Faces of Polo – Nico Escobar

Nicolas “Nico” Escobar is a member of the latest generation of the Escobar polo-playing family. Rated as a 4-goaler, he is the son of Luis Escobar and brother to Lucas Escobar. His grandfather, Francisco, founded the Santa Clara Polo Club in Wellington in 1984, which was expanded by his father. Back then, the family traveled back and forth from Costa Rica to Wellington to play polo. However, the current generation of Escobars is Wellington born and raised. When not on the polo field, Nico Escobar, 20, attends Palm Beach Atlantic University. He will be playing in the Gauntlet of Polo series this season with La Indiana. Always working to up his game, he spent December in Argentina playing at La Aguada under the tutelage of former 10-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada.

Faces of Polo – Michael Bickford

Michael Bickford is highly regarded as one of the sport’s top patrons. His La Indiana team regularly competes in the most prestigious tournaments, often challenging for the title. Bickford grew up in Connecticut playing polo with his father in Vermont. This year will be his fifth leading La Indiana into competition in Wellington. In 2020, 2-goaler Bickford was joined by Santiago Gomez Romero, Polito Pieres, Jeff Hall and Esteban Panelo on the La Indiana roster. The team was competitive, making it to the finals of the Ylvisaker Cup and the C.V. Whitney Cup, and advancing to the semifinals of USPA Gold Cup before the season ended early. That means La Indiana is still in the hunt when the tournament resumes where it left off just before the 2021 Gauntlet of Polo gets underway.

Faces of Polo – Sapo Caset

Polo runs in the family for Argentine 10-goaler Guillermo “Sapo” Caset Jr., who was in the saddle by age five, hitting a ball around the field. As a teen, he quickly soared from a 1-goal handicap to a 6-goal handicap. By 2011, Caset had established himself as one of the best players in the world, reaching the coveted 10-goal rating, which he maintains to this day. Last season at IPC, Caset played on the Tonkawa team with Jeff Hildebrand, Ignacio “Cubi” Toccalino, Matias “Colo” Gonzalez and Matt Coppola. He returns to Wellington after a strong season in Argentina, where his team RS Murus Sanctus made it to the final of the Hurlingham Open before falling to undefeated Ellerstina. The team also made it to the semifinals of the Tortugas Open and the 127th Argentine Open.

Faces of Polo – Mackenzie Weisz

Born in Wellington, Mackenzie Weisz grew up around horses alongside his polo-playing father Andres Weisz. Now rated as a 4-goaler, he has grown from a young child riding horses to one of the biggest rising stars of American polo. Most recently, the teenager has been a key player on Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas team playing with 9-goaler Francisco Elizalde the 10-goaler Pelon Stirling. The team was off to a great start in 2020, winning the prestigious C.V. Whitney Cup. Las Monjitas made it to the semifinals of the USPA Gold Cup before the 2020 season came to an abrupt end. That means Weisz will be back in action with his team when the 2020 Gold Cup resumes in February where it left off.

Faces of Polo – Gonzalito Pieres

Argentine 10-goaler Gonzalo “Gonzalito” Pieres was born into a family of polo players. He is the eldest son of polo legend Gonzalo Pieres Sr. and older brother to Facundo and Nicolás Pieres. A classic-style player, he is known to provide leadership and direction on the field. A regular on the Wellington circuit, he spent several years steering Audi to wins in the U.S. Open Polo Championship, the USPA Gold Cup and the C.V. Whitney Cup. In more recent years, he has anchored Pilot Polo, working in concert with his brother Facundo. Pieres returns to Wellington after a winning season in Argentina, competing with Hilario Ulloa alongside brothers Facundo and Nicolás on Ellerstina to win the Tortugas Open and the Hurlingham Open, falling just short in the final of the Argentine Open.

Faces of Polo – Poroto Cambiaso

Adolfo “Poroto” Cambiaso is the 14-year-old son of legendary 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso. Now rated at 6 goals, Poroto is quickly following in his father’s footsteps. His older sister Mia is also a skilled polo player, currently rated at 2 goals. In fact, polo history was made here in Wellington back in 2018 when all three Cambiaso players competed together to win a high-goal tournament at Valiente Farm. Already viewed by the polo community as an up-and-coming talent, Poroto Cambiaso closed out 2020 playing on La Dolfina Saudi during the Tortugas Open, part of the Argentine Triple Crown, alongside his father, Rodrigo Andrade and Iñaki Laprida, making it to the final match before falling to Ellerstina.

Faces of Polo – Jared Zenni

Jared Zenni has come a long way in a short time. In his first attempt, 6-goaler Zenni helped his Daily Racing Form team capture the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 2018. The surprise win over favorite Valiente catapulted Zenni’s team into the top tier of high-goal organizations competing in Wellington. However, Zenni and his father Jim are not strangers to the circuit. They have also played under the name Villa del Lago, the family’s equestrian facility. Last season, the Daily Racing Form roster included Zenni with Tommy Collingwood, Costi Caset and Agustin Obregon, and the team made it to the semifinals in the USPA Gold Cup before play was suspended. When the Gauntlet of Polo resumes with the finals of that tournament, Daily Racing Form will still be very much in the hunt.

Face of Polo – Hilario Ulloa

Hilario Ulloa grew up in Argentina, watching his father and expert horse breeder Carlos “Polito” Ulloa train and breed polo horses. He was always surrounded by horses and polo players and dreamed of one day playing in the prestigious Argentine Open. He got that wish in 2013, and in 2014, he won the U.S. Open with Alegria at IPC. Ulloa, who earned his 10-goal ranking from the USPA in 2017, has been visiting Wellington to play at IPC since 2010. He returns to Wellington after a strong season competing on the Ellerstina team during the Triple Crown in Argentina. Playing alongside Facundo, Gonzalo and Nicolás Pieres, the team won the Tortugas Open and the Hurlingham Open, falling just short in the final of the Argentine Open at Palermo.

Face of Polo

The 2021 polo season is now underway, and while it will certainly be different than in years past due to new safety protocols, one thing that will not change is the amazing athleticism, drive and awe-inspiring skill on display in each and every game. The world’s best polo players have once again made their annual return to Wellington to play in the most prestigious high-goal tournaments in North America. At the International Polo Club Palm Beach, the season gets underway with the 18-goal Joe Barry Memorial Cup, followed by the Ylvisaker Cup and the Iglehart Cup, both played at the 18-goal level. Then the height of the season arrives with the 22-goal Gauntlet of Polo series. It will start with the final games of the 2020 USPA Gold Cup, which was cut short due to the pandemic. This will be followed by the 2021 C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open Polo Championship. The U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship will also be featured. Can’t make it to the game? You can catch them livestreamed and on-demand at Global Polo TV. Meanwhile, we invite you to meet just some of the amazing players on the field this season in Faces of Polo 2021.

The World Polo League  Heads Into 2021 Season With Gaston Dorignac As Head Umpire

The World Polo League recently announced that the world-renowned Gaston Dorignac has accepted the position of head umpire, beginning with the 2021 Florida season.

Dorignac, who lives in Madrid, is president of the Spanish Polo Referees Association, holds a category A designation from the Asociación Argentina de Polo and is qualified to officiate at a maximum handicap level of 40 goals.

A native of Argentina, Dorignac comes from a family with a rich polo tradition, being the son of legendary 10-goaler and Argentine Open winner Gaston Dorignac. Prior to becoming an umpire, Dorignac played polo professionally for 20 years, reaching a handicap of 6 goals.

Dorignac’s umpiring began in 1996, officiating at up to 28 goals, and by 1999, he was umpiring in Argentina’s Triple Crown of Polo at Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo. By the end of 1999, he had officiated at seven of the eight games played in the Argentine Open in Palermo, including the final.

Today, Dorignac has umpired more than 20 finals in the Triple Crown, including six in Palermo, as well as eight King’s Cup finals in Madrid, eight finals in the Puerta de Hierro, five Sotogrande Gold Cups and numerous international tournaments, including matches in St. Tropez, Barcelona, Columbia and the Dominican Republic.

“We are thrilled to have an umpire of Gaston’s standing joining us as head umpire for the World Polo League,” WPL founder Melissa Ganzi said. “Our aim is to offer the very best in high goal polo outside of Argentina, and Gaston brings tremendous experience to the table. With his involvement, we can continue to enhance an already incredible level of play in the league.”

Dorignac is excited to begin this new opportunity.

“After Argentina, the WPL offers the highest handicap matches in the world. Play at the 26-goal handicap is very challenging, and if you take into account players like Cambiaso, Nero, McDonough, Andrade, Ulloa and the Castognola brothers, we’re talking about an epic level,” he said. “This wouldn’t be possible without the organization and effort from the WPL.”

Dorignac has enjoyed his previous work with the league.

“I am very proud to be a part of this,” he said. “It was a great feeling to participate in the WPL in 2019 and 2020, and I am honored to have been appointed chief umpire.”

Co-founded by Grand Champions and Aspen Valley Polo Club owner and president Melissa Ganzi and Valiente Polo Farm owner Bob Jornayvaz, the successful World Polo League is the only league offering 26-goal polo in the world outside of Argentina.

The WPL attracts a large international field of players from all corners of the world, including Australia, Chile, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Argentina, Canada, Ecuador, Brazil, Switzerland, France, Germany, Uruguay, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Nigeria and England.

For more information about the WPL’s 2021 season, and to watch games from previous seasons, visit www.worldpolo.org.

While details about the 2021 WPL season are still being finalized, with special precautions due to the pandemic, Ganzi’s Grand Champions Polo Club is also planning a full slate of 2021 winter tournaments.

Grand Champions is located at 13444 Southfields Road in Wellington. Events include world-class umpires, 12 championship fields, a polo school, livestreamed games and polo on demand.

The club will offer polo at a wide array of levels this season:

High Goal — The Sterling Cup runs from Jan. 19 through Jan. 31; the $100,000 World Cup by Audi will be held Jan. 29 through Feb. 13; and the Santa Rita Abierto is set for March 2 through March 14.

16 Goal — The Grand Champions Cup runs from Feb. 15 through March 6; the Power Horse Invitational is set for March 9 to March 27; and the Pedro Morrison Memorial will be held March 30 through April 17.

12 Goal — The Limited Edition 12 Goal Series runs from Jan. 26 through Feb. 13. It will be followed by the Sieber Memorial Trophy from Feb. 16 through March 6; the $50,000 National 12 Goal held Feb. 17 through Feb. 28; and the Top Pony 12 Goal from March 9 through March 27.

8 Goal — The Aspen Valley Cup runs from Jan. 15 through Jan. 31; the Top Pony 8 Goal will be held Feb. 16 through March 6; and the Limited Edition 8 Goal is set for March 9 through March 27.

6 Goal — The Metropolitan Cup runs from Jan. 26 through Feb. 13; the Halo Polo Trophy will follow from Feb. 16 through March 6; and the Madelon Bourdieu Memorial will be held March 9 through March 27.

Also at Grand Champions, the Polo School Women’s League is held every Wednesday from Jan. 13 through April 14, and the WCT Finals run March 31 through April 4.

For more information, about the upcoming season at Grand Champions, visit www.gcpolo.com.