USPA North American Cup, Basalt Handicap, Tournament Draws Highlight Busy Week At Aspen Valley Polo Club

November 30
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CARBONDALE, Colo., July 17, 2019---The coveted USPA North American Cup will make its debut at Aspen Valley Polo Club this week.

By Sharon Robb

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The club's first 20-goal tournament of the summer season moves from Wellington, Fla.-based Grand Champions Polo Club, where it has been held since 2011.

The USPA North American Cup has a rich tradition in history dating back to 1974. The tournament has been a mainstay in American and Canadian polo for decades at the 16 and 20-goal level.

2018 USPA North American Cup champion Travieso's MVP Pite Merlos, Juan Cruz Merlos, Grant Ganzi and Tony Calle. Photo by Grand Champions Polo Club

The first winner was Tulsa with Hall of Famers John T. Oxley and Billy Linfoot, Corky Linfoot and Jim MacGinley. During the late 1990s and early 2000s Calgary Polo Club hosted the tournament before moving to Grand Champions.

The team rosters are:

Casablanca (20): Grant Ganzi, 3, Juancito Bollini, 4, Lucas Lalor, 5, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8.

Flexjet (20): Melissa Ganzi, 0, Salvador Ulloa, 7, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 8, Juan Bollini, 5.

La Karina (18): Brian Boyd, 0, Carlitos Gracida, 4, Kris Kampsen, 6, Sebastian Merlos, 8.

McClure River Ranch (19): Nacho Badiola, 5, Stewart Armstrong, 3, Hilario Figueras, 3, Nic Roldan, 8.

On Thursday at the new McClure River Ranch Field 2, Flexjet plays McClure River Ranch at 11 a.m. and La Karina plays Casablanca at 1 p.m. (MST). The winners advance into Saturday's final at 11 a.m.

The USPA North American Cup heads one of the club's busiest weeks that also is hosting the Basalt Handicap, Just For The Love Of It and draws for the 119th USPA Silver Cup and USPA National Arena Handicap Saturday night at St. Regis Hotel.

The USPA North American Cup will be live streamed on USPolo.org and Basalt Handicap Tournment will be live streamed by Wellington, Fla.-based ChukkerTV with Dale Schwetz calling the action.

2018 Basalt Handicap champion La Karina with the coveted trophy.

The USPA North American Cup and Basalt Handicap are the fourth and fifth of eleven grass tournaments and three arena tournaments being staged at AVPC in what is expected to be its best season.

Coming off its most successful summer season, Aspen Valley Polo Club has lined up a star-studded roster of players including Hilario Ulloa, Sapo Caset, Alejandro and Nacho Novillo Astrada, Tincho and Sebastian Merlos and Nic Roldan for the summer to compete with and against patrons and amateur players.

This week Roldan, the youngest player to win the U.S. Open at age 15 and highest ranked American player at 8 goals, makes his debut at Aspen Valley Polo Club, the summer destination for polo. Roldan is coming off the Greenwich Polo Club season where he played with Altaris teammates Nick Manifold, Marcos Garcia Del Rio and Jamal Nusseibeh.

Nacho Novillo Astrada

Also making his club summer debut is Argentine 6-goaler Nacho Badiola, son of polo great Juan Badiola, who has competed in tournaments in the U.S. and internationally. The Palm City Polo Club pro grew up under the tutelage of his father in Coronel Suarez, the Argentine town known as "the Capital of Polo."

Last year's USPA North American Cup champion was Travieso (Tony Calle, Grant Ganzi, Juan Cruz Merlos, Pite Merlos) after rallying in the second half to win in a wild finish.

Trailing by five goals at halftime, Travieso staged an incredible comeback for a stunning 14-13 overtime victory over Audi (Wes Finlayson, Brandon Phillips, Pablo Spinacci, Marc Ganzi). Travieso outscored Audi 9-4 in the final three chukkers before Grant Ganzi came up with the game-winning penalty-two conversion with 3:41 left in sudden death.

Former 10-goaler Pite Merlos was named Most Valuable Player after the playmaker sparked the comeback and scored four second-half goals. It was one of the most exciting finishes in USPA North American Cup history. It was also the first major tournament Merlos' 20-year-old son Juan Cruz Merlos won in the U.S. The five-goaler made his U.S. polo debut at Grand Champions last fall.

Nic Roldan and Lucas Lalor

In the opening semifinals of the USPA North American Cup Travieso advanced into the final with an impressive 14-9 victory over Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, Pablo Dorignac, Kris Kampsen/Dominic State, Juan Bollini, 5). In the second semifinal, Audi (Juancito Bollini, Justin Daniels, Brandon Phillips, Pablo Spinacci) won a 9-7 thriller against Gracida Wines (Carlitos Gracida, Whistle Uys, Mariano Gracida, Julio Gracida).

Also on Saturday, the draws for the 119th USPA Silver Cup and USPA National Arena Handicap will be held at St. Regis Hotel at 7:30 p.m.

The Basalt Handicap will be held Friday and Sunday. Two semifinal games are scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and two games on Sunday. The final is Sunday at 11 a.m. followed by the Just For The Love Of It Cup at 1 p.m., featuring the USPA North American Cup runners-up and Basalt Handicap teams.

The first three tournament winners of the 2019 summer season were: Mountain Chevrolet (Michael Payne, Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Nacho Novillo Astrada), ChukkerTV Challenge; Los Amigos Red (Hilario Figueras, Paul Foster, Lucas Lalor, Nacho Novillo Astrada), Craig Sakin Memorial; Piocho Ranch (Tom Barrack, Gabriel Gracida, Nacho Figueras, Salvador Ulloa), the season-opening Independence Cup winners.

Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Juancito Bollini

Among the 2019 summer highlights is the 119th USPA Silver Cup. The Aug. 11 final, set for one of the club's two newest fields at McClure River Ranch, will be paired with the annual Chukkers, Champagne & Caviar fundraiser. Other top tournaments are this week's USPA North American Cup, July 23-August 6 USPA National Arena Handicap, Aug. 7-14 Arena World Cup and Sept. 1-8 Triple Crown of Polo.

The club's summer marquis charity event, hosted by club owners Marc and Melissa Ganzi and Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation, has raised $1 million dollars in the last two years to benefit Aspen Valley Hospital.

Ticket packages range from $250 to $25,000 Luxury VIP Gold (table for 12) and $100,000 Luxury VIP Diamond package (30 guests). The $50,000 Luxury VIP Platinum package (20 guests) has already sold out. For more information call 970-544-1302.

With the majestic 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as a backdrop, Aspen Valley Polo Club is one of the busiest and fastest growing USPA-sanctioned clubs in the nation with a membership increase of 75 percent over four seasons.

Sebastian Merlos

Photos by Aspen Valley Polo Club

Since Marc and Melissa Ganzi founded the club in 2014, polo has increased in popularity in Aspen and surrounding cities with the club's offerings of various weekly grass and arena tournaments, Tuesday Arena & Asado Nights, Kidz Polo, The Polo School headed by former 8-goaler Juan Bollini, and Polo On Demand. In addition, the club offers practice sessions for teams competing in the weekend tournaments.

"We want polo to thrive here, and we want Aspen to be the summer polo destination in America," said Melissa Ganzi.
Added Marc Ganzi, who grew up in Aspen: "We want to make Aspen Valley Polo Club the place for this Valley. Most importantly the idea is to de-mystify the game of polo that people have the impression that it's a sport you can't access, that you can't play.

"We've always told people to come here," Ganzi said. "The gates are open, the food is free, the drinks are free and your first polo lesson is free if you want to come take one and try the game. Our approach is come as you are. We prefer the flip flops over the high heels. We just want to get people to appreciate the horses and the Valley."

Aspen Valley Polo Club has had a positive impact in the area hosting kids polo camps, teaching lessons and several charitable events at the club that have benefitted local charities.


	USPA North American Cup

Aspen Peak Magazine has featured the club and its polo and charity events several times and recently featured players Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Tony Calle and Nic Roldan in a cover story.

The Ganzis are avid players and patrons and "have created a polo paradise" according to Piocho Ranch padron Tom Barrack. "You can go all over the world but you can't have these kind of people, players and horses in this setting. It's really a gift." Players, sponsors, community leaders and fans share Barrack's sentiments.

All ages are welcome to enjoy polo at Aspen Valley Polo Club. Admission, food and refreshments are free for fans in a relaxed, laidback atmosphere. An added feature is the club's Jumbotron which made its debut last summer for the fans' enjoyment, Aspen Valley Polo Club Boutique and new electronic scoreboard.

Aspen, named after trees that quiver in the slightest breeze, offers hiking, mountain biking, rafting, fishing, golf, horseback riding, great restaurants and taverns in addition to a full summer of polo.

Colorado is of Spanish origin meaning "colored red" which Spanish explorers named the muddy red river Rio Colorado that they discovered. Congress kept the name for the territory in 1861.

2019 Aspen Valley Polo Club Summer Polo Series

July

USPA North American Cup

Thursday 7/18, 11 a.m. Semifinal One, Flexjet vs. McClure River Ranch

1 p.m. Semifinal Two, La Karina vs. Casablanca

at McClure River Ranch Field 2

Saturday, 7/20, USPA North American Cup Final, 11 a.m.

Basalt Handicap

Friday 7/19, 11 a.m. Semifinal One

1 p.m. Semifinal Two

Sunday 7/21, 11 a.m. Basalt Handicap Final
1 p.m. Just For The Love Of It Cup

USPA Silver Cup & USPA National Arena Handicap Draw

Saturday 7/20 7:30 p.m. at St. Regis Aspen

USPA National Arena Handicap July 23 - August 6

USPA Silver Cup July 24-August 11

Emma Challenge Cup July 26-28

ChukkerTV Arena Challenge July 30

August

High Alpine Cup 8/2 - 8/4

Arena World Cup 8/7 - 8/14

Rocky Mountain Open 8/9 - 8/17

Mount Sopris Cup 8/16 - 8/18

Carbondale Classic 8/23 - 8/25

2019 PoloFest Denver 8/31

September

The Triple Crown of Polo Trophy 9/1 - 9/8

Visit www.aspenvalleypoloclub.com for more details.

All game time are MST

USPA Silver Cup

Photo by USPA

UNITED STATES POLO ASSOCIATION

The United States Polo Association® was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting thegame of polo, coordinating the activities of its member clubs and registered players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions, and games and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts.

THE POLO SCHOOL

The Polo School and its Director Juan Bollini are dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. The school's mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo. For lessons contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099.

CHUKKERTV

ChukkerTV is live streaming the entire summer polo season. ChukkerTV, featuring cutting-edge technology, was the first to introduce state-of-the-art live streaming technology and instant replay in January, 2014 at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Fla. For advertising opportunities on ChukkerTV please contact Mike Ferreira at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Watch The Games Here

ASPEN VALLEY POLO CLUB

CLUB ADDRESS:
3275 County Road 100,
Carbondale, Colo. 81623

POLO HOTLINE: 970-710-1663

The exclusive Aspen Valley Polo Club is one of the nation's fastest-growing polo clubs. It offers polo in the summer for players and spectators. The Polo School is available to adults and juniors. It offers individual and group lessons for all levels and ages. For spectators there are great field side views for tournament action, indoor and outdoor arenas and also the Aspen Valley Polo Club Boutique. Everyone is welcome to watch polo in a relaxed atmosphere with complimentary food, refreshments and weekly asados. Admission and parking are free. For Polo On Demand price rates of group and private lessons, arena chukkers, grass chukkers and individualized "Polo Experience" packages call the polo hotline at 970-710-1663 or log onto www.aspenvalleypoloclub.com

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