Los Amigos Red Leads Going Into Emma Challenge Cup Sunday Final; USPA Silver Cup Begins Saturday With Tripleheader At McClure River Ranch

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 27, 2019---Los Amigos Red took the early lead after the opening round of the Emma Challenge Cup Friday at balmy Sopris Mountain Ranch.

The Emma Challenge Cup got under way with a nine-chukker round robin featuring Los Amigos Red, Los Amigos Blue and Mountain Chevrolet.

Los Amigos Red (Nico Harriot, Pablo Spinacci, Nic Roldan, Paul Foster) opened with a 5-4 victory over Los Amigos Blue (Alejandra Foster, Alejandro Poma, Salvador Ulloa, Juan Bollini). Los Amigos Blue defeated Mountain Chevrolet (Lauren Sherry, Michael Payne, Tincho Merlos, Carlitos Gracida), 6-3. Los Amigos Red edged Mountain Chevrolet, 5-3, in the final game.

In the first game, Spinacci and Roldan scored back-to-back goals to break a 3-3 tie in the third chukker to clinch the win. Spinacci and Roldan each had two goals for Los Amigos Red and Alejandra Foster and Bollini each had two goals for Los Amigos Blue.

Los Amigos Blue pulled away against Mountain Chevrolet for a 5-2 lead to start the third chukker and never relinquished the lead. Ulloa led Los Amigos Blue with four goals.

After a close first chukker, Los Amigos Red pulled away for a 4-2 lead at the end of the second chukker and held on for the win. Roldan scored a 140-yarder with two minutes left. Harriot led scoring with three goals.

On Sunday at McClure River Ranch Field One, the round robin scores will continue from Friday's action and winner will be determined after another round robin. Los Amigos Red is at plus-3, Los Amigos Blue is at plus-2 and Mountain Chevrolet is at minus-5. The final is 11 a.m. followed by the Just For The Thrill Of It Cup at 1 p.m.

Several of the players in the Emma Challenge Cup opener tuned up for the 119th USPA Silver Cup which makes its debut at Aspen Valley Polo Club on Saturday at McClure River Ranch. It is considered the oldest of all American tournaments.

The club's second USPA 20-goal tournament of the summer season features six teams and several of the world's top polo players.

Three first round games are scheduled for Saturday. At 11 a.m. Tonkawa, 20, (Jeff Hildebrand, Juan Martin Obregon, Sapo Caset, Mason Wroe) plays Flexjet, 20, (Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Hilario Ulloa, Gussie Busch); 1 p.m. La Karina, 20, (Brian Boyd, Carlitos Gracida, Tincho Merlos, Sebastian Merlos) plays Audi, 19, (Marc Ganzi, Jared Zenni, Nic Roldan, Hilario Figueras) and 3 p.m. Casablanca, 20, (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Lucas Lalor, Nacho Novillo Astrada) plays McClure River Ranch, 20, (Salvador Lockey, Kris Kampsen, Alfredo Bigatti, Stewart Armstrong).

The USPA Silver Cup and Emma Challenge Cup are the sixth and seventh 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 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.

Last year's Emma Challenge Cup winner was defending champion La Karina (Alejandra Foster, Brian Boyd, Stewart Armstrong, Nacho Novillo Astrada) with a thrilling 8-7 overtime victory over Piocho Ranch (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Nacho Figueras, Tom Barrack). Nacho Novillo Astrada scored the winning goal with four minutes left in overtime.

The Emma Challenge Cup is named after the town of Emma, Colo., located on Highway 82 between Carbondale and Aspen.

Emma was once a sizable town in the past. The three buildings on the north side of the road are on the state historical register and preserved site. There is a church directly across the highway on the north side. There is a small trail on the north side of the road taking visitors up to the site.

The first five tournament winners of the 2019 summer season were: Piocho Ranch (Gussie Busch, Nacho Figueras, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Tom Barrack), 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; and Piocho Ranch (Tom Barrack, Gabriel Gracida, Nacho Figueras, Salvador Ulloa), the season-opening Independence Cup winners.

Among the 2019 summer highlights is the 119th USPA Silver Cup with some of the world's top players. The Aug. 11 final, set for one of the club's two newest fields at McClure River Ranch in front of a sellout crowd, will be paired with the annual Chukkers, Champagne & Caviar fundraiser. Other top tournaments are the 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.

All event tickets are sold out. To be placed on a waiting list please 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.

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.

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.

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.