3 Graces Polo Captures Season-Opening Independence Cup; Rebecca Cohen MVP; Next Up ChukkerTV Challenge Cup Sunday

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 6, 2025---On a perfect day, 3 Graces Polo won the much-anticipated summer polo season opener Saturday at Aspen Valley Polo Club.

By Sharon Robb

In front of a nice crowd, 3 Graces Polo (Rebecca Cohen, Nacho Novillo Astrada, Nic Roldan, Juan Bollini) led from start to finish to defeat Sopris (Tomacho Pieres, Jason Crowder, Sugar Erskine, Santi Toccalino), 8-5.

Rebecca Cohen, making her polo debut in Aspen, was Most Valuable Player after leading with a game-high four goals. Cohen, an accomplished dressage rider and product of The Polo School, has been playing polo for two years.

Nadia, a 14-year-old chestnut mare owned by Wellington-based Santa Rita Polo Farm (Dolfina Obelisca x Horqueta), and played by Astrada, was Best Playing Pony. 

Polo continues Sunday at 11 a.m. with the ChukkerTV Challenge Cup. 

3 Graces Polo picked up where it left off in late May, where it won the spring season-ending The Memorial with Cohen, Roldan, Toccalino and Bollini at Wellington-based Grand Champions Polo Club, AVPC's sister club. 3 Graces Polo, a first-year team started by Cohen, also won a six-goal tournament during the GCPC winter season.

3 Graces Polo jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the opening chukker behind Cohen's two goals and goals by Bollini and Roldan. Cohen added another goal in the second chukker for a 5-2 lead. Toccalino and Pieres scored back-to-back goals in the third and fourth chukker to cut the lead to 6-4, but it was the closest Sopris would get.

It was Bollini's second consecutive Independence Cup victory. Last year's Independence Cup winner was Santa Rita (Haley Schaufeld, Grant Ganzi, Tomacho Pieres, Juan Bollini).

In addition to Cohen's four goals, Roldan had two goals and Astrada and Bollini each had one. For Sopris, Toccalino led with three goals and Pieres added two.

The 12th summer season kicked off with the first of fourteen grass and arena tournaments in July and August. 

With the magnificent 12,965-foot summit of Mount Sopris as a backdrop, the traditional holiday opener featured world-class players and horses and it only promises to get better.

Among season highlights are the new  AVPC Beach Club on Sundays starting July 13; Twilight Polo Series featuring Tuesday Night Arena and Twilight Polo, an exclusive series from July 29 to August 26 at the nation's fastest growing club; and Aug. 17th Summer Polo Charity Classic to benefit Aspen Valley Health Foundation. Other highlights are the Aug. 21-24 Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen and Silver Queen Invitational doubleheader, July 10-13 Craig Sakin Memorial and August 26 Aspen Arena Series Final.

Unlike any other summer polo destination in the world, the local culture offers shops, incredible culinary scene, art, music and nightlife in addition to hiking trails, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, golf and fly fishing. 

During the 2024 summer season, there were nine different team champions illustrating the parity and competitiveness of the 2024 summer season and this season promises to be no different. 

With a vision for the community and surrounding areas, philanthropists Marc and Melissa Ganzi resurrected the club and polo in 2014. Since then polo has increased in popularity in Aspen and surrounding cities with the club's offerings of various weekly grass and arena tournaments, Arena & Asado Nights, Kidz Polo, Kids Wheelie Polo, Gymkhana, Christmas In July, The Polo School at AVPC and Polo On Demand. 

In addition, the club offers practice sessions for teams competing in the club tournaments on more than six world-class fields. There are also indoor and outdoor polo arenas. 

The family-friendly club on 15 acres of pristine land welcomes spectators of all ages. All matches, food and refreshments are free and open to the public except for special events.

Aspen Valley 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.

For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Polo School Director Juan Bollini at  561-346-1099.