WELLINGTON, FL., March 31, 2025---Tonkawa won its first World Polo League 26-goal tournament of the season Sunday at windswept 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) needed another overtime to defeat Travieso (Tony Calle, 3, Pipe Vercellino, 7, Juan Martin Zubia, 9, Fred Mannix, 7), 13-12, to win the Palm Beach Open and finish undefeated at 4-0. Travieso finished 2-2.
It was the second time Tonkawa defeated Travieso in overtime during the four-team tournament. Tonkawa edged Travieso, 10-9, in overtime in the tournament opener. It was also the second consecutive year Travieso lost in the Palm Beach Open final.
Weisz scored the winning goal on an 80-yarder with 2:37 left in the seventh chukker to clinch the win. It was his first goal from the field after scoring eight goals from the penalty line.
Argentine 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero, outstanding on defense, was Most Valuable Player.
Three pony blankets were awarded.
Rocio, a 9-year-old Bay mare, owned and played by Hildebrand in overtime, was the World Polo League Best Playing Pony.
The AACCP Best Playing Pony honor went to Alberta Masa Ancha, an 11-year-old Chestnut mare, owned and played by Mannix in the fifth chukker.
The American Polo Horse Association Best Playing Pony was Ensenada Gilda, a 7-year-old Bay mare played by Nero in the second chukker and owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm.
Travieso came out fast and furious in the first half jumping on the throwins, 12-1. Travieso took a 1-0 lead when Mannix hit a 135-yard pass to Vercellino who got past the defender to score. After Travieso lost a challenge, Nero connected with MacDonough on a 120-yarder who scored from a standstill to tie the game, 1-1. A minute later, Vercellino and Zubia scored back-to-back goals for a 3-1 lead. Weisz ended the chukker converting a 30-yard penalty to cut the lead, 3-2.
Weisz opened the second chukker with a 60-yard penalty conversion for a 3-3 tie. Travieso regained leads of 4-3, 5-3 and 6-3 with goals from Zubia, Calle and Vercellino. The teams exchanged goals with Travieso maintaining its three-goal lead, 7-4, early in the third chukker. Tonkawa scored back-to-back goals from MacDonough and Weisz to trail, 7-6, at the half.
After the opening three chukkers, Tonkawa led in shots on goal, 9-8. Travieso led in knock-ins, 3-1. Tonkawa ended up scoring off four penalties, two 40-yarders, one 60-yarder and one 30-yarder, all by Weisz.
The second half was just as close. The lead changed hands four times before Travieso had another three-goal cushion, 11-8, midway through the fifth chukker.
Never-say-die Tonkawa clawed its away back in the sixth chukker. With Travieso leading, 12-10 with 5:30 left in regulation, Weisz converted back-to-back penalties including a 30-yarder with 13 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
Travieso opened the seventh chukker with what looked to be a great pass to Vercellino near the goal before Weisz batted it out of scoring danger. Travieso had another shot at scoring off a breakaway but couldn't capitalize. With 2:37 left, it was Weisz' turn who made good on an 80-yard attempt to win the game.
For the game, Tonkawa led in shots on goal, 20-17 and penalties scored, 6-2. Travieso led throw-ins, 18-6, knock-ins, 7-5, and fouls, 11-6
Weisz scored a game-high nine goals. MacDonough and Nero each had one goal. The team was awarded two penalty-ones. For Travieso, Vercellino led with six goals, Calle had three, Zubia had two and Mannix had one.
In the semifinals, Travieso edged Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras, 6, Rufino Bensadon, 8, Sapo Caset 9), 11-10. Tonkawa defeated Maltese Falcons Maltese Falcons (Sugar Erskine, 6, Jason Crowder, 5, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8), 12-10.                                                                                      Â
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.
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.