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A C T I O N
Opposite:
The trophy table for the
Silver Cup.
This page, from left:
The
winners of the Silver Cup, Mason
Wroe, Juan Martin Obregon, Sapo
Caset and Jeff Hildebrand
won its 20-goal tournament debut. The
Aspen-based La Karina (Brian Boyd, 0,
Carlitos Gracida, 4, Sebastian Merlos, 8,
Kris Kampsen, 6) defeated McClure River
Ranch (Hilario Figueras, 3, Pablo Spinacci, 6,
Nic Roldan, 8, Stewart Armstrong, 3) with a
stunning 15-12 victory in front of a worldwide
USPA Polo Network audience. Former
10-goaler Sebastian Merlos was named MVP.
‘The polo gods were with us,’ said Boyd,
the only amateur player in the championship
final competing in his first 20-goal
tournament. ‘Nobody gave anybody an inch.
It was a war out there.’
The World Polo League Triple Crown of
Polo season finale also lived up to high
expectations.
Audi (Marc Ganzi, 2, Mariano
Gracida, 4, Nic Roldan, 8, Juancito Bollini, 4)
led Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, A, Salvador Ulloa,
7, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8, Juan Bollini, 5)
from start-to-finish for a thrilling 12-11
victory. Roldan was MVP.
Overall, the club hosted a record 15
tournaments, both grass and arena, at
the medium- and high-goal level and had
a record turnout of novice players at The Polo
School under the direction of former 8-goaler
Juan Bollini. ‘What Aspen Valley Polo Club is
T H E H I G H E S T P O L O N OW P L AY E D I N T H E
U N I T E D S TAT E S I S I N A S P E N I N T H E
S UMME R . W E A R E W R I T I N G O U R OWN
H I S T O R Y H E R E I N T H E A S P E N VA L L E Y
doing for polo and for Aspen, it’s put us on
the map,’ Roldan said. ‘The fact we are able
to share polo here in Aspen is incredible.
Marc and Melissa and a lot of the club
members and club owners are all really
passionate about the sport. They’ve built
these new fields and barns and brought a lot
of attention and a lot sponsorship.’
In addition to the polo, the club made
more history raising a record $600,000 at its
annual charity event, Chukkers, Champagne
and Caviar fundraiser, held during the Silver
Cup final and benefitting the Aspen Valley
Hospital Foundation.
