High Alpine Cup

Veteran polo player and cancer survivor Juan Bollini of Los Amigos Red was selected Most Valuble Player.

Lauren Sherry of Mountain Chevrolet hits downfield ahead of the pack.

Juan Bollini of Los Amigos Red goes for the big hit past Pablo Spinacci of Mountain Chevrolet.

Alejandra Foster had a team-high four goals and finished with five overall. Gracida had two goals and four overall. Paul Foster had two goals and six overall. Bollini had one goal and three overall.

Alejandro Poma had a team-high four goals for Mountain Chevrolet and eight overall. Payne had two goals and four goals overall. Sherry had one and two goals overall.

Gabriel Gracida of Los Amigos Red hits the reverse neck shot.

In the opening game on Friday at Sopris Mountain Ranch, Los Amigos Red took a 9-7 lead that carried over into Sunday’s final.

Los Amigos Red took up where it left off on Friday, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the opening chukker and went on to a 6-3 halftime lead, 15-10 overall. Mountain Chevrolet outscored Los Amigos Red, 4-3, in the second half but could not make up its deficit.

Michael Payne of Mountain Chevrolet scores one of his two goals.

In last year’s High Alpine Cup, Los Amigos Red (Alejandra Foster, Kris Kampsen, Nic Roldan, Paul Foster) defeated Casablanca (Alex Gooding, Grant Ganzi, Lucas Lalor, Juancito Bollini), 9-7. Paul Foster, who scored three goals playing the back position, was named Most Valuable Player.   

The High Alpine Cup is named for living or growing trees on lofty mountains above the timberline especially above the limit for tree growth. An alpine tree line is the highest elevation that sustains trees. The climate above the tree line of mountains is called an alpine climate and the terrain is described as alpine tundra.

Alejandro Poma of Mountain Chevrolet scoring one of his game-high four goals.

Coming off its most successful summer season, Aspen Valley Polo Club lined up a star-studded field 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.

Paul Foster of Los Amigos Red waits for the pass from teammate Juan Bollini.

Los Amigos Red (Alejandra Foster, Gabriel Gracida, Juan Bollini, Paul Foster) joins other 2019 tournament winners: Los Amigos Blue (Alejandra Foster, Alejandro Poma, Salvador Ulloa, Juan Bollini), Emma Challenge; Piocho Ranch (Gussie Busch, Nacho Figueras, Tom Barrack, Alejandro Novillo Astrada), Basalt Handicap; La Karina (Brian Boyd, Carlitos Gracida, Sebastian Merlos, Kris Kampsen), USPA North American Cup; 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.

Los Amigos Red’s Paul and Alejandra Foster pursue Lauren Sherry of Mountain Chevrolet.

Among the 2019 summer highlights is the 119th USPA Silver Cup with some of the world’s top players including 10-goalers Sapo Caset and Hilario Ulloa. The Aug. 11 final, set for McClure River Ranch Stadium in front of an expected sellout crowd, will be paired with the annual Chukkers, Champagne & Caviar  fundraiser. Other top tournaments are Tuesday’s United States Arena Handicap final between two-time defending champion Flexjet and Casablanca; Aug. 7-14 Arena World Cup and Sept. 1-8 Triple Crown of Polo.

Juan Bollini of Los Amigos Red getting his MVP award from Brenda Lynn Dupont.

The club’s summer marquis charity event, hosted by club owners Marc and Melissa Ganzi and Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation, has raised more than $1 million dollars in the last two years to benefit Aspen Valley Hospital. All event tickets are sold out. To be placed on a waiting list please call 970-544-1302.

Best Playing Pony Scar, played and owned by Pablo Spinacci.

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.

Alejandra Foster of Los Amigos Red leans into her near side shot with Lauren Sherry of Mountain Chevrolet defending.

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 club tournaments.

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.

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.