Catamount Wins World Polo League Season-Opener; Action Continues Friday

WELLINGTON, Fla., February 13, 2022---On a perfect day for polo, the World Polo League successfully opened its fourth season with the All-Star Challenge Saturday in front of a good crowd at Jan Pamela Field.

By Sharon Robb

With an impressive 14-11 victory over NetJets (Pablo Spinacci, 6, Sugar Erskine, 6, Nacho Figueras, 6, Tomacho Pieres, 6), Catamount (Scott Devon, 1, Torito Ruiz, 7, Polito Pieres, 10, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8) has established itself as an early tournament favorite.

Longtime patron Scott Devon made his WPL debut after a seven-year hiatus from polo.

"My head is kind of spinning," said Devon, who last played 26 goal ten years ago. "That was fast polo. I'm not used to it. It's good to be back. I think I will get much better as far as the speed of the game. I'm very pleased and happy to be back. It's thrilling to be back."

Pieres, the highest ranked American player at 10 goals, also made his WPL debut and did not disappoint.

Pieres, is coming off a successful season in Argentina where he was a member of Argentine Open champion La Natividad, looked every bit the 10 goaler he is with his flawless stick work weaving through defenders and scoring from anywhere on the field including a 60-yarder in the third chukker.

"Polito is amazing to be on the field with," Devon said. "He is just another level of brilliance. Nacho is experienced and great and up-and-coming star Torito is very skilled and accurate. It's just a fun team.

"When you play at Grand Champions you have access to some of the best players in the world. I'm really fortunate to be here."

Last spring Devon played medium goal at Grand Champions and during the summer Aspen Valley Polo Club.

"I couldn't move for a week because I was so sore back then," Devon said. "But I got the fever back. I got the bug."

What sealed Devon's return to high goal was he rented an old school horse called Cloudy from a friend in Grand Rapids, Mich. to stick-and-ball over the summer.

"Sometimes it's the simplest things," Devon said. "The basics of stick-and-balling are something I really missed.

"After taking a break like this, you just don't realize until you're out there trying to participate just how really athletic the players and horses are," Devon said. "It's a unique experience to play at that speed, but it's also controlled speed. It's not dangerous because the players are so gifted and talented horseman."

In the late 1990s and early 2000, Catamount was one of the sport's top teams featuring a pair of 10-goalers, Mike Azzaro and Carlos Gracida Sr. Devon, a second generation polo player, won several high goal 22 and 26 goal tournaments. He was 2004 USPA Amateur Player of the Year and raised to four goals.

In 2004, Catamount made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Open, narrowly missing the final with an overtime loss to White Birch. White Birch (2005), Audi (2009) and Alegria (2014) have all won U.S. Open titles and have hallowed traditions in 26-goal polo. Catamount can now begin a new tradition by making its mark in the World Polo League.

With only one practice as a full team under its belt, it took Catamount two chukkers to find its momentum.

After trailing 4-3 and 6-5, Catamount shut out NetJets, 3-0, in the third chukker for an 8-6 halftime lead. Catamount extended its lead 11-7 and 13-8 before NetJets tried to reel them in, but fell short with a 3-1 final chukker.

"They came out quick and strong but we made a couple of adjustments," Devon said. "We made little changes where I needed to be. Getting there was another thing.

"We'll get much better," Devon said. "Obviously, those guys know each other much better than I do. We had one team practice which was yesterday. I had a couple individual practices with Polito which was nice and I've had more practices with Torito and Nacho but that was the first time we all got together."

Pieres and Ruiz shared scoring honors for Catamount, each with five goals. Devon had three goals and Astrada added one. Figueras led NetJets with five goals, Spinacci had three and Tomacho Pieres added one. The team picked up two goals on handicap.

A touching tribute and moment of silence was held before the game for Frederic Roy, who died Friday after a long battle with pneumonia and Covid-19. Roy was the founder and heart-and-soul of The Morning Line, the ultimate newspaper for polo around the world.

"He will be remembered for his commitment to polo, his passion for the sport which he shared through his iconic publication, The Morning Line," announcer Jan-Eric Franck said.

Eight teams are competing in the single-elimination tournament. Action continues Friday at 2 p.m. when White Birch (Chris Brant, 0, Mariano Aguerre, 7, Santi Toccalino, 8, Lerin Zubiaurre, 7) plays Alegria (Juancito Bollini, 4, Clemente Zavaleta, 7, Tincho Merlos, 8, Freddie Mannix, 7).

The defending champion of the All-Star Challenge is Richard Mille (Marc Ganzi, Jeta Castagnola, Pablo MacDonough, Paco de Narvaez), 12-8 winners over Hawaii Polo Life (Chris Dawson, Poroto Cambiaso, Jejo Taranco, Adolfo Cambiaso). MacDonough was MVP.

The World Polo League, the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina, was co-founded by Marc and Melissa Ganzi and has attracted a large international field from around the world.

The world-class league will run through April 16. The World Polo League is preserving the highest level of polo and its rich tradition in the U.S. The WPL has its own set of simpler fan-friendly rules to improve the flow of the game and world-class umpires.

In addition to the All-Star Challenge, the remaining WPL events are the inaugural Tommy Hitchcock Legacy Memorial, Feb. 27; Founders Cup, Feb. 23-March 13; Palm Beach Open, March 9-27; Triple Crown of Polo, March 23-April 16 and Beach Polo World Cup Miami Beach, April 29-May 1.

Grand Champions has also added Sunset Chukkers and Cocktails, presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek held Tuesday late afternoon on Field One for players and guests.

Grand Champions, the nation's largest polo club, celebrating its 15th anniversary, is coming off its most successful fall season. Club officials hope to build off that success when it hosts 23 tournaments from January through April.

The high goal club tournaments feature the Sterling Cup, $100,000 World Cup and Santa Rita Abierto.

The 16-goal league play includes the Feb. 14-Mar. 5 Grand Champions Cup, Mar. 8-26 Power Horse Invitational and Mar. 29-Apr. 16 Pedro Morrison Memorial.

The 12-goal league is the Limited Edition 12-Goal Series currently underway, Feb. 15-Mar. 5 Sieber Memorial Trophy, Feb. 16-27 $50,000 National 12-Goal and Mar. 8-26 Top Pony 12-Goal.

After January's successful Aspen Valley Cup, the 8-goal tournament schedule continues with the Feb. 15-Mar. 5 Top Pony 8-Goal and Mar. 8-26 Limited Edition 8-Goal.

The 6-goal schedule features the Metropolitan Cup, also underway; Feb. 15-Mar. 5 Halo Polo Trophy and Mar. 8-26 Madelon Bourdieu Memorial.

There is also the Polo School Grand Champions Women's League, co-founded by Melissa Ganzi and Alina Carta, for all ages and playing ability held Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at Santa Rita Polo Farm.

Grand Champions Polo Club and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 100-acre polo facility in Wellington with 120 stalls in several self-contained barns, exercise track, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and stick-and-ball fields.

During fall, winter and spring seasons, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation's largest club with 13 well-manicured, world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita Polo Farm, hosts polo tournaments ranging from six to 26-goal including the 26-goal World Polo League in addition to special events.

The Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility owned by Melissa and Marc Ganzi, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. For more information on the Fall Leagues or Polo School contact Director of Operations Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or General Manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.

Grand Champions 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, the only polo club in the U.S. to offer the unique program.