Eastern Challenge Begins Friday At Grand Champions Polo Club

WELLINGTON, FL., May 15, 2025---The fourth of five spring tournaments begins Friday with the Eastern Challenge at Grand Champions Polo Club.

By Sharon Robb

Two semifinal games are scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. with defending champion Newport playing Aspen Valley and 4:30 p.m. with SebiLion I going up against SebiLion II. The winners advance to the championship game on Sunday.

The teams are:

Newport (17): Gene Goldstein, 0, Jason Crowder, 5, Santi Toccalino, 7, Tommy Collingwood, 5.

Aspen Valley (16): Annalise Phillips, Nic Roldan, 7, Martin Jauregui, 6, Juan Bollini, 3.

SebiLion One (18): Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Sugar Erskine, 6, Matias Gonzalez, 4.

SebiLion Two (18): Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Fred Mannix, 7, Mariano Gracida, 4.

In last year's Eastern Challenge, Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Grant Ganzi, 3, Nic Roldan, 8, Tommy Collingwood, 5) defeated SebiLion (Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7), 7-6, in a thrilling finish with Roldan scoring the game-winner. Newport scored only one goal in the second half but it was all they needed to win. Collingwood was MVP. It was Newport's third win of the spring season.

Newport is coming off two consecutive tournament wins, the Casablanca Spring Challenge and Sun Cup. In last weekend's Casablanca Spring Challenge, Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Jason Crowder, 5, Martin Jauregui, 6, Tommy Collingwood, 5) led from start-to-finish to defeat Aspen Valley (Meredith Lovegrove/Haley Schaufeld, 0, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Matias Gonzalez, 4, Nic Roldan, 7), 10-8. Crowder was MVP. Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Matias Gonzalez, 4, Fred Mannix, 7, Tommy Collingwood, 5) rallied in the sixth chukker to defeat previously unbeaten SebiLion (Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Jason Crowder, 5) in an overtime thriller, 15-14. Mannix was MVP.

In the spring opener, SebiLion won the Grand Champions Cup win. SebiLion (Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Fred Mannix, 7) defeated Kaia Polo (Larry Austin, 0, Mariano Gracida, 4, Santi Toccalino, 7, Juan Bollini, 3), 10-8, to capture the Grand Champions Cup. Sebastian Mandelbaum was MVP.

The spring season is one of the best in the club's 18-year history. The matches are every Friday and Sunday. Admission is free and the public is welcome along with dogs on leashes.

There is one remaining spring tournament, the May 23-26 The Memorial (date subject to change because of weather).

During the spring season, amateur polo players get the chance to play with and against some of the world’s top professional polo players including Santi Toccalino, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Martin Jauregui, Jason Crowder and Nic Roldan. It's geared towards improving polo skills while having fun. It's also a great opportunity for younger players to develop and hone their skills against their peers and more experienced players.

During the major polo season in winter, 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, 16, 20, and 26-goal leagues, The Polo School Women's Polo League, WCT Finals, PTF youth tournaments, World Polo League, World Polo League Pride Music Fest and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita.

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.

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, particularly grass roots youth. Its mission is to provide individuals opportunities in polo at every economic and ability level. The Polo School has nurtured several junior, men and women polo players now playing in the pro and amateur ranks since its inception.

For more information on leagues or Polo School contact Polo School Director of Operations Juan Bollini at  561-346-1099 or Polo Manager Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.