WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 2024
The World’s Leading Polo Players Set to Compete at This Month’s Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships
Nic Roldan, Andres Camacho, Grant Ganzi, and Manuel Crespo Among Top Athletes Taking the Field at America’s Most-Attended Polo Event on Saturday, October 26th
Standout players include Nic Roldan, dubbed “The Face of American Polo” and the captain of the Aspen Valley Polo Team, which took home the top honors at last year’s Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships. Roldan, an Argentinian-born eight-goaler, meaning he’s one of the
highest-rated players in the sport, will join forces with Melissa Ganzi, one of the world’s top-ranked female polo players, and her son, Grant Ganzi, a rising star in the polo world.
Grant Ganzi was one of the youngest players in the nation to compete in 26-goal polo during the inaugural 2019 World Polo League and has since gone on to claim numerous victories, including the 2020 World Polo League Beach Polo Miami Beach Cup, where he was Winning Team Captain. Ganzi and the Aspen Valley Polo Club team also hold an unprecedented record of eight titles at the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships.
“It is always a highlight of my fall to have the opportunity to play at the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships. Always a beautiful day with amazing friends on and off the field,” said Grant Ganzi. “It is also an honor to share the field with Nic and my Mom, Meli.”
Roldan and the Ganzis will take on the Napa Valley Polo Team at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26th, in one of the event’s most anticipated match-ups. They’ll face off against the likes of Napa Valley Polo Club’s Manuel Crespo, an Argentinian born six-goal player. All professional polo players have a rating that falls somewhere between -2 and 10, with higher numbers indicating higher levels of skill, experience and horsemanship.
Among those representing the Arizona Polo Club is Andres Camacho-Castilla, a three-goaler and one of the highest-rated
polo players in Arizona history. A fifth-generation, Colombian-born player, Camacho will take the field at noon during the second match of the day, where he’ll play alongside his wife, Natalie Grancharov-Camacho. They will face off against the Wales Polo Team featuring Ricky Cooper, Pete Webb and his son, Alex Webb.
Pete Webb started riding at age 9, earned a scholarship to play polo in New Zealand at 17 and has been a fixture in the sport ever since. He’s secured numerous accolades, including victories in the Gold Cup British Open and the Royal Windsor, and has also represented England in two World Cups and at matches across the globe. With Welsh roots through his father, Webb takes great pride in playing for the Wales Polo Team at what he describes as “The Best Polo Party in the world.”
Actor Sterling Jones, seen in “Barbie,” “NCIS” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Found,” will also take part in the action as the captain of the World Pride Polo Team. Jones and his teammates will go head-to-head with the Nashville Polo Team at 2 p.m. during the event’s fourth match-up, marking his second straight appearance at the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships.
“This year’s lineup features some of the most talented and recognizable names in the sport,” said Jason Rose, the creator and co-founder of the
Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships. “It’s a rare opportunity to see so much star power in one place, and we couldn’t be more excited to host these players here in Scottsdale.”
Gates open at 10:00 a.m., with the event’s five polo matches scheduled as follows:
10 a.m. Match 1: New Orleans Polo Club vs. Cave Creek Equine
12 p.m. Match 2: Arizona Polo Club vs. Wales Polo Team
2 p.m. Match 3: Nashville Polo Team vs. Pride World Polo Team
4 p.m. Match 4: Aspen Valley Polo Club vs. Napa Valley Polo Team
6 p.m. Match 5: Sonoma County Polo Team vs. El Paso Polo Team
In addition to the event’s first-ever Night Polo match, this year’s festivities will continue well into the evening, with a new “Polo After Dark” element and an elegant Dinner Under the Stars planned in partnership with the City of Scottsdale.
The Polo Party will also include an all-day roster of top musical talent, with Relentless Beats welcoming DJ Jai Wolf to the Casa Amigos DayClub powered by NÜTRL and other top DJs set to spin throughout the duration of the event.
While attendees will have a chance to check out some of the globe’s top-ranked polo players at this year’s Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships, the event also includes fashion shows, luxury brand installations, exotic car and equestrian displays, VIP tent opportunities and the return of Grimaldi’s Pizza Bistro, among other exclusive draws and attractions.
Gates open at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, and tickets are available at ThePoloParty.com.
Photo credit – The Polo Party