World Polo League Kicks Off Historic Sixth Season Saturday With All-Star Challenge At Grand Champions; Travieso Plays Kaia Polo In Opener
WELLINGTON, Fla., February 15, 2024---The World Polo League opens its sixth season Saturday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb Photos by Candace Ferreira
The WPL, the winter season's biggest highlight, continues to make history as the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina.
The star-studded league has attracted some of the world's top players including 10-goalers Pablo MacDonough, Jeta Castagnola and Juan Martin Nero, 9-goalers Juan Martin Zubia, Sapo Caset and Gonzalito Pieres, 7-goaler Alejandro Novillo Astrada and hometown favorite Nic Roldan, the second highest ranked American at 8 goals.
The world-class league will run through April 21. The World Polo League is about the preservation of the highest level of polo and its rich, hallowed tradition in United States polo The WPL has its own set of simpler fan-friendly rules to improve the flow of the game and world-class umpires led by Gaston Dorignac.
In the season-opener Saturday at 11 a.m., Travieso plays Kaia Polo at GCPC's Field 3.
The WPL, created in 2019, filled a void left when the U.S. Polo Association, the sport's governing body, announced it was lowering high goal polo to 18-22 goals and would not have 26-goal polo.
Among the star-studded lineup of players is MacDonough, who earned the Gonzalo Heguy Most Valuable Player Award at the 130th Argentine Open which his team, La Natividad, won with an impressive 13-10 victory over Adolfo Cambiaso-led La Dolfina Saudi.
La Natividad teammate and fellow 10-goaler Jeta Castagnola returns to the WPL after winning the Javier Novillo Astrada Award as top scorer of the Argentine Open with 38 goals.
All-Star Challenge defending champion Casablanca heads a field of eight teams. Sponsors and teams are:
Alegria (25): Sugar Erskine, 6, Jason Crowder, 5, Pipe Vercellino, 7, Freddie Mannix, 7.
Audi (26): Marc Ganzi, 1, Jeta Castagnola, 10, Nic Roldan, 8, Pancho Bensadon, 7.
Casablanca (26): Grant Ganzi, 3, Rufino Bensadon, 8, Sapo Caset, 9, Hilario Figueras, 6.
Kaia Polo Team (22): Larry Austin, 0, Lerin Zubiaurre, 7, Mariano Aguerre, 7, Santi Toccalino, 8.
La Irenita (25): Gilberto Sayao, 0, Gonzalito Pieres, 9, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Tomacho Pieres, 6.
Maltese Falcons (23): Melissa Ganzi, 0, Martin Jauregui, 6, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Juan Martin Nero, 10.
Senvest (22): Rob/Richard Mashaal, 0, Facundo Llosa, 7, Magoo Laprida, 8, Pedro Falabella, 7.
Travieso (25): Teo Calle, 1, Tincho Merlos, 7, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8, Juan Martin Zubia, 9.
The WPL tournaments attract a large international field of players from all corners of the world including Argentina, India, Mexico, Canada, Ecuador, Brazil, England, Germany, Uruguay, South Africa, Venezuela, Chile, and England.
Last year Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Barto Castagnola, 10, Jesse Bray, 7) started off the eight-team tournament as underdogs and finished as champions.
Casablanca posted an impressive 14-9 victory over 2021 champion and tournament favorite Richard Mille (Gilberto Sayao, 0, Gonzalito Pieres, 9, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7). Argentine 10-goaler Barto Castagnola was named Most Valuable Player after scoring a game-high 11 goals.
During the winter polo season, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation's largest and most innovative USPA-sanctioned polo club nestled in the heart of the world's winter equestrian capital, hosts a wide range of tournaments: 6, 8, 12, 20, and 26-goal leagues, The Polo School Women's Polo League, WCT Finals, several PTF junior tournaments, World Polo League, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita.
In addition to the WPL, other high goal season highlights are the Sterling Cup (20 goals), USPA Butler Handicap (18-22 goals), $100,000 World Cup (0-40 goals) and Santa Rita Abierto (20 goals). With the Aspen Valley 8-Goal completed, the remaining January tournaments are the Metropolitan 6 Goal Cup and Limited Edition 12-Goal Series which wind up Friday and Saturday.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 11 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its' expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its' Polo On Demand program.
The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. The stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo at every economic and ability level. The Polo School has nurtured several junior, men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.
For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Director of Operations Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or General Manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.
