2015 Independence Cup winner, Melody Polo-Melody Polo Team (L to R)- Mariano Gracida, Cesar Gueikian, Melissa Ganzi and Juan Bollini.
The Aspen Valley Polo Club is building on a tradition that began with the first polo match in Glenwood Springs in 1890, and is celebrating the 4th of July weekend and the debut of the 2016 polo season with the Independence Cup on Sunday morning at 11am.
La Karina (Brian Boyd, Marc Ganzi, Julio Novillo Astrada and Carlitos Gracida); Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Lucas Lalor and Stewart Armstrong); and Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, Segundo Merlos, Sebastian Merlos and Alex Gooding)
Just as Horace Devereux and Hervey Lyle did in the late 1890s, Marc and Melissa Ganzi, the owners of the Aspen Valley Polo Club, have attracted top players from across the country and around the world to compete on come of the finest polo fields in the west.
The Flexjet team will feature former 10-goaler Sebastian Merlos. A member of the iconic Merlos family that boasted three 10-goal brothers (Pite, Sebastian and Agustin) and a 9-goal father (Cacho Merlos), Sebastian will be joined by his son Segundo this season.
La Karina will be fielding Argentine 8-goaler Julio Novillo Astrada. Julio is a member of the legendary Astrada family that saw four brothers win the Argentine Open, the most revered trophy in the world.
Casablanca will be merging youth and experience in young guns, Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Lucas Lalor and veteran Stewart Armstrong. Armstrong is a former 7-goal player who has competed at every level of play and will be looked at to direct the talent in front of him on the field.
The Independence Cup is the first of nine tournaments that will run thru August 21st.
2016 ASPEN VALLEY POLO CLUB Summer Schedule
July 3, Independence Cup, 11 am
July 6-10, ChukkerTV Challenge
July 13-17, Craig Sakin Memorial
July 20-24, Basalt Handicap
July 27-31, Emma Challenge
Aug. 3-7, Louis Vuitton Cup
Aug. 10, ChukkerTV Arena Challenge
Aug. 12-14, Mount Sopris Cup
Aug. 10-21, Rocky Mountain Open
| The Aspen Valley Polo Club is located at 3275 County Road 100, Carbondale, CO. Everyone is welcome to watch polo in a relaxed atmosphere. Admission and parking are free. The club’s Polo Hotline is: 970-710-1663.
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