NetJets Capture Basalt Handicap; Nic Roldan MVP; Next Up, Emma Challenge Cup

CARBONDALE, Colo., July 24, 2023---NetJets dominated most of the game to capture the Basalt Handicap Tournament Sunday at McClure River Ranch.

By Sharon Robb

NetJets (Ale Poma 1, Nacho Figueras, 3, Marc Ganzi, 1, Nic Roldan, 8) won the two-day, six-team tournament with an 11-8 victory over ST8 (Melissa Ganzi, Dominic State, 2, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8, Juan Bollini, 3) in front of a good crowd.

For the second week in a row, Nic Roldan was named Most Valuable Player. Dolfina Cachumba, owned and played by Melissa Ganzi in the fifth chukker, was Best Playing Pony.

NetJets, playing well as a four-man team with great chemistry, jumped out to a 7-3 lead. They looked unstoppable in the first half, outshooting ST8, 11-2 in the first half and 19-9 overall. ST8 started digging itself out of a hole in the second half, but never recovered with NetJets holding at least a three-goal cushion.

"It was a good game, we had a really great team this weekend," Roldan said. "It was a fun team, too. I've played with Ale, Nacho and Marc before. We knew we had a good chance.

"We had great chemistry and a lot of fun and that's important right there. The field was great. The season has been competitive. Everyone wants to win. The club is off to a good start."

NetJets got balanced scoring from its lineup. Marc Ganzi led with a team-high four goals. Figueras and Roldan each had three and Poma added one. Ganzi led ST8 with four goals.

Poma was making his summer polo debut in Aspen. It was his second consecutive Basalt Handicap title. Last year he won with Brookshire (Scott Wood, Ale Poma, Nacho Figueras, Torito Ruiz) defeating  Mountain Chevrolet (Michael Payne, Stewart Armstrong, Nic Roldan, Alex Gooding), 12-7, in the final. This past winter season Poma's team Tamera (Segundo Saravi, Magoo Laprida, Diego Cavanagh) made it to the U.S. Open semifinals before bowing out.

In addition to the Basalt Handicap, Sunday's tripleheader also featured the Just For The Fun Of It, Just For The Thrill Of It and season's first exhibition game of Wheely Polo featuring four of the sports top players.

In the Just For The Fun Of It, Santa Rita (Vinny Sangaline, 1, Artemio Figueras, 0, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Martin Jauregui, 6) won a hardfought 7-6 decision over Tonkawa (Santos Bollini, 2, Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras, 5, Jimmy Seward, 3). Artemio Figueras, playing well above his handicap, scored a game-high five goals. Grant Ganzi scored a team-high four goals. Hilario Figueras ended up scoring the deciding goal with 30 seconds left in the fifth chukker.

In the Just For The Thrill Of It, Mountain Chevrolet (Fran Spinacci, 0, Michael Payne, 1, Sugar Erskine, 6, Pablo Spinacci, 6) edged Los Amigos (Gaby Gracida, 3, Jason Crowder, 5, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Stewart Armstrong, 2), 9-8. With 42 seconds left, Astrada tied the game, 8-8. In the closing seconds, Pablo Spinacci converted a 30-yard penalty shot, the only penalty shot Los Amigos gave up in the game, and Erskine stopped a potential Astrada scoring drive to end the game. Fran Spinacci led Mountain Chevrolet led with three goals. Astrada scored a game-high four goals and Crowder added three.

In the Wheely Polo exhibition, Grand Champions Polo Club (Artemio Figueras, Inda Pieres) edged Aspen Valley Polo Club (Silver Astrada, Fran Spinacci), 5-4.

NetJets and ST8 advance into the final after round robin qualifiers on Friday. Both teams advanced on net goals.

On Saturday, in the Just For The Love Of It, Victory Polo defeated McClure River Ranch, 7-6. Silver Astrada had a game-high six goals for McClure River Ranch and Becky Schmeits had five goals for Victory Polo.

The 2023 season has attracted some of the world's top pro players including Martin Jauregui, making his Aspen debut; Gonzalito Pieres, who makes his debut this week; Juan Martin Nero, Nic Roldan, Alejandro and Nacho Novillo Astrada, Tomacho Pieres, Nacho Figueras, Hilario Figueras, Sugar Erskine, Pablo Spinacci, Jason Crowder and Grant Ganzi, as well as world-class horses.

The highlight of the season is the August 27th Summer Polo Charity Classic, benefitting the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation. It is the club's summer marquis event and one of the city's most anticipated social summer events. The event has raised $3 million since it began in 2016.

Other summer tournaments are the High Alpine Cup, Mount Sopris Cup, Rocky Mountain Open, Carbondale Classic, Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen and Silver Queen Invitational.

Three 2023 summer champions have already been crowned. They are Victory Polo (Becky Schmeits, Grant Ganzi, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Juan Bollini) won the Independence Cup with a 4-3 win over Mountain Chevrolet (Riley Ganzi/Santos Bollini, Michael Payne, Nic Roldan, Jimmy Seward). In the ChukkerTV Cup final, Santa Rita (Melissa Ganzi, Tito Gaudenzi, 2, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Juan Bollini, 3) defeated Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, Jimmy Seward, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Martin Jauregui, 6), 9-7. M.A.G. Polo (Govinda Quish, Dominic State, 2, Nic Roldan 8, Jason Crowder, 5) defeated NetJets (Santos Bollini, 2, Marc Ganzi, 1, Nacho Figueras 5, Hilario Figueras, 5), 8-7, to win the Craig Sakin Memorial.

Wellington, Fla.-based ChukkerTV (CTV sports) will live stream the entire 2023 polo season Mountain Standard Time with announcer Dale Schwetz calling the action. Aspen Valley Polo Club is the only USPA club live streaming its entire summer schedule.

The family-friendly club welcomes spectators. All matches, food and refreshments are free and open to the public.

Since Marc and Melissa Ganzi resurrected the club and polo in 2014, 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 Wheely 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 on more than six world-class fields. There are also indoor and outdoor polo arenas.

The Polo School for all ages and ability levels operates in Carbondale July through September. The first lesson is free and polo scholarships are offered. For more information on tournaments or Polo School contact Director of Operations Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or club manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.

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.