Team PTF Wins Sunset Polo Cup; Red Barn Captures Buzz Welker Memorial; Next Up: April 19th Jimmer Newman Memorial
- Candace Ferreira
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
WELLINGTON, FL., April 1, 2025---Team PTF and Red Barn came up big at the recent Polo Training Foundation tournaments at Everglades Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
Team PTF won the third annual Sunset Polo Cup with teammates Joaquin Vilgre la Madrid, Marek Sutherland, Amelia Massey and Joseph Schwartz.
Team PTF defeated Mayer Ranch (Sailer Schwaber, Sami Kettaneh, JB Long Gines B. Canales,) in the preliminary rounds in overtime 3-2, and beat Tackeria/Windswept (Ava Hinkson, Geronimo Rider, Harrison Reicher and Lazaro Gorosito) in the final 3-2 to clinch the win.
The Tackeria/ Windswept team won their preliminary round in overtime 2-1 agains GJ Racing (Sebastian Mandelbaum, Rohail Khan, Marcus Murphy, and Benjamin Obregon.)
Joseph Schwartz was named MVP with three of his team's six goals for the day. Gines B. Canales was named Sportsmanship Award Winner and Ava Hinkson's “Meta Escoba” (Open Chismoso x Espartana) was named the Red Barn/Purina Best Playing Pony.
The Buzz Welker Memorial trophy was won by the strong team of Hazel Hill, Alfonso Nero, Antonio Villamil and Silver Novillo Astrada, defeating both Rich Properties team of Ainsley Mulligan, Inda Pieres, Inaki Gonzalez and Lorenzo Nero and Alex Photo with Noa Carter-Schatz, Benjamin de la Fuente, Connor Oleary and Santos Valent.
MVP went to Antonio Villamil with six goals for his team. Silver Novillo Astrada was the Sportsmanship award winner and Red Barn/Purina BPP Went to Alfonso Nero horse Dolfina Jeep.
In the second level of the Buzz Welker Memorial, Mayer Ranch’s Sophie Ferreira, Rafa MacDonough, Marcos Lisioli, Pedro Lisioli and Beltran Nero defeated Husk and Tackeria on net goals to win the round robin.
Marcos Lisioli was MVP with two of his team's four goals. The Sportsmanship honor went to Felipe Teves and Pedro Garcia del Rio’s Zorrina was named Red Barn/Purina Best Playing Pony.
In the third level, the CTV Sports team of Kalani Gomez Romero, Silvestre Gomez Romero and Elijah Uys defeated GJ Racing and Grand Champions.
Silvestre Gomez Romero earned MVP honors with seven of his teams 13 goals. Red Barn / Purina Best Playing Pony went to Boiwa owned and played by Elijah Uys. The Sportsmanship Award went to Facundo Novillo Astrada.
The leadline level had In Motion team of Cira LaPrida, Patton Limehouse and Cruz Ocampo edging the Santa Rita team of Catalina Lisioli, Lorenzo Novillo Astrada and Magdalena Zedda, 3-2.
The tournament, started in 2012, was named in honor of Buzz Welker, a former polo player who shared his love for the game with everyone. Before his life ended, Welker played in 16 countries and played with several celebrities including King Charles, Sultan of Brunei and actor Tommy Lee Jones. Welker died in 2006 at age 69. He was the founder and leader of the Franklin Polo Association and headed major polo clubs in Texas, Florida and Dominican Republic.
The well-organized PTF tournaments, under the direction of PTF Executive Director Jennifer McLeavy, are winding down with one remaining event, the April 19th Jimmer Newman Memorial.
"Monday was our second to last event of the Florida season," McLeavy said. "It was a bit emotional for me. I knew I wouldn’t see some of these kids until next winter rolls around, but also enjoying how much some of the players have improved month to month.
"Some of the two-chukker kids moved up to the four-chukker level this season, and by Monday's games they were flying down the field like old pros. And some of the oldest kids were creating set plays and talking strategy at the trailers before their games, talking to each other on the field, and simply, just having fun."
The nation's oldest and most successful junior youth program has been instrumental in the growth of junior and youth polo players. The PTF encourages the sport‘s development with training programs, lessons and tournaments for boys and girls.
Grand Champions Polo Club President and PTF Chairman Melissa Ganzi is a longtime supporter of grass roots polo. Several of the PTF events are hosted at Santa Rita Polo Farm.
The PTF was created in 1967 by Palm Beach Polo and Country Club founder and former 7-goal amateur Bill Ylvisaker to teach polo to youth by promoting youth clinics, interscholastic and intercollegiate competition.
The PTF offers much more than just an introduction to polo. These young athletes are learning valuable life lessons, from teamwork and sportsmanship to the responsibility of taking care of the horses, all key aspects that contribute to their development both as players and individuals.
The Polo Training Foundation is a 501(C) 3 organization and relies on tax deductible donations for financial support. The PTF has an annual budget of $600,000 of which $400,000 is funded yearly by tax-deductible donations. For more information go to www.polotraining.org.
For those interested in participating in future events, there is a Florida Junior Polo Registration Form available on the website or contact McLeavy at JMcLeavy@polotraining.org.