2016 East Coast Open Polo Tournament

The 2016 East Coast Open took place from Aug. 28–Sept. 11 at Greenwich Polo Club. Considered to be one of the most prestigious polo competitions in the United States, the East Coast Open featured eight of polo’s top teams competing in the 20-goal tournament.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Sep 15, 2016

2016 East Coast Open Polo Tournament

Goose Creek’s four-goaler, Marcos Garcia del Rio, watches the ball head for a goal in the first game of the 2016 East Coast Open against seven-goaler Fran Elizalde and Beluga. The Garcia del Rio’s are one of the top polo playing families with all the brothers, including eight-goaler Tomas and five-goaler Gonzalo, playing this season.

As Brazilian seven-goaler Joao Paulo Ganon hits a back shot, his mallet wraps around six-goaler Naco Taverna's horse's legs. Taverna appealed for a foul.

Audi's Nic Roldan, one of the top-ranked American-born players at eight-goals, completes a neck shot as Airstream's Kris Kampsen follows on the off side. Kampsen overcame a major neck injury after a bicycle accident last year to return in top form this season to compete for Airstream.

Audi’s Leo Mandelbaum, ranked at two-goals, hooks Airstream’s Agustin Bottaro, a rising star currently ranked at two-goals in the U.S. at only 16 years of age.

Postage Stamp Farm’s Salvador Ulloa. Ranked at seven-goals, Ulloa played against his brother Hilario during the East Coast Open. He was named MVP in this game against Tupungato.

Audi's Sebastian Merlos, ranked at nine-goals. Merlos’ son, Segundo, is also a polo player and this summer filled in for a player on Faraway Polo during the East Coast Open.

Airstream’s Guillermo Aguero, ranked at six goals, gallops across the field to hit the ball while the White Birch crew watch the action.

Greenwich Polo Club conducts an award ceremony after the East Coast Open match between Tupungato and Postage Stamp Farm on August 28th. From left to right: Tupungato’s Gaston Lisioli, Santi Torres, Naco Taverna (talking to Mariano Aguerre and Hilario Ulloa's daughters Carmen and Lavinia) and Tupungato patron Luis Rinaldini, next to Postage Stamp Farm’s Joao Paulo Ganon, Salvador Ulloa, Brandon Phillips and Postage Stamp Farm patron Annabelle Gundlach.

Audi's Nic Roldan reaches for a near-side back shot, with Tupungato's Santi Torres behind.

Postage Stamp Farm’s Annabelle Gundlach in full gallop goes for a clean off side shot.

Audi patron Marc Ganzi goes for a clear off-side shot. Ganzi competes with Audi polo team around the country and he owns Grand Champions Polo Club, with fellow polo player and wife Melissa, in Wellington, Florida.

Raul Colombres (subbing in for Postage Stamp Farm’s Brandon Phillips) with a neck shot.

Hilario Ulloa's signature shot: a near side moving the ball forward but he approaches it from behind his back, instead of the front of his body. This is an extremely difficult shot, and it is not known if any other player does this move in a game.

Seven-goaler show down as Faraway Polo’s Iñaki Laprida reaches to hook Mariano Gonzalez of Goose Creek.

Faraway Polo's Iñaki Laprida winds up to hit the ball in a match vs Goose Creek.

Mariano Gonzalez goes for a forward shot in front of a crowd of over 2,500 spectators.

Goose Creek’s Tomas Garcia del Rio with the ball as Faraway Polo's Iñaki Laprida reaches to try and hook Garcia del Rio.

Goose Creek’s Maureen Brennan with a back shot. A life-long equestrian and a former show jumper, Brennan led her team to the semi-finals of the East Coast Open.

Maureen Brennan warming up before a Goose Creek match.

Airstream's Agustin Botaro hooks White Birch's Hilario Ulloa.

White Birch’s Mariano Aguerre hits the ball for a goal as Airstream’s six-goaler Kris Kampsen attempts a ride-off. Aguerre, a legend of the sport, is known as one of the most prolific breeders of polo ponies and operates a breeding farm, Los Machitos, with fellow polo players Nick Manifold and Naco Taverna.

White Birch's Hilario Ulloa goes for a hook on Audi's Nic Roldan. Ulloa, who is currently ranked as a 10-goaler in Argentina and will officially be moved to a 10-goal handicap in the U.S. as of January 1, 2017. A 10-goal handicap is the highest handicap a polo player can achieve in the sport.

Audi's Nic Roldan in action.

White Birch's Santino Magrini celebrates scoring his first of two goals in the final against Audi.

White Birch’s one-goaler Santino Magrini shoots for the goal in sudden death overtime of the final match of the East Coast Open, with nine-goaler Sebastian Merlos following.

White Birch’s Santino Magrini moves the ball as he turns, which leads to one of his two goals including the winning goal of the final against Audi.

USPA Chairman Joseph Meyer presents the Perry Trophy to the winners of the 2016 East Coast Open: White Birch’s Santino Magrini, Hilario Ulloa, Mariano Aguerre and Peter Brant.