Sebilion Captures Eastern Challenge Title; Alejandro Novillo Astrada MVP; Next Up The Memorial Season Finale

WELLINGTON, FL., May 19, 2025---Sebilion knocked off defending champion Newport to win the Eastern Challenge Sunday at Grand Champions Polo Club.

By Sharon Robb

Photos by Candace Ferreira

Newport was going after its third consecutive title in the fourth tournament of the spring season, but Sebilion had other ideas.

Playing well from start to finish, Sebilion  (Sebastian Mandelbaum, 0, Mariano Gracida, 4, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Fred Mannix, 7) took the lead early in the fifth chukker and never relinguished it for a 10-8 victory over Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Jason Crowder, 5, Santi Toccalino, 7, Tommy Collingwood, 5).

It was Sebilion's second tournament win of the spring season.

Argentine 7-goaler Alejandro Novillo Astrada, top scorer of the game, was Most Valuable Player.

Black bay gelding Beso, played by Toccalino in the sixth chukker, and bred and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, was Best Playing Pony.

The game was close until early in the fifth chukker. With the score tied 6-6, Mannix scored off a long goal to put Sebilion in the lead, 7-6. Sebilion never trailed after that. A minute later Astrada stole the ball and scored for an 8-6 lead.

Collingwood's 60-yard penalty conversion early in the sixth chukker cut Sebilion lead to one, 8-7 with 6:00 on the clock. A minute later, Gracida scored to give Sebilion a 9-7 advantage. Two minutes later, Toccalino made his way through three defenders to score and the cut the lead to one again. With less than two minutes remaining, Mannix converted a 30-yard penalty for another two-goal lead. Gracida then controlled the ball to wind down the clock.

Sebilion outscored Newport, 6-4, in the second half.

The first half ended with a 4-4 tie after three chukkers and six lead changes. The teams were tied four times. Both teams played evenly,  shooting at goal, missing scoring opportunities.

Astrada led Sebilion with a game-high four goals. Mannix had three goals, Gracida two and Mandelbaum, the youngest player in the tournament, had one goal. For Newport, Collingwood led with three goals including a 60-yard penalty conversion. Goldstein had two goals. Crowder and Toccalino each had one goal. Newport picked up one goal on handicap.

In the subsidiary game, Aspen Valley (Annalise Phillips, Martin Jauregui, 6, Nic Roldan, 6, Juan Bollini, 3) defeated Sebilion I (Leo Mandelbaum, 2, Sugar Erskine, 6, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Matias Gonzalez, 4), 12-7.

Aspen Valley opened with a 3-1 lead early in the opening chukker. Sebilion I came within one goal three times in the first two chukkers before Aspen Valley took a 7-4 lead on Phillips' back-to-back goals and never trailed after that. Aspen Valley led 7-5 at the half.

Phillips and Roldan shared leading scorer honors, each with four goals. Jauregui had two goals. The team picked up two goals on handicap. Erskine, Pieres and Gonzalez each had two goals. Leo Mandelbaum added one goal.

Newport was coming off two back-to-back 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.

In its first win, 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 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.

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 and most fun 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 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.