowpolo.net.

Last year's tournament raised $100,000  raised from record ticket sales (doubled from 2021) and donations for the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation and Calaway-Young Cancer Center.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Aspen Valley Polo Club Wins Record Eighth Title At Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., November 8, 2023---In front of a record crowd, Aspen Valley Polo Club added another chapter to its history books.

The team of Marc Ganzi, Grant Ganzi and Nic Roldan won an unprecedented eighth title at the recent 12th annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships presented by Talking Stick Resort on The Polo Field at WestWorld.

Aspen Valley Polo Club defeated the Wales Polo Team (Ricky Cooper, Jason Crowder, Pete Webb), 8-5, to capture the coveted Molina Cup. Roldan had a game-high six goals. Father and son each had one goal.

"It's always a great event to be part of," Roldan said. "Love Scottsdale and its fans."

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Candace FerreiraComment
Aspen Valley Polo Club Goes For Eighth Title Saturday At Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., November 3, 2023---Aspen Valley Polo Club will try to add another chapter to the history books Saturday when it competes in the 12th annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships presented by Talking Stick Resort.

The nation's fastest growing polo club will go after an unprecedented eighth title before an expected sellout crowd of more than 12,000 on The Polo Field at WestWorld.

Aspen Valley Polo Club features 8-goaler Nic Roldan, the second highest ranked American polo player; and father and son Marc Ganzi and Grant Ganzi. They will play the Wales Polo Team, captained by Ricky Cooper, Jason Crowder and Pete Webb in the signature game. It will be Cooper's tenth year at the event.

"It’s an honor to come out every year,” Cooper said. “Some of the best players come out including Nic Roldan. The organizers mix up the polo. I’ve always said this is the best polo event we attend, hands down, across the world.

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Polo 4 Christ Captures Silver Queen Invitational In Season Finale Thriller At Aspen Valley Polo Club; Grant Ganzi Named MVP

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 28, 2023---In a spectacular finish to the summer polo season, Polo 4 Christ won its summer polo debut Sunday in front of a packed house at Aspen Valley Polo Club.

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) to win the third annual Silver Queen Invitational at McClure River Ranch.

Grant Ganzi, 25, who had the play of the game riding off defender Alejandro Novillo Astrada to open up space allowing Polito Pieres to score the winning goal with 5:38 left in overtime, was Most Valuable Player for the first time this summer.

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Aspen Valley Polo Club Hosts Tripleheader, Summer Polo Charity Classic In Exciting Season Finale

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 24, 2023--Aspen Valley Polo Club will end its tenth summer season anniversary in style with its biggest weekend of polo.

The Summer Polo Charity Classic, benefitting the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation, will entertain a sellout crowd of 1,200 with good food, music and polo.

The club's marquis event is one of the city's most anticipated social summer events. The event has raised $3 million since it began in 2016 including nearly $1 million last year.

While the social event of the summer season is going on, fans will watch two exciting tournaments--the Silver Queen Invitational at 11 a.m. and Carbondale Classic at 1 p.m., followed by the Just For The Thrill Of It at 3 p.m. In addition to the fundraiser which is a closed, sellout event, fans are welcome to watch from the stadium or fieldside.

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Tonkawa Captures Rocky Mountain Open Presented By NetJets; Gonzalito Pieres Sweeps MVP, BPP Honors

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 21, 2023--In front of a packed house, Tonkawa won its first tournament of the summer polo season Sunday at McClure River Ranch.

Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, 0, Marc Ganzi, 1, Gonzalito Pieres, 9, Nic Roldan, 8) held off Santa Rita (Melissa Ganzi, 0, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Polito Pieres, 10, Stewart Armstrong, 2), 14-12, to win the Rocky Mountain Open presented by NetJets.

Gonzalito Pieres swept the Most Valuable and Best Playing Pony honors. Pieres scored a team-high five goals, four in the fifth chukker including a 130-yarder.

"Tonkawa has been playing good all season," Pieres said. "It's always good fun to play with Jeff, he loves the game and helps a lot on the field. It was a good time.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Rocky Mountain Open Starts Friday; Ten-Goaler Polito Pieres Returns To Aspen Valley Polo Club

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 16, 2023--Polito Pieres, the highest ranked American polo player at ten goals, makes his summer polo debut on Friday when the Rocky Mountain Open gets underway at McClure River Ranch and High Mesa.

Pieres, the first American to be rated at 10 goals since Adam Snow in 2003, is coming off his second consecutive Queens Cup title in Britain, playing for first-time winner Murus Sanctus (Corinne Ricard, Polito Pieres, Alejandro Muzzio, Marcos Araya). Pieres was MVP.

At the end of the high goal season in England, he was raised to 10 goals, only the fourth player in the United Kingdom to hold 10 goals along with Camilo Castagnola, Facundo Pieres and Hilario Ulloa. In the U.S. he is part of a very elite group of legendary polo players, 24th American and 54th overall player in the history of U.S. polo to be rated at 10 goals.

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Travieso Wins Mount Sopris Cup; Martin Jauregui Named MVP

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 14, 2023--Travieso, making its summer polo debut at Aspen Valley Polo Club, held off Santa Rita to capture the Mount Sopris Cup.

Travieso (Teo Calle, 1, Grant Ganzi, 3, Martin Jauregui, 6, Nic Roldan, 8) won the five-team tournament with a thrilling 9-8 victory over Santa Rita (Melissa Ganzi, 0, Hilario Figueras, 5, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Juan Bollini, 3) Sunday at McClure River Ranch in front of a good crowd.

"I think this has been the best thing to ever happen to us in a very long time, coming back to Aspen, which we consider to be our home almost," Calle said. "We have been coming here for so many years and we love it. We really feel part of the polo community here.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Travieso Makes Summer Debut As Mount Sopris Cup Begins Friday At Aspen Valley Polo Club

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 10, 2023--Travieso, making its summer polo debut, will be among five teams competing in the Mount Sopris Cup this weekend at Aspen Valley Polo Club.

The seventh tournament of the summer polo season will also feature last weekend's winner Mountain Chevrolet, Tonkawa, ST8 and Santa Rita.

With the breath-taking 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as the perfect backdrop, the Mount Sopris Cup, one of eleven tournaments the club is hosting in July and August with an exciting array of players, opens Friday at High Mesa with a qualifying round robin and regulation game.

At 10 a.m., Travieso, Tonkawa and Mountain Chevrolet will play a nine-chukker round robin. At 1:45 p.m., ST8 plays Santa Rita. On Sunday, winners advance into the final at 11 a.m. followed by a subsidiary round robin.

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Candace FerreiraComment
Mountain Chevrolet Captures High Alpine Cup; Martin Jauregui Named MVP

CARBONDALE, Colo., August 7, 2023--Mountain Chevrolet won its first major tournament of the summer polo season Sunday at Aspen Valley Polo Club.

Mountain Chevrolet (Michael Payne, 1, Pablo Spinacci, 6, Hilario Figueras, 5, Martin Jauregui, 6) defeated NetJets (Santos Bollini, 2/Marc Ganzi, 1, Nacho Figueras, 5, Gonzalito Pieres, 9, Stewart Armstrong, 2), 12-9, to win the High Alpine Cup at McClure River Ranch.

"We finally won one this year," Payne said. "We've had a lot of fun this year, but it's always extra fun to win.

"All three of the pros played well," Payne said. "They came in with a game plan and executed it. There was great rotation between the three of them. I felt they had control of the game from start to finish."

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Candace FerreiraComment
Casablanca Wins Emma Challenge Cup; Nic Roldan Named MVP; Next Up High Alpine Cup

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 31, 2023--Casablanca won its first tournament of the summer polo season Sunday at Aspen Valley Polo Club.

Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras 5, Nic Roldan, 8, Stewart Armstrong, 2) won the five-team tournament with an impressive 9-5 victory over Los Amigos (Melissa Ganzi, Martin Jauregui, 6, Alejandro Novillo Astrada 7, Juan Boliini, 3) on McClure River Ranch Field 1.

For the third time this season, American 8-goaler Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player. Best Playing Pony was awarded to 8-year-old Bay mare Shale, played by Alejandro Novillo Astrada and owned by Wellington-based Santa Rita Polo Farm.

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NetJets Capture Basalt Handicap; Nic Roldan MVP; Next Up, Emma Challenge Cup

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 24, 2023---NetJets dominated most of the game to capture the Basalt Handicap Tournament Sunday at McClure River Ranch.

NetJets (Ale Poma 1, Nacho Figueras, 3, Marc Ganzi, 1, Nic Roldan, 8) won the two-day, six-team tournament with an 11-8 victory over ST8 (Melissa Ganzi, Dominic State, 2, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8, Juan Bollini, 3) in front of a good crowd.

For the second week in a row, Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player. Dolfina Cachumba, owned and played by Melissa Ganzi in the fifth chukker, was Best Playing Pony.

NetJets, playing well as a four-man team with great chemistry, jumped out to a 7-3 lead. They looked unstoppable in the first half, outshooting ST8, 11-2 in the first half and 19-9 overall. ST8 started digging itself out of a hole in the second half, but never recovered with NetJets holding at least a three-goal cushion.

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Basalt Handicap Tournament Begins Friday At Aspen Valley Polo Club

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 20, 2023--The fourth  tournament of the exciting summer polo season gets underway Friday at McClure River Ranch.

With the breath-taking 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as a backdrop, the Basalt Handicap, one of eleven tournaments the club is hosting in July and August with an exciting array of players, opens with two round robin  games.

Six teams are entered: ST8, making its summer debut; Santa Rita, Los Amigos, Mountain Chevrolet, Tonkawa and NetJets.

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M.A.G Polo Wins Craig Sakin Memorial Tournament; Nic Roldan MVP; Next Up Basalt Handicap

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 17, 2023--M.A.G. Polo held off NetJets to capture the Craig Sakin Memorial Sunday at McClure River Ranch.

M.A.G. Polo (Govinda Quish, Dominic State, 2, Nic Roldan 8, Jason Crowder, 5) defeated NetJets (Santos Bollini, 2, Marc Ganzi, 1, Nacho Figueras 5, Hilario Figueras, 5), 8-7, to win the two-day, five-team tournament.

American 8-goaler Nic Roldan scored a game-high four goals and came up with key defensive plays in the final minutes to earn Most Valuable Player.

"Honestly, it was one of the best games I've played at the club," Roldan said. "MVP is nice but for me you want to win games. You want to play well and you want the horses to go well. And today was one of those days."

Chancho Va., owned and played in the sixth chukker by Hilario Figueras, was Best Playing Pony.

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