WELLINGTON, FL., February 17, 2025—-On a historic day at windswept Grand Champions Polo Club, Casablanca captured the first-ever World Polo League 32-Goal All-Star Challenge Riemenschneider Memorial.
In front of a packed house, Casablanca (Sapo Caset, 9, Grant Ganzi, 3, Tommy Panelo, 10, Juan Martin Nero, 10) led from start to finish to defeat Santa Rita (Nic Roldan, 7, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Juan Martin Zubia, 9), 8-5.
Sapo Caset led Casablanca’s offensive attack with a game-high five goals and was named Most Valuable Player.
The World Polo League Best Playing Pony was Open Divina, played by Ganzi in the first and seventh chukkers, and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm.
The American Polo Horse Association Best Playing Pony was Catwoman, played by Nero in the third and seventh chukkers.
The AACCP Best Playing Pony was Sapo Tilapia, owned and played by Caset in the sixth chukker. Caset also played three Santa Rita Polo Farm home-bred horses.
The WPL season-opening final featured the club’s historical 64-goal match with three 10-goal rated players competing for seven chukkers in front of one of the largest crowds to witness a game at Grand Champions.
“I was really pleasantly surprised with the turnout,” Ganzi said. “It was close and interesting to watch from the outside perspective. Having really good horses and amazing players going pretty hard was fun to watch.
“I had a lot of nerves going into the game,” said Ganzi, Casablanca’s Brand Ambassador. “I had never played a level that high in a game, maybe practice but not a game and never played a seven chukker game which I really pushed for because I thought it would be unique and a special day. I think if we could do more of this it would be great. It’s very special when you raise the bar to this level.
“It was really a fun one,” Ganzi said. “The guys were pretty happy. The field was in great shape and amazing to play. It was fun to get out there and play that fast.”
The fan-pleasing, exciting game was wide open polo played throughout the seven chukkers. Casablanca, playing well together, took control of the offensive attack in the first chukker jumping out to a 3-0 lead with two goals from Caset and one from Ganzi.
Santa Rita turned the second chukker into a defensive battle. Zubia managed to score Santa Rita’s first goal to trail, 3-1. Santa Rita missed three other scoring attempts.
Casablanca continued to keep Santa Rita from finding a cohesive offensive attack in the third chukker while Caset scored again to give Casablanca a 4-1 lead.
Casablanca’s dominance continued in the fourth chukker with Caset scoring from 90 yards out for a 5-1 lead at the 5:42 mark. Two minutes later, Ganzi connected with Panelo who scored his first goal of the game for a 6-1 lead.
“We came out really strong,” Ganzi said. “I came out with two of my top horses and that gave me confidence. It always helps when you are playing with three 10-goal players. I know Sapo is nine but he plays 10. I’ve played with Juanma for seven years and that makes it a lot easier and Tommy was an incredible teammate. I had never played with him. I was in awe of his skill level. The way he processes the game is very fast and at a high level.”
Memorial perpectual plate to Casablanca’s winning teammates. © Candace Ferreira
Santa Rita started to find its offensive groove in the fifth chukker, scoring three unanswered goals, two penalty conversions from Roldan and another goal from MacDonough to cut Casablanca’s lead to 6-4 at the end of the chukker.
A minute into the sixth chukker, Nero connected on a 140-yard pass to Ganzi who tapped it in to extend his teams’s lead to 7-4. Midway through the sixth, Roldan converted another penalty to trail, 7-5. But it was the last goal Casablanca allowed Santa Rita to score.
In the seventh and final chukker, both teams had scoring opportunities but it turned into more of a defensive standoff. Caset scored his final goal with three seconds remaining for an 8-5 final, adding another page to the World Polo League history books.
In addition to Caset’s five goals, Ganzi had two goals and Panelo, making his 10-goal debut at Grand Champions, added one goal. For Santa Rita, Roldan led with three goals. MacDonough and Zubia each had one goal.
The 26-goal World Polo League kicked off its seventh season on Sunday with the first-of-its kind matchup at the nation’s largest club. The remaining three WPL tournaments are: Feb. 19-March 2 Founders Cup; March 5-23 Palm Beach Open and March 26-April 12 Triple Crown of Polo.
It was the third year for the Richard “Remo” Riemenschneider Memorial Cup. Richard’s wife Andrea chose a silver plate that had been given to his parents on their wedding anniversary to be the perpetual trophy.
In September 2022, the polo world lost the former Polo Training Foundation Chairman and longtime supporter. His years of service to the Polo Training Foundation, Virginia Polo Center and USPA through volunteering, fundraising and mentoring showcase a lifelong commitment to the sport of polo. In 2016, Remo was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame for his lifelong dedication to the sport.
The WPL made its debut in 2018 to keep 26-goal polo alive. In September 2017, the USPA announced that 22 goals would be the maximum level of polo played beginning in 2019 with the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open. The WPL is the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina.
During the winter polo season, Grand Champions Polo Club, the nation’s largest and most innovative USPA-sanctioned polo club nestled in the heart of the world’s winter equestrian capital, hosts a wide range of tournaments: 6, 8, 12, 20, and 26-goal leagues, World Polo League, The Polo School Women’s Weekly Polo League, WCT Finals, several Polo Training Foundation junior tournaments, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm.
Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique private 102-acre polo facility in Wellington with 212 stalls in nine self-contained barns, two tracks, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and four polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation and short work arena. The club has 10 well-manicured world-class fields at GCPC and Santa Rita.
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 Polo School, now located at the former Pony Express facility, operates in Wellington January through May and September through November. The stand-alone USPA-sanctioned polo club is dedicated to teaching polo to all ages.
For more information on leagues or The Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
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