Los Amigos Blue Captures Triple Crown Of Polo; Sugar Erskine MVP
CARBONDALE, Colo., August 27, 2025---Los Amigos Blue won their first tournament of the summer polo season Sunday at Aspen Vallley Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
In front of a good crowd, Los Amigos Blue (Alejandra Foster, Sugar Erskine, Hilario Figueras, Nic Roldan) held off Audi (Tomacho Pieres, Jason Crowder, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) in the final round robin matchup for a 12-10 victory to win the Triple Crown of Polo at McClure River Ranch.
South African Sugar Erskine for his all-around play was named Most Valuable Player.
Machitos Boogie, a 6-year-old dark bay mare, (Machitos Califa Clone 1/Machitos Blusera) played by Pieres and owned by Wellington, Fla.-based Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony.
In the final three chukkers, the lead changed hands four times before Los Amigos Blue took a 10-9 lead with 25 seconds left in the second chukker on Erskine's goal. Los Amigos Blue never trailed after that.
Despite a rain-soaked third chukker, Los Amigos Blue extended their lead with back-to-back goals from Roldan within two minutes for a 12-9 lead with 4:02 left. Audi had its share of scoring opportunities in the final three minutes but failed to capitalize.
In the earlier rounds, Los Amigos Blue defeated Los Amigos Blue (Paul Foster, Grant Ganzi, Santi Tocclino, Nacho Novillo Astrada), 9-6, and Audi held off a late rally by Los Amigos Red to win, 7-6.
In the final day round robin action, Erskine and Roldan each scored team-highs of four goals. Foster added two and finished with five overall. Pieres led Audi with three goals. Toccalino led Los Amigos Red with four goals and finished with eight goals over two days.
In Friday's round robin opener, Los Amigos Blue edged Los Amigos Red, 4-3; Audi and Los Amigos Red tied, 4-4; and Los Amigos Blue topped Audi, 7-5. The scores carried over into Sunday's final.
The Triple Crown of Polo trophy is comprised of three separate trophies that fit perfectly together to create an entire polo scene that is breathtaking in sterling silver with tournament winners' names inscribed on the trophy.
The Triple Crown of Polo, an ESPN2 television series, was created in 2005 by David McLane, known for Pro Beach Hockey, Women of Wrestling and Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, to help promote polo in the U.S. The show was seen in 129 countries.
The spectacular trophy was created for the event that had stops at the Sarasota Polo Club, Las Colinas Polo Club in Dallas and Santa Barbara Polo Club the first year in 2006 and Sarasota and New Bridge Polo and Country Club in Aiken, South Carolina in 2007 during its heyday before it went on hiatus.
In last year's Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen, Maltese Falcons (Nacho Novillo Astrada, Melissa Ganzi, Alejandra Foster, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) won the round robin to capture the title. Nacho Novillo Astrada was MVP.
In the club's other polo action earlier in the week:
In Tuesday night's Twilight Polo Series, Los Amigos (Alejandra Foster, Jason Crowder, Nic Roldan, Juan Bollini) defeated Grand Champions (Benja Toccalino, Enrique Guzman, Tomacho Pieres, Santi Toccalino), 12-8. Foster had a season-high 11 goals. Benja Toccalino had a team-high six goals for Grand Champions.
In Saturday's action, World Polo League (Benja Toccalino, Ming Chan, Sugar Erskine, Juan Bollini) and Santa Rita (Tomacho Pieres, Enrique Guzman, Santos Bollini, Aaron Abelman, Sky Gillespie) tied, 6-6, in The Polo School Saturday Chukkers. Benja Toccalino scored a game-high four goals. Santos Bollini scored a team-high three goals.
In The Polo School Kidz Saturday Polo, Polo School Purple (Cande Toccalino, Lorenzo Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) edged Polo School White (Santi Gonzalez, Lorenzo Ramirez, Brit Burtz, Santos Bollini), 2-1.
Among the season's highlights are the new "Polo Is Beautiful" Beach Club on Sundays, weekly Twilight Polo Nights and Drone Show, an exclusive inaugural series that came to a successful close on Tuesday night.
The "Polo Is Beautiful" Beach Club is open every Sunday during the summer season from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. VIP Beach Club tickets are available at aspenvalleypoloclub.com. Ticket holders are treated to handcrafted cocktails, traditional Argentine asado with a variety of meats including steak and sausages and always entertaining live DJ music. The Beach Club showcases lounge spaces furnished by Arhaus on beach sand and also Cold Plunge pools by Crystal River Spas, beach chairs and umbrellas with great fieldside views.
The club's 12th season kicked off the July Fourth weekend. To open the 2025 season, Wellington-based 3 Graces Polo, making its Aspen debut, won both the Independence Cup (Rebecca Cohen, Nacho Novillo Astrada, Nic Roldan, Juan Bollini) and ChukkerTV Cup (Rebecca Cohen, Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novillo Astrada). McClure River Ranch (Roberto Poma/Ale Poma, Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Hilario Figueras) won the Craig Sakin Memorial. Mountain Chevrolet (Michael Payne, Sugar Erskine, Nic Roldan, Grant Ganzi) won the Basalt Handicap. Audi (Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, Juan Bollini) won the Emma Challenge with an 11-10 overtime victory over defending champion Los Amigos Red. The Setai (Silver Novillo Astrada, Jason Crowder, Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novillo Astrada) won the High Alpine Cup. Audi (Jason Crowder, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini) won the Mount Sopris Cup. Avatar Financial (Ryan Cronin, Hilario Figueras, Nic Roldan) won the Rocky Mountain Open.
With a vision for the community and surrounding areas, the Ganzi family 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, "Polo Is Beautiful" Beach Club, Twilight Polo Series and Drone Show, Kidz Wheelie Polo, Gymkhana, Christmas In July, The Polo School at AVPC and Polo On Demand.
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.
