Spectators filled the stands with fascinators and white hats, some dripping in baroque pearls, while the liqueur manufacturer St Germain provided complimentary bubbles and personalized scarves. Waitstaff bustled between sport coats on the terrace, delivering charcuterie boards to tables arranged around the five-foot gold and silver Pacific Coast Open Trophy.
Sunday afternoon marked the final match in the 2026 Pacific Coast Open tournament, what is called the “crown jewel” of West Coast polo. Defending champions La Karina (Brian Boyd, Carlos ‘Carlitos’ Gracida Jr., Felipe ‘Pipe’ Vercellino, and Lucas Escobar) took to the field against Klentner Ranch (Jake Klentner, Ignacio “Nachi” Viana, Jesse Bray, Justin Klentner) putting high goal polo on full display on the fields of Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club.
In last year’s tournament, La Karina knocked Klentner Ranch out in the semifinals, and played Carbenella in the final, earning the team’s first ever win of the trophy. But this year, Klentner Ranch dominated the tournament, scoring 67 total goals over the course of six matches, and secured their fourth Pacific Coast Open title.
Klenter Ranch’s Bray could not be caught with his longshots, arcing the ball from one end of the 300 meter field to the other and launching a horse race, hooves pounding the turf. La Karina’s Gracida was masterful during throw-ins and when the play would bunch up, reversing the direction of play with backshots on multiple occasions.
The players were fighting hard; a goal post was knocked out and put back up, riders were on the ground on three occasions and attended to by medics before remounting, and the white ball ricocheted off of a helmet.
With only a minute left on the clock, Escobar made a last ditch effort to score a goal for La Karina, despite being down by seven points. He struck the ball with his mallet as he was being chased down by Viana, and the ball came flying through the grandstand and onto the terrace, women screaming and glass shattering.
Luckily, no one was hit when it landed on a table and bounced off the wall of the Polo Grill, only a few feet away from the Pacific Coast Open Trophy. The only injury was a minor cut that left a waitress’s finger bleeding as she cleaned up the shards of glass. Time ran out in the sixth and final chukker, leaving Klentner Ranch victorious with a final score of 16 to 9, the highest number of goals of any match in this year’s tournament.
Lucas Escobar apologizing to spectators after he hit a ball into the grandstand that bounced off their table and broke glassware. | Credit: Elaine Sanders 
Lucas Escobar signing the ball that he hit into the grandstand | Credit: Elaine Sanders 
Best playing pony winner, her grooms, and Jessie Bray | Credit: Elaine Sanders 
Gonzalo “Big G” Soria (center, plaid shirt) won best polo groom award at the 2026 Pacific Coast Open. | Credit: Elaine Sanders 
David Sigman, General Manager of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club | Credit: Elaine Sanders 
Some of the goal judges who make the tournament run smoothly. | Credit: Elaine Sanders
As the trophy was brought to the field, teams and spectators gathered in celebration, and Escobar signed the ball that found its way into the grandstand, apologizing to spectators at the table for the commotion.
Klentner Ranch’s players and grooms jumped onto the stage, champagne and beers in hand. Celebration burst out and everyone’s drinks went flying, giving the gleaming trophy its annual christening and leaving it dripping in the late afternoon sun.
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