By Liz Leamy
It was another afternoon for the books as Audi, with its venerable playing roster featuring the iconic Mariano Aguerre and Torito Ruiz Jorba, Nicolas Diaz Alberdi and Martin Velez Suarez, his firecracker colleagues, charged to the victory against their formidable opponent, Stradavarius, with a 13-10 win to rack up all-important points in the second round of the 2024 East Coast Open, one of the most celebrated annual high-goal polo tournaments held in the U.S.
Although Audi seized the lead at the outset of this high-octane faceoff, its was a contentious battle all the way through to the end as all of the players and ponies on both teams played at an optimal level, flying around the expansive Conyers Farm field with remarkable speed, power and command.
“This was a very tough game today and we played against an excellent team. Everybody was strong out there,” said Martin Velez Suarez, Audi’s number-one player and patron who was named Most Valuable Player of the match. “We started well and then it was all about staying focused and in the zone. That was so important.”
Playing in front of more than 3,000 people in weather that initially had started out as rainy but then transformed into sunny skies, Velez-Suarez and his team, along with the super-charged Stradavarius squad featuring the Teflon-tough Kris Kampsen, Benjamin Panelo, Pedro Gutierrez and Christophe Landon, put the proverbial pedal to the metal with their world-class playing to generate rousing applause from the crowd throughout the entirety of this match.
According to the athletes, playing in front such a dynamic crowd at the Greenwich Polo Club in this storied tournament was a win unto itself.
“The crowd was amazing, the weather was perfect and the field was fantastic,” said Velez Suarez, who is from Colombia, stating this was his first time ever playing at the Greenwich Polo Club. “This is one of the top clubs in the world and the East Coast Open is one of the biggest tournaments in the U.S. I love playing here. It is such a great place.”
Spectators shared the same sentiments as Velez Suarez.
“There is so much energy in the air. The players and horses are amazing, the crowd has been fantastic and so involved. It’s also great to see so many people from all over the whole tri-state area come together for this tournament,” said Will Adames of New York City, who has been attending the East Coast Open Tournament at the Greenwich Polo Club for three years running. “This was such a highly contested match and the quality of play was extraordinary. I always look forward to coming here and it’s become a standard part of my whole summer routine.”
Adames also elaborated on the remarkable skills and talents of the players and horses, especially at the high-goal level.
“There are so many different elements involved in polo and it’s one of the most challenging sports anyone could ever do,” said Adames, a former baseball player who started playing polo several years ago, saying it has been a challenging endeavor even with his athletic background. “There’s the speed of the game, the hand/eye coordination, the fact that you have to play right-handed (for safety and other reasons) and deal with the day’s weather that affects the state of the field for both the players and horses, who are their own beings and each have a mind of their own. It’s all quite extraordinary when you consider all of this.”
Without a doubt, the Michelin-star standard of this sport did not seem to get lost on anyone at this memorable match, as spectators could be seen maintaining a hawkeye-like attention with all of the on-field happenings.
“This has been a really incredible match and the players are all hitting the ball so well,” said Jay Mukeel, a former semi-pro polo athlete who plays at the Vero Beach Polo Club and Mashomack Polo Club in Pine Plains, New York, and has been attending matches at the Greenwich Polo Club since 1991. “This is a club that is all about world-class polo and it’s always special for players to play here.”
Others agreed.
“The Greenwich Polo Club is amazing and we’re so excited to be involved with them,” said Colin Mulhern, Event Manager of Mohegan Digital Playing Team with Mohegan Sun being a sponsor of this year’s East Coast Open. “The players and horses are incredible, the people are awesome and then there’s the drive up here and drive in with the field, trees and all of the art. It’s all just so fantastic.”
Certainly, attending a match at the Greenwich Polo Club is a unique experience unto itself.
In addition to having the opportunity to watch the world-class polo, spectators can also spend time there checking out and also purchasing some of the collectible Greenwich Polo Club gear at the Greenwich Polo Club store underneath the grandstand or enjoying some of the many tasty treats from one of the many food trucks lined up next to the parking area.
“This is an extraordinary place and it’s wonderful to be part of it all,” said Louise Joseph, owner and proprietor of the ever-popular Dough Girls Mobile Wood Fired Pizza Truck of Greenwich that has been a mainstay at the Greenwich Polo Club for nine seasons running. “This was the first event I ever came to with the [Dough Girls] truck and it’s been an incredible adventure ever since. I love coming here. The people, the horses, the players, the music, the nature and the whole vibe up here are all just amazing. Everyone is always dressed up and so many people, especially the kids, seem to run around and make new friends with one another, which is great. Everyone’s having such a good time relaxing, talking with one another and enjoying the day.”
Another highlight of the afternoon, meanwhile, was the presence of the Rising Starr Horse Rescue Foundation that is based in Wilton, Connecticut, whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome horses that have faced adversity, neglect or abuse, with its two tents that were set up near the club’s entrance.
Notably, one of its tents featured three friendly rescue miniature horses, Army, Navy and Mayday, who interacted with adults and children at the event and who wound up generating as much attention as the horses and players of the match themselves.
“It’s so exciting to be here and to let people know that there are horses who can be adopted and who can have a second career, just like people,” said Kelly Stackpole, Founder and Executive Director of the Rising Starr Horse Rescue Foundation. “These are our ambassadors to let people know about this whole world. It’s so important to get the message out as much as we can to help build the support for all of the horses.”
The East Coast Open final will be held on Sunday, September 8th at the Greenwich Polo Club.
For more information, please visit the club’s website at: GreenwichPoloClub.com
