Valiente Wins Big On Day Two Of Triple Crown Of Polo; Doubleheader On Tap For Sunday

March 31
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WELLINGTON, Fl., March 31, 2019----Valiente avenged last weekend's Molina Cup loss in its opening game of the Triple Crown of Polo.

By Sharon Robb

In front of another good crowd Saturday at Valiente Polo Farm, Valiente (Bob Jornayvaz, 2, Santi Torres, 6, Pelon Stirling, 10, Alejandro (Jejo) Taranco, 8) bounced back from its last-minute 11-10 loss with a dominating 12-7 victory over Alegria (Freddie Mannix, 8, Jesse Bray, 6, Gringo Colombres, 7, Juan Martin Obregon, 5).

On Sunday, two games are scheduled. At 10 a.m., Mandarina (Melissa Ganzi, A, Alfredo Bigatti, 8, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 8, Pablo Spinacci, 6) plays Audi (Marc Ganzi, 2, Nic Roldan, 8, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Kris Kampsen, 6) at Jan Pamela Field 3.

Freddie Mannix of Alegria reaches to hook Alejandro (Jejo) Taranco of Valiente.

In the 4 p.m. feature game at Grand Champions Polo Club Field 2, WPL (Agustin Nero, 6T, Guillermo Terrera, 8, Diego Cavanagh, 9, Poroto Cambiaso, 3) plays Grand Champions (Grant Ganzi, 3, Juancito Bollini, 4, Rodrigo Andrade, 9, Juan Martin Nero, 10).

Team sponsors Mandarina and WPL are making their World Polo League debut. Cambiaso, 13, the youngest player in the WPL tournament, is coming off tournament wins in the $50,000 National 12-Goal for La Dolfina and Patagones Invitational 16-Goal for Patagones/Palm Beach Equine.

In Saturday's game, Valiente was relentless and never let Alegria into the game maintaining at least a two-goal lead after a close opening chukker (3-2). Alegria was unable to come up with another comeback win like the Molina Cup.

Jesse Bray of Alegria pursued by Valiente teammates Bob Jornayvaz and Alejandro (Jejo) Taranco.

"It was a pity we lost, but that's sports, every sport is different," Stirling said. "We had a really good game today. We put Santi in and he played very well. I think the four of us had a very good game. We hit the ball real well and that was the difference from our other game with them. We didn't quite connect the ball as well as today, we couldn't run the way we normally like and they managed to close the game down. Today was a different game."

After leading 6-4 at the half, Valiente shut out Alegria in the fourth and fifth chukkers and didn't allow Alegria to score until the final five minutes of the game. With Valiente leading 12-4, Juan Martin Obregon scored the first of three goals at the 5:15 mark.

"We were really clicking today," Jornayvaz said. "We played a lot better than we did in the Molina Cup. It was great to play with Santi again, he played really well."

Gringo Colombres of Alegria watches his neck shot downfield.

Valiente, the world's best polo organization under the J5 Equestrian umbrella, played on all cylinders and it showed.

"What's so much fun about this organization is we've all played together so much," Jornayvaz said. "I love playing with Pelon and Jejo. I just can't tell you how much fun it is. They know what I'm going to do and I know what they are going to do. It's an organization that clicks. I say repeatedly the organization shows up and today it did.

"What Robertito (Zedda) and Adolfo (Cambiaso) have done to build this organization it shows up like it did today. It was just good fast polo."

Alejandro (Jejo) Taranco of Valiente and Jesse Bray of Alegria stride for stride downfield.

Alegria was unable to get its offense going in the first half.

"They were off, they missed a few early goals and a few early goals can change the whole tempo," Jornayvaz said. "We were fortunate that we had a few breakaway scores and that makes a huge difference. Once you get the lead, you work on adding to it. We were just a little luckier today."

Torres returned to the Valiente lineup after playing with Palm Beach Open champion SD Farms. Torres was a member of Valiente's All Star Challenge Tournament winner and Founders Cup runner-up team.

Alejandro (Jejo) Taranco of Valiente defends Gringo Colombres of Alegria as he hits.

"It felt great to play today, this is another fun team," Torres said. "We have the chemistry. We play practices every other day, we are always around the barn together. We were ready today. The team went well, no complaints."

As the World Polo League's inaugural season winds down, the accolades from players, fans and sponsors continue to grow for Jornayvaz and his fellow co-founders Marc and Melissa Ganzi.

"It's been amazing, the polo has been incredible," Jornayvaz said. "I'm always sad when the Florida season is over because it's such an incredible place to be."

Sterling scored a game-high seven goals including three penalty conversions for Valiente. Taranco had four goals and Torres added one goal. Obregon led Alegria with four goals, Bray had two and Colombres added one.

Santi Torres of Valiente hits a neck shot downfield.

The WPL is being live streamed on ESPN Deportes and ChukkerTV/Horseplay with Gus Whitelaw calling the action. For more information go to www.worldpolo.org.

Co-founded by Grand Champions owners Melissa and Marc Ganzi and Valiente Polo Farm owner Bob Jornayvaz, the World Polo League is the only 26-goal polo in the world outside of Argentina. The WPL is preserving the highest level of polo and its rich, hallowed tradition in the U.S.

The WPL has its own set of simpler fan-friendly rules to improve the flow and action of the game.

The WPL, with world-class fields to play on, features the All-Star Challenge Draw Tournament, Founders Cup, Palm Beach Open and Triple Crown of Polo. The WPL is open to teams that wish to compete in one or more of the tournaments. Games are offered on the flat (Open) and on Handicap.

Alejandro (Jejo) Taranco of Valiente steadies his horse before hitting the ball on the fly.

Photos by Ramon Casares

The World Polo League has attracted a large international field of players from all corners of the world including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Nigeria, New Zealand, Uruguay and U.S.

Grand Champions and Valiente are also launching the U.S. National Mixed Doubles Championship, featuring two men and two women with combined handicaps this month.

In addition to the World Polo League, season highlights for 2019 at Grand Champions are the Sterling Cup, $50,000 National 12-Goal Tournament, John T. Oxley Memorial and $100,000 World Cup Tournament, a unique 0-40-goal, winner-take-all single-elimination tournament and WCT Finals.

Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm is the largest and most unique polo facility in Wellington with 120 stalls in five self-contained barns, exercise track, five climate-controlled tack rooms, vet room, staff quarters, guest house and three polo fields with state-of-the-art underground irrigation including one field for stick-and-ball with plans to build more polo fields in the future.

2019 WORLD POLO LEAGUE SCHEDULE

MARCH-APRIL

March 27-April 14, Triple Crown of Polo

Sunday, 3/31:
10 a.m. Mandarina vs. Audi, Bracket B, at Jan Pamela Field 3
4 p.m. WPL vs. Grand Champions, Bracket B, at Grand Champions Polo Club Field 2

Wednesday, 4/3:
11 a.m. Loser vs. Loser, Bracket A
4 p.m. Winner vs. Winner, Bracket A

Thursday, 4/4:
11 a.m. Loser vs. Loser, Bracket B
4 p.m. Winner vs. Winner, Bracket B

Saturday, 4/6:
11 a.m. Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 Bracket A
4 p.m. Winner Game 2 vs. Loser Game 1, Bracket A

Sunday, 4/7:
11 a.m. Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, Bracket B
4 p.m. Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, Bracket B, GCPC Field 2

Wednesday, 4/10:
11 a.m. Subsidiary Semifinal
4 p.m. Subsidiary Semifinal

Thursday, 4/11:
11 a.m. Triple Crown of Polo Semifinal
4 p.m. Triple Crown of Polo Semifinal

Saturday, 4/13:
Subsidiary Final

Sunday, 4/14:
4 p.m. Triple Crown of Polo Championship Final, GCPC Field 2

Games at Grand Champions Polo Club, Valiente Polo Farm and other local fields.

Chukker TV is live streaming the entire World Polo League season with film material content provided by Polo Channel. ChukkerTV, featuring cutting-edge technology, was the first to introduce state-of-the-art live streaming technology and instant replay in January, 2014 at Grand Champions Polo Club. For advertising opportunities please contact Mike Ferreira at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Rob Jornayvaz at Polo Channel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Watch Games Live

Jan-Eric Franck

"The Voice of Polo"

ESPN West Palm (106.3FM) and ESPN Deportes (760AM) signed an exclusive contract with the World Polo League and will target the West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami markets with various broadcasts, commercials and exposure on radio, ESPN.com, ESPN app and social media platforms to promote the exciting new 26-goal league. With nearly two decades of sustained success in sports and entertainment broadcasting, Josh Cohen is among the most influential, respected and popular on-air personalities and live event hosts in South Florida. Julian Zaldivar has been a part of ESPN West Palm team and ESPN Deportes760AM manager since its inception. He is the host of Comunidad ESPN Monday through Friday that features all-sports talk and interviews with the Latino community leaders from the local Hispanic market.


Josh Cohen


	Julian Zaldivar

GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 33414.

DIRECTOR OF POLO: Juan Olivera, 561-644-5050, juan.olivera@gcpolo.com; hotline 561-644-5050.

INFORMATION: For spectators, there are great field side views for tournament action and also the Grand Champions Polo Club Boutique. The club is home base for pro teams Audi and Flexjet. Everyone is welcome to watch every level of polo in a relaxed atmosphere with food and refreshments during the featured games of the winter, spring and fall tournament seasons and other special events. Admission is free except for some special events.

Grand Champions Polo Club, 13444 Southfields Road, Wellington, FL 33414

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