The Aspen Valley Polo Club this week announced its schedule for the upcoming summer season, with 14 grass and arena tournaments set in July and August.
New this year is the creation of a Twilight Polo Series, which will feature Tuesday night arena and twilight polo from July 29 to Aug. 26.
The main summer schedule will get underway on July 5 with the Independence Cup, followed the next day by the ChukkerTV Cup. The rest of the month includes the Craig Sakin Memorial (July 10-13); Basalt Handicap (July 17-20); Emma Challenge Cup (July 24-27); and the High Alpine Cup (July 31-Aug. 3).
August includes the Mount Sopris Cup (Aug. 7-10); Rocky Mountain Open (Aug. 7-17); The Carbondale Classic (Aug. 14-17); Triple Crown of Polo Aspen and Silver Queen Invitational doubleheader (Aug. 21-24); Aspen Arena Series Final (Aug. 26); and the Maroon Bells Cup (Aug. 28-31) as the season finale.
AVPC is headquartered on 15 acres near the Catherine Store outside Carbondale, under the shadow of the 12,965-foot Mount Sopris. This will be its 12th season of offering summer competition.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
The highlight of the last summer’s lineup was the Summer Polo Charity Classic, benefiting the Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation. A record crowd of 250 VIP guests raised just over $1 million, which, according to the club, “raised the most money in a single-day polo event in the United States.”
Details on a possible 2025 event were not released.
The 2024 competition schedule included multiple different team champions: Santa Rita, Casablanca (twice, with different lineups), Los Amigos Red (also twice), Mountain Chevrolet, Tonkawa, Los Amigos Blue, Maltese Falcons (twice), and Audi.
ChukkerTV, based out of Wellington, Florida, will live stream the entire 2025 polo season with announcer Dale Schwetz again calling the action. AVPC is the only USPA club to live stream its entire schedule.
All matches, food, and refreshments are free and open to the public, except for special events.
The club was resurrected in 2014 by valley locals Marc and Melissa Ganzi. The club is also behind the popular World Snow Polo Championships, held each December in Aspen.
Courtesy Image
Courtesy Image