Tonkawa Wins World Polo League Palm Beach Open Overtime Thriller; Action Continues Saturday
- Candace Ferreira
- Mar 14
- 4 min read
WELLINGTON, FL., March 14, 2025---The opening game of the World Polo League's Palm Beach Open more than lived up to expectations Thursday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, 0, Mackie Weisz, 6, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Juan Martin Nero, 10) rallied in overtime for a thrilling 10-9 victory over Travieso (Tony Calle/Justo Mourino, 3, Pipe Vercellino, 7, Juan Martin Nero, 9, Fred Mannix, 7) to win its WPL season debut.
Action continues Saturday at 3 p.m. with Tonkawa playing Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Rufino Bensadon, 8, Sapo Caset, 9, Hilario Figueras, 6).
Tonkawa, cruising in the first four chukkers, had its hands full with Travieso in the final two chukkers before Nero scored the game-winner in overtime.
With Tonkawa leading, 7-3, at the 5:19 mark in the fourth chukker, Calle was forced to leave the game with a right hand injury suffered early in the opening chukker, and was replaced by Justo Mourino. Travieso got its second wind and went on the offensive attack scoring three unanswered goals to trail, 7-6, with 2:53 left in the fifth chukker. Vercellino converted two penalties and Zubia finished up a Vercellino goal attempt.
Tonkawa got its two-goal cushion back to open the sixth chukker when Nero beat his defender and scored for an 8-6 lead. Continuing to take advantage of Tonkawa's errors, Vercellino converted a 60-yard penalty to close the gap, 8-7. Weisz came back with a 60-yard penalty conversion of his own for a 9-7 advantage with 5:12 left. Three minutes later, Zubia scored to trail, 9-8.
With 1:13 left in regulation, Vercellino sent a long pass to Mourino, who was closely defended by Nero, but still managed to stay on the near side and score to tie the game at 9-9. Both teams briefly had possession before the regulation game ended.
Travieso had possession first in overtime but missed a scoring opportunity. Two minutes later Nero found himself open and worked his way to goal.
In the first half, Tonkawa led with shots on goal, 10-7, was even with knock-ins, 4-4, and led throw-ins, 6-3. Travieso led fouls, 4-2. For the game, Tonkawa ended up leading shots-on-goal, 17-15, throw-ins, 11-8 and fouls 7-6. Travieso led knock-ins, 7-6.
Weisz led Tonkawa with four goals including two penalty conversions. MacDonough had three goals, Nero two and Hildebrand added one.
Vercellino had a game-high five goals, all on penalty conversions. Zubia had two. Calle and Mourino each had one.
Four teams are competing in the Palm Beach Open. Every team plays each other with the two best records advancing to the final.
The WPL, the winter season's biggest highlight, continues to make history as the only 26-goal polo played outside of Argentina. The WPL made its debut in 2018 to keep 26-goal polo alive and thriving. In September 2017, the USPA announced that 22 goals would be the maximum level of polo played beginning in 2019 with the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup and U.S. Open.
The 26-goal World Polo League kicked off its seventh season on Feb. 16th making history with a first-of-its kind matchup. Casablanca captured the first-ever WPL 32-Goal All-Star Challenge Riemenschneider Memorial.
In front of a packed house, Casablanca (Sapo Caset, 9, Grant Ganzi, 3, Tommy Panelo, 10, Juan Martin Nero, 10) led from start to finish to defeat Santa Rita (Nic Roldan, 7, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Juan Martin Zubia, 9), 8-5. Caset led Casablanca with a game-high five goals and was named MVP.
Casablanca made it two in a row capturing the Founders Cup with a hardfought 14-12 win over Alegria (Jason Crowder, 5, Fred Mannix, 7, Nic Roldan, 7, Tommy Collingwood, 5). Caset earned his second MVP award.
The final WPL tournament is the highly-coveted March 26-April 12 Triple Crown of Polo.
In last year's Palm Beach Open, Casablanca defended its title. Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras, 6, Rufino Bensadon, 8, Sapo Caset, 9) broke open a close game in the fifth chukker to defeat Travieso (Tony Calle, 3, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Pipe Vercellino, 7, Juan Martin Nero, 10), 11-8. Caset was MVP.
During the winter polo season, 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, 20, and 26-goal World Polo League, The Polo School Women's Weekly Polo League, WCT Finals, several Polo Training Foundation junior tournaments, World Polo League Pride and Sunset Chukkers & Cocktails at both Grand Champions and Santa Rita Polo Farm.
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.
Grand Champions Polo Club caters to men, women and youth polo players at all levels. Its' expert staff can customize a complete playing experience including horses, pros and certified umpires in addition to lessons and practice sessions as part of its' Polo On Demand program.
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.
For more information on leagues or The Polo School contact Juan Bollini at 561-346-1099 or Cale Newman at 561-876-2930.